Muslim Mindanao Instruments

3. KULINTANG
~ is a modern term for an ancient instrumental
form of music composed on a row of small,
horizontally-laid gongs that function melodically,
accompanied by larger, suspended gongs and
drums. Kulintang music generally could be
found as the social entertainment at a host of
different occasions. It is used during large
feasts, festive/harvest gatherings, for
entertainment of visiting friends and relatives,
and at parades. Kulintang music also
accompanies ceremonies marking significant
life events, such as weddings and returnees
from the Hajj.

4. DABAKAN
~ is a single-headed Philippine drum, primarily
used as a supportive instrument in the kulintang
ensemble. Among the five main kulintang
instruments, it is the only non-gong element of
the Maguindanao ensemble. The main use for
the dabakan in Maguindanao and Maranao
society is as a supportive instrument in the
kulintang ensemble, keeping the tempo of the
ensemble in check like the babendil.

5. GABBANG
~ also known as bamboo xylophone, is a
musical instrument made of bamboo widely
used in the southern Philippines.

6. KUDYAPI
~ is a Philippine two-stringed, fretted boat-lute.
It is the only stringed instrument among the
Maguindanao people, and one of several
among other groups such as the Maranao and
Manobo. It is four to six feet long with nine frets
made of hardened beeswax. The instrument is
carved out of solid soft wood such as that from
the jackfruit tree.

7. KUBING
~ is a type of Philippine jew harp from bamboo
found among the Maguindanaon and other
Muslim and non-Muslim tribes in the Philippines
and Indonesia.The kubing is traditionally
considered an intimate instrument, usually used
as communication between family or a loved
one in close quarters. Both genders can use
the instrument, the females more infrequently
than males who use it for short distance
courtship

8. SULING
~ The Maguindanaon suling is the smallest
bamboo flute of the Maguindanaon and the only
one classified as a ring-flute (the other two
bamboo flutes of the Maguindanaon, the
tumpong and the palendag are both lip-valley
flutes). Air is passed through the suling via a
blowing hole found at the bottom of the
instrument and pitch is controlled via five finger
holes on the top and one finger hole located on
the bottom. Traditionally only the palendag was
commonly played but because of the difficult
nature of playing the palendag, both the
tumpong and the suling have come to replace
the palendag as the Maguindanaon’s most
common aerophones.

9. AGUNG
~ is a set of two wide-rimmed, vertically
suspended gongs used by the Maguindanao,
Maranao, Sama-Bajau and Tausug people of
the Philippines as a supportive instrument in
kulintang ensembles. The main use for the
agung in Maguindanao and Maranao society is
as a supportive/accompanying instrument of an
orthodox kulintang ensemble.