some cool, slightly obscure cultural practices of the tagalogs

can we characterize tagalog culture?

The Tagalog people, probably the largest, or at least, one of the largest ethnic groups in the Philippines¹, seem to have this almost-domineering presence in the wider Filipino psyche. To some, Tagalog = Filipino.

Who can blame them, really?

The national language, Wikang Filipino, is, let’s face it, based largely off the Tagalog language. When the Filipino language was invented in 1935, a bunch of people from other parts of US-occupied Philippines came together and decided that, Tagalog would be the basis of the new Filipino language, while other regional languages might contribute some words here and there to this new national language (emphasis on some).

Flag of the Tagalog Republic

What’s a tad ironic is that, despite Tagalog culture being so predominant in wider Filipino culture and with how Filipinos are largely seen on a global scale, there isn’t many specialized posts or Wikipedia articles even, that focus specifically on Tagalog culture. Aside from the Tagalog language and Manila being this important city, Tagalog culture doesn’t seem to be very-well defined, the current-day cultural practices not well known to a point where some form of art or music can be labelled “Tagalog.” I would argue that Ilocano culture, Bikolano culture, Bisayan culture, Maranao culture, and so on, are more easily definable than Tagalog culture.

I know that kattukong, inabel, atang, and pinakbet are very much Ilocano culture. Puso, Sinulog, tuslob buwa, puto maya, inasal, and hablon are Visayan culture. Okir, sipa salama, kappa malong-malong, torogan, brass jars, and Islam are part of Maranao culture.

The tanyak-tanyak face tattoos are a clear marker of Yakan culture

Much of that reasoning is definitely due to Tagalog identity being moreso linked to someone’s home province, so instead of being seen as a Tagalog, someone is more likely to call themselves a Bulakeño, Marinduqueño or a Caviteño. My aim isn’t to necessarily create a definition on what Tagalog culture is, rather, it’s to showcase the cultural traditions that could be used to help describe Tagalog culture, even if these traditions are confined to a single province. This is also just a lighthearted, fun way to view the Tagalog people in a way that we look at the cultures of indigenous peoples, and the other Filipino ethnicities, away from a nationalistic viewpoint.

Puni

This art form refers to coconut leaf weaving, a folk art specific to Bulacan province. Coconut or palm leaves are dried, colored, and weaved to create intricate shapes and patterns, where the leaves are folded, pleated, and braided. Puni can be used as a decoration for festivals, especially on Palm Sunday, as palaspas is a form of puni. This art form has pre-colonial roots, as puni were traditionally used to decorate² a house during special occasions.

Pabalat

Another folk art tradition hailing from Bulacan, pabalat is an obscure art form that involves cutting papel de japon into intricate designs³. Pabalat is used to be wrappers for pastillas, a creamy local candy made of milk and sugar. It’s considered to be an endangered craft. The art is practiced in the towns of San Miguel and Malolos.

Moryonan

The tradition of Moriones, or locally Moryonan is practiced in the province of Marinduque. Masked figures wear centurion-style masks meant to depict the Roman soldiers in the Pasyon parade the streets during Holy Week. It’s one of the provinces main cultural draws and is known for this festival. The Moriones first appeared in the early 19th century in the town of Mogpog⁴. The traditional morion mask in Mogpog came with a headgear called a bulaklakan turbante⁵, where papel de Japon is cut in the shape of flowers. another common style of Morion headgear is the plumed helmet, which uses materials like dog hair or chicken feathers. The mask is carved from local dapdap, dita, or santol trees native to the province.

Bulaklakan turbante style headgear with Morion mask

Putong

This tradition of welcoming also hails from the island of Marinduque. It’s a very unique form of hospitality where a guest is welcomed with song and dance, and is then crowned by locals known as mamumutong wearing traditional kimona, saya, and barong Tagalog. The guests are then crowned⁶. This ceremony is also performed at special events like festivals, weddings, birthdays, and any other event.

Sanghiyang

This practice is a local form of fire walking that is evidence of pre-colonial culture that survives to this day. The practice is specific to Cavite province. The practice was originally done as an offering to Bathala but with the coming of Spanish colonization has been re-appropriated as devotion to Catholic saints.

Obando Fertility Rites

Another ancient practice, this act of devotion is specific to the town of Obando in Bulacan. In the month of May, devotees come to the town of Obando dressed in traditional clothing to dance in honor of three patron saints, San Pascual, Santa Clara, and Nuestra Señora de Salambáo⁷. The practice actually dates to pre-colonial religious practices, as the dances were once held to honor the Tagalog gods Diyan Masalanta, Lakapati, and Bathala. Since the Spanish colonial era, it has been re-appropriated to Catholic beliefs. The practice has also been recorded in Noli Me Tángere, a fictional work by national hero Jose Rizal, where one of the main characters Maria Clara was born due to a character participating in the dance.

Higantes

These giant, paper-mache puppets are a traditional form of folk art in Angono, Rizal. The puppets are paraded down the streets every November in honor of the the towns patron saint, San Clemente. The giant puppets were originally meant to satirize Spanish colonial figures, and the tradition of portraying caricatures of various figures continues to this day.

Pulilan Carabao Festival

The tradition is conducted in honor of St. Isidore of Labrador, the patron saint of farmers. Practiced in the town of Pulilan in Bulacan province, the festival held every May is particularly known for the tradition of the kneeling carabao, where carabao that parade the streets kneel in front of the town church in honor of the patron saint.

Singkaban

These decorated arches made of bamboo is another folk art that comes from Bulacan, and is a common feature in fiestas, especially placed in front of churches during holidays. The main material of these welcome arches is almost exclusively bamboo, which is skillfully shaved, trimmed, and weaved to create intricate designs. The tradition includes specific key designs, such as rayos, abaniko, bulakaykay, and the half-moon designs⁸. The Eligio family in particular are known to preserve and transmit this art form, and work in the province to preserve this art form.

1. Some sources put Visayan people as the largest ethnic group in the Philippines with Tagalog people coming in second, when they group all the Visayan-speaking language peoples together under one group. When Visayan people are divided into smaller groups like Cebuano, Ilonggo, and Waray, the Tagalogs are then considered to be the largest ethnic group.

2. https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1922511/the-art-of-puni-bulacans-palm-sunday-tradition-lives-on

3. https://medium.com/pacesetter/fading-musing-revisiting-the-vanishing-craft-of-pabalat-083d22d88630

4. https://marinduquenews.com/carving-history-revealing-the-artistry-behind-mogpogs-moriones-mask/

5. chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://archive.unesco-ichcap.org/eng/ek/sub3/pdf_file/domain5/099_Morion_Head_Mask.pdf

6. https://themixedculture.com/2013/10/14/tubong-putong/

7. https://lakbaypinas.com/ultimate-guide-to-obando-festival-in-bulacan/

8. https://www.yodisphere.com/2024/07/the-timeless-art-of-singkaban.html