3. Sua-Ku-Sua
Dance Researcher: Ramon A. Obusan
Meaning: My Pomelo Tree
Dance Culture: Muslin-lowland (Coastal)
Country of Influence: China, Malaysia, and
Indonesia
Etho-linguistic Group: Tausug
Classification: Courtship
4. Background
Aside from being known as fierce
warriors, the Tausug of Jolo, Sulu are
remarkable as seafarers and farmers.
5. In Sulu, extensive orchards are planted
with coconut and pomelos and the fields
with staples like rice and root crops.
Pomelo fruits serve as an important
source of income of the people of Sulu.
6. Their dependence on pomelo fruits for
their livelihood inspired them to create
Sua-Ku-Sua dance. The movements of the
dance compare sua’s gentle leaves,
slender branchers, attractive fruits, and
fragrant flowers to a lady.
7. During the performance, the couples sing
while flapping two white fans which represents
the leaves rustling in the wind.
The performers, especially women, dance
with faces thickly covered with finely ground
rice powder. Their eyebrows and sideburns
are enhanced with soot for aesthetic
purposes.
8. Movements/Steps Particular to Dance
Creative imagery: Fans transform into
tiny sails, face mirrors, butterflies,
shields, and leaves. Sua-Ku-Sua’s
traditional steps are with Chinese
influence.
9. Costume
Female
Top (Barawasi): Traditional loose blouse. Long
sleeves with deep, plunging key-hole neckline;
extra panels attached to the right and left chest
decorated with many tiny brass buttons.
Material: printed or plain Chinese silk or cotton
10. Pants (Sawal or Kantiu): loose Chinese pants
with a 10-inch soft white band (coco curdo)
attached to a wide waist. To tuck the pants in, the
white band is overlapped in front, one side on top
of the other and rolled out to form a tight belt.
Material: Chinese silk or any silk material
preferably in navy blue, sunshine yellow, grass
green, red, or orange colors
11. Shoulder bank (Siyag): a separate wrap-
around malong of rich material strung over the
right shoulder crossing the chest and hanging
on the left side.
12. Headpiece: There are three choices: 1) gold or
brass filigree called tusuk, 2) paper bills pasted
on slender sticks; and 3) pasteboard cutouts in
the front tip 8 to 10 inches high, similar to
Chinese Crowns covered with gold foil.
Accessories: gold or imitation gold earrings,
necklace, bracelets and brooches.
Suggested footwear: Dancers are barefoot.
13. Male
Top (Bajo): short-waisted collarless shirt; open
front with the right panel overlapping the left,
studded with many tiny brass buttons and is
not intended to close the front but used as an
additional shirt decoration. The shirt is allowed
to drop on the right side.
14. Pants (Sawal or Kantiu): similar to the pants of
females but in darker colors and bolder designs.
Accessories: money-belt, Sarok hat, Pis siyabit
(rectangular hand-oven scarf tied on the head or
hung loosely over one shoulder), Kris (wavy
knife) or barong (leaf-knife)
Suggested footwear: Dancers are barefoot.
15.
16. Music
2/4 and 4/4; composed of three
parts- A,B, and C.
Count
one, two to a measure in 2/4 time
signature; 1,2,3,4 to a measure in 4/4
time signature.
