Tribal Blaan Courtship Dance: An Ethnography

Abstract

This ethnographic study documents and analyzes the traditional courtship dance of the Blaan tribe in Barangay Assumption, Koronadal City, South Cotabato, Philippines. Despite the rich cultural heritage of the Blaan people, no formally recognized courtship dance existed prior to this research. Through in-depth interviews with six Blaan elders and participatory observation, the study co-created Maral Aksibal ("courtship dance"), characterized by expressive hand gestures using the siebay (malong) and rhythmic footwork without fixed counts. The dance culminates when a dancer places the siebay on the tananggong, symbolizing performance closure. Findings reveal a generational gap in cultural knowledge, with younger Blaan members largely unaware of traditional courtship customs. The study underscores the importance of cultural preservation and recommends the developed dance as an instructional module for Physical Education and cultural revitalization efforts.