A Tingguian/Itneg Courtship Dance


Here’s a video of our Tingguian/Itneg kailiyans dancing one of several courtship dances in the Cordilleras. Maybe our Itneg readers, kung meron man, can tell us the name of this dance. Kankanaeys (at least those in Sagada) have a similar dance and we call it “palakis”. [Tama ba ako, Pagano? Di ba this is palakis?]

I’m pretty sure those coming from other parts of the Cordillera, have a dance similar to this but would have a different name for it. So our different names for this dance and the different variations of it would be an example of what Dan Peckley was talking about regarding iCordilleras being diverse and yet having a common thread that binds us. So here’s a question, do you have a dance similar to this? If so, what do you call it?

By the way, according to the person who uploaded this in Youtube, this video was filmed by anthropologist Robert Garfias in the 1960s.

UPDATE about the dance from ipadigunagawis: This Tingguian dance is called TADEK. We have two kinds of tadek: 1) lablabbaab or suklit = uses hands to produce the sound of the gongs (this is the dance above) and 2) pinnalla-iyan or talukatik = uses stick to produce the sound of the gongs.

Thanks ipadigunagawis 🙂

RELATED POST: Idemdem Mailida: Itneg Victory Chant. VIDEO CREDIT: Robert Garfias uploaded by Anak1.

10 thoughts on “A Tingguian/Itneg Courtship Dance”

  1. hi there, bill… the dance is almost like palakis. here in sagada though, the lady also holds a bandanna, like the man, and they dance to a background music with a beat that’s faster than the one on the video. i agree with your observation about it being an example of cordillerans’ being diverse and yet having a common thread, as mr. peckley says.

    (internet connection here hasn’t been that good for the last few days, especially during evenings. technical problem- that’s according to the ‘taray-voiced’ lady (he he) at the other end of the line who i spoke with when i called technical support service after numerous attempts to go online only produced ‘webpage cannot be displayed.’):-)

  2. Thanks Pagano. [Off topic: Actually, I’m also having some internet problems. I can connect but some sites can’t open; I’m not sure if its the sites that are having the problem because its just too many of them that are not opening.]

  3. Hi Anon,
    I’m sure it does. And it would also be similar to the dances in other towns and provinces with some slight variations. Thanks for visiting and for your comment.

  4. im a tinnguian we called that dance ” Tadik” a ritual dance for us itneg, we usually dance this in many ocassion( kasal, libing and all thanks giving occassion)

  5. Hi justme,
    Thanks for that info. Kankanaeys have a similar word, “tadek” but I’m not sure if it refers to this kind of dance. Thanks for visiting us here, we hope you continue to join us in the future.

  6. this tingguian dance is called TADEK.. we have two kinds of tadek 1. lablabbaab or suklit = uses hands to produce the sound of the gongs (this is the dance above
    2. pinnalla-iyan or talukatik= uses stick to produce the sound of the gongs

  7. Hi ipadigunagawis,
    Thanks. That’s a very helpful info, I added it to the main post. Thanks again 🙂

  8. I have tried dancing the tadek when we had a visit at Danglas. I am under going my Ph D Lang Ed and one of the topic i am interested on is a translation of some literary piece to Itneg! I do not speak the language but some of my relative speak. My father is from Abra but belong to the Ilocano tribe! I hope I can find help and support here!

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