Southeast Asian Komedya

• Learning Activity Sheet for Music and Arts, Quarter 4, Lesson 1 focuses on exploring performing arts and visual arts in selected Southeast Asian countries.

Komedya

• A local adaptation descended from the Spanish comedia (play) of the 16th century.
• Appeared first in Latin and Spanish in Cebu in 1598.
• The komedya on the martyrdom of Santa Barbara in 1609.
• Facilitated the conversion of Boholanos to Christianity.
• A famous komedya in 1637 depicted the defeat of Corralat by Sebastian Hurtado de Corcuera.
• By the 19th century, it became an institution in Manila theaters.
• Became popular fiesta fare by the 1830s in Pampanga, the 1850s in Ilocos, the 1860s in Bicol, and towards the end of the 19th century in Iloilo and Cebu.
• It is written in verse, usually octosyllabic or dodecasyllabic quatrains.
• Uses conventions of marcha, batalla, and magia.

Types of Komedya

• Komedya de Santo, centers on the lives of patron saints or episodes in the life of a saint or of Christ.
• Secular komedya highlights epic battles between Christian and Moorish kingdoms or the lives and loves of noble characters.
• Stories for the komedya de santo come from awit and korido, hagiographies, or stories of miracles.
• Secular komedya sources stories, characters, and lines from awit and korido set in medieval kingdoms.
• Supported by the community, it is presented for two or three days to celebrate barrio patron saints' feasts.
• The cast, often barrio youths fulfilling personal religious vows, declaim verses and acts out scenes.
• Performers wear costumes indicating religion and political hierarchy.
• Performers are trained for months by a director and do rega marcha and crisp paso doble, dancing to a brass band..
• It reinforces beliefs in Christian and European superiority, hierarchical authority, obedience, humility.

Biag ni Lam-ang

• A pre-historic Ilokano epic.
• Written versions available today seem to show that it was close to 300 stanzas.
• It is believed to be the work of several poets of different generations.
• Each poet made his own alterations or additions until the 17th century.
• Pedro Bukaneg, father of Ilocano poetry put it down in writing for the first time (about 1720) in both Ilokano and Spanish.
• The story tells of Lam-ang, who could speak from birth and sought revenge for his father’s death.
• He courted Ines Kannoyan, impressing her with his rooster and dog.
• Lam-ang dies from a sea creature but is revived through the rooster, dog, and Ines.
• The written version dates to the 17th century and incorporates Christian elements.

Wayang Kulit

• Shadow puppetry in Javanese culture, especially Yogyakarta.
• Found in architecture, murals, souvenirs, tattoos, and jewelry.
• Adapts to cultural changes, preserving core values.
• It tells stories that are needed, sheds light on the ills of society uplifting it.

Thingyan Water Festival

• Also known as "transition from old to new year" in the Myanmar Calendar during the Tagu month.
• Celebrates the rotation of a goddess holding Brahma's head.
• Thingyan is related to ancient Myanmar astrology, signifying the transition from dry to hot season.
• The stone inscription from Saw Hla Wun Pagoda dated to AD 1291 that includes the word "Thingyan/Thingkran".
• A celebration of the country's New Year, held during the hottest month.
• The week-long festival showers loved ones with water, washing away sins and is steeped in local legend and mythology.
• Provides an important tradition for Burmese society.