Songs and Music

Usually people were often judge by their ability to sing or create new songs which would be accompanied by the community on musical instruments which the singers themselves made.

The religious fold dramas in Bicol which center on catholic beliefs and liturgy also contain musical elements. The Bicol composers trained in religious music eventually wrote secular pieces as well.

Such traits can be gleaned from numerous folktales and folksong that abound the most known of which is "Sarong Bangui". The heroic stories reflect such traits as kindness, a determination to conquer evil forces, resourcefulness and ...courage. The folksongs come in the form of awit, sinalampati, panayokyok, panambitan, hatol, pag-omaw, rawit-dawit and children's song and chants.

There are also new folksong which refer to local history and geography, sometimes ridiculing politicians.

The themes are boarder in protest than nationalistic songs. Whatever the content, serious or nonsensical, these songs generally have a simple structure and a free form.  

Some Local Dances in Bicol

In Bicol, the dances are often associated with rituals. The tarok step was originally a movement that belonged to the ancient ritual.

The sinisiki (literally, "feet") step of Albay is another typical dance movement. Formerly, a "hop, step, close,step," in time it became a "brush, step, close, step." Authentic paraphernalia is used in ethnic Bicol dances. "Pabirik" means "to turn". The Pabirik dances of Camarines Norte are named after the turning motion of the gold panner's container.

The dance component of Bicol religious ritual was retained in colonial times. On the feast of San Felipe and Santiago in May, in Minalabac, Camarines Sur, men carry the saints images and estandertes of bamboo towers, while the children in costumes that change annually, dance the tatarok ("rice planters").

Among the secular dances, the engano, a graceful sway, and the waltz step are of Spanish origin. Boys and girls dance Albay's inkoy-inkoy to three part music, sagurang being its oldest Bicol version.

Some Beliefs and Religious Practices in the Region

Some beliefs and customs related to farming the life cycle, talismans, and divination survive in the consciousness of the contemporary Bicol, even the educated.

There are still pre-hispanic beliefs in the hierarchy of supernatural that the region adopts ranging from bad to good. The comon expression "tabi po, maki-agi tabi" (excuse me please, i would like to passed by) acknowledges the invisible world or the third dimensions.

The Christian God and heavenly host have replaced the supreme god gugurang and the minor deities, each of whom had a special function.

The darker side inhabited by witches and monsters seem to live on the minds of some Bicol Christians. Also some ancestor worship in some areas; post harvest thanksgiving ritual, sagugurang, is retained by bicol farmers by way of offering food to the spirits of their ancestors.

Touching the body of an image of Jesus or other saints was also part of their religious beliefs, wherein they do believe that it can cure their pains and problems.

Beliefs on God, the soul and life after death are strongly held by the people. Related to these, there are annual rituals like pabasa, tanggal, fiestas and Flores de mayo.

Bicol Mores and Folkways

 

Mores are strongly held norms which are essential to the welfare of the people and their cherished values.

Bicolanos have moral or ethical values, and thus going against them is offensive to the standards of righteousness and right behavior. They consist of large part of taboos, acts which are prohibited or forbidden. Incest, child abuse, battering wives, and prostitution are examples.

The Ten Commandments is also a mores. There are reactions towards the mores as seen in the attitude towards those who encourage child labor are child prostitution, drug addiction and drug pushing.

On the other hand there are also sanctions that are positively expressed in terms of what one is obliged to do, such as a man must support his family, that a citizen must serve his country and show concern to community welfare.

There are also other folkways and mores observed in Bicol like holding family reunions, showing respect to the elders by kissing their hand, visiting the grave of the loved ones, making Stations of the Cross during Lent and respect to the flag is also taught in the homes as well as in school.

Bicol customs and folkways

Folkways are passed from generation to generation whose violation is generally not considered serious within a particular culture.

Folkways include habits, customs, expected behavior, modes of greetings and farewell, rituals and ceremonies.

Usually various folkways in courtship are followed in the rural areas. A boy may ask the help of intermediary to introduce him to her. He may also serenade the girl but this practice is now waning. He can send love note to the girl. But it is also waning nowadays because of modern technologies. He may also visit the girl to her house. Today chaperonage not already.... practiced or the group dating. Parental approval is also sought by the boy and the girl before they get married. If it is not given or allowed, then the couple usually elopes, married secretly, or just has a "live in" arrangement, although these practices are still frowned upon.

When the boy and the girl have agreed to get married, then the "pamanhikan" is made. This is the formal asking of the hand of the girl or the approval of her parents by the boy's parents.