Tinikling: The Dance of the Bird

Photo Credits: My mother, Melissa Fernandez

Introduction

Performing in front of large crowds is something I’ve never taken a liking to. Growing up I’ve always been known as the shy and introverted kid. Though it seems as if this feeling fades away when I am tinikling.

Tinikling has been an important part of my life that has allowed me to grow closer to my family and my culture. In my family, it is a tradition some of my great grandparents have started to teach their children to perform the style of folk dancing and it has been passed down through generations.

Although I haven’t been tinikling recently, it has brought courage into my life and I especially enjoy getting to teach my younger cousins tinikling and seeing the passion and love spread through my family from this dance.

Historical Context

Tinikling has an extremely interesting origin story that not many people know about, and those who do are extremely surprised to know about the hidden dark background from this seemingly innocent dance.

In the Filipino culture, tinikling comes from a native bird of the Philippines called the tikling bird. The tikling bird is a small sized bird who inspired this folk dance by hopping and sneaking around traps set by Filipinos on rice farms. It’s way of sneaking and stooping around amused the Filipino farmers and has brought this cultural dance to life.

Photo Credits: JJ Harrison

Photo Credits: FindInc

While this is the common belief, some Filipinos, including myself were taught that the origins of tinikling can be traced back to the Spanish Colonial Era. During this time, the Spanish had colonized the Philippines and were under complete control. As a punishment, Filipino farmers would be beaten by the feet and ankles with large bamboo poles. In an attemot to dodge this punishment, the farmers would jump over these sticks to avoid having their ankles and feet being beaten.

This common act then grew more and more popular over time in the country and evolved into becoming the nation's national folk dance. With the growth of popularity of this unique cultural dance, it has started to diffuse across the country and eventually reach a global scale audience.

How is Tinikling Apart of Filipino Culture and Where?

Photo Credit: Jeanylyn Lopez

According to Tinikling Dancer Vida Valerie Vispo, a dancer apart of the tinikling group Binhi ng Lahi located in Canada, says that due to the colonization of the Spanish, the dance was popularized across the globe and different variations of tinikling began to arise in neighboring countries to the Philippines. With tinikling blossoming into the spotlight among other countries, it maintained its popularity in the Philippines by being associated with important or monumental moments in a person's life.

Tinikling is usually performed during plentiful harvest, festivals, weddings, and even funerals. They dance because it is a way of showing respect towards their superiors and it is a way to unite communities.

How to Perform Tinikling

Tinikling is a very unique style of dance that is one of a kind. Its uniqueness has allowed for tinikling to globalize and new forms of tinikling to evolve. A modernized form of tinikling according to native Filipino, Leopoldo Alebera, is labeled as “Gen Z tinikling”. A popular video circulated on social media platforms where it displays a younger and upbeat version of tinikling with modern pop music and more upper body choreographer.

Many find it insightful that the younger generation is finding ways to incorporate more people into the dance of tinikling but some disagree claiming that they are taking away from the origins and culture tinikling has for its citizens.

Photo Credits: Airman Nester Cruz

When performing tinikling, dancers usually wear traditional Filipino clothes. Women wear a Balintawak, a long, bright, and colorful dress or a Patadyong which is a long solid colored skirt that stops at the ankles.

Photo Credits: P Bergantinos

Men perform in formal shirts which are untucked and called Barong Tagalog. These shirts are worn with bright red pants. This outfit is seen as the national outfit of the Philippines which is the main reason why it is worn when performing. Along with the colorful aray of clothing, all dancers perform barefoot as well.

Photo Credits: Penelope Kirby via Canva

The actual dance of tinikling is performed with “two people (clappers) hitting, sliding, clapping 12 ft. long bamboo poles on the ground and against each other in synchronization. Simultaneously the dancer(s) step between and over the bamboo.” (899).

As the dancers become more advanced, the dance becomes more complex with the number of poles increasing to four in a cross-like formation and more clappers are added along with dancers. The increased difficulty of the dance drew more attention over time and even allowed for more creative ways if performing tinikling. Some even perform tinikling perched on benches or crates lifted off the ground!

This dance requires speed, precision, agility, and rhythm to keep yourself moving and matching your steps with the beat. One wrong move and you’ll be caught in the trap!

Conclusion

Photo Credits: Ed Santos

Tinikling is a captivating and lively Filipino folk dance that represents the vibrant culture of the Philippines. Its rhythmic footwork, graceful movements, and incorporation of bamboo poles make it a visually stunning performance. Tinikling has a certain lure and uniqueness to it that immediately draws people into the beauty of the dance.

We can see real life evidence of this with the increase in popularity of tinikling over time and how it has grown into the National Dance of the Philippines as of today.

Just like many others, tinikling has had such an immense impact on my childhood and the way I induce my culture in not only myself, but in the ones around me as well.

Tinikling has opened new doors of learning and opportunities for many different people from many different backgrounds and it might just do the same for you.

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