Kulintang: An ensemble of Filipino gongs used during celebrations
Kulintang is a set of gongs horizontally laid in a row. In its more common form, it consists of seven or eight gongs diminishing in size.
Kulintang also refers to the ensemble the instrument is accompanied with — the gandingan (a pair of large hanging gongs), agung (a set of two other hanging gongs, smaller in size than gandingan gongs), babandil (one gong that is played on its rim) and dabakan (a goblet shaped, single-headed drum).
Kulintang music is usually heard during festive gatherings, celebrations and rituals.
According to the Inquirer, the music is based on traditional chanting, vocal music and boat-lute music that was eventually translated to the kulintang ensemble. It used to be how our ancestors communicated with each other.
The music comes from many years of interpreting nature. The beat, pattern and rhythm of the music are based on chants about the earth, healing or celebration. It’s a way to relate to nature and a way of life.
Traditionally, kulintang ensembles were composed of mostly women. Now. both men and women can be seen playing the instruments that make up a kulintang ensemble.
“Musicologists believe the kulintang originated on the island of Borneo and was eventually introduced to the Philippine island of Mindanao,” according to the LA Times.
Although kulintang is closely associated with parts of the Philippines that are Muslim, it’s not an Islamic instrument. The music was already on the archipelago before the religion reached the area.
Today, a younger generation of musicians are mixing the ancient melodies of kulintang with modern genres to keep the art alive.
Pantayo, an all-women ensemble based in Toronto, combines kulintang with electronic, synth-pop, punk and R&B grooves. One of their songs “Heto Na,” features the beats of the kulintang gongs right at the start. The song is just over four minutes long, but It’s not until a bit after the two-minute mark that the group starts to sing, letting the ancient instrument alone mesmerize listeners for more than half of the number. On Pantayo’s site, they say they explore the possibility of kulintang through their experiences as queer diasporic Filipinas.
Kulintronica fuses the melodies of kulintang with electro house. In the song “Through the Breeze Of Coconut Trees,” he mixes kulintang with reggae vibes. It’s the perfect song if you want to be transported to the beaches of the Philippines and imagine you’re surrounded by soft, white sand and the bluest of waters. On Kulintronica’s YouTube bio, he advises listeners to add his music to their playlists if they need a tune to dance and decolonize to.
References
- “7 basic things to know about kulintang music” by Lydia Neff for the Inquirer.
- “Magindanaon Kulintang Music: Instruments, Repertoire, Performance Contexts, and Social Functions” by Danongan S. Kalanduyan.
- “Reaching Back and Giving Life to Philippines’ Musical Past : A small troupe of musicians working from a Reseda garage hopes to keep the kulintang tradition alive in America.” by David Colker for the Los Angeles Times.
