BUKLOG:

Dancing the Tradition

The sound of gongs filled the air and the feeling of excitement ran through me with every pang of the instruments. I watched as a group of people dance in a way I have never seen before and I best describe it as unique and uncommon to the current generation. Adults and adolescents gather to dance to the sound made by the kulintang and agung in earnestness. And as I watch these scenarios unfold, I felt the overflowing eagerness to see more of what was about to happen that evening.

As the sun went down, the light of the full moon shone over the town of Siocon and the most awaited event was about to begin. This was a public event that only happens every 7 years, and the large crowd gathered would not let themselves miss the occurrence.

Noises of wood slowly swaying and hitting one another were then heard. There was also the consecutive sound of loud banging as the big wooden pole standing in the middle hits the large trunk on the ground. As the sound grew louder and louder, and the large wooden platform shook in a violent manner, the audience was left in shock. Some of them felt excitement as they watched the scene, and some were anxious as they worry the safety of the event. But to the Subanen tribe, this was neither an act for one’s pleasure nor just a measly chore that only gives distress, this was an important ritual to be done with solemnity. This ritual was the Buklog.

Zamboanga Peninsula is home to many Indigenous People and one of them is the Subanen tribe. The little town of Siocon is also home to the Subanen and dubbed to be one of the first settlers of this town.

“Kadaghanan sa mga taga Siocon nanalaytay ang dugong Subanen sa atung mga kaugatan [Most of the people of Siocon have Subanen blood in their veins],” Municipal Mayor Ceasar C. Soriano said in his speech during the opening of the Buklog event.

Some people get embarrassed when they say they are part of the Subanen tribe but there is nothing to be ashamed about it instead it brings great honor as a citizen of Siocon.

“We have to be proud na kining lungsod sa Siocon, ang atung mga igsuong Subanen kanunay naghatag ug dako nga simbolo nganong gitawag gyud tag mga taga-Siocon [We have to be proud that in this town, our Subanen brothers and sisters always give a great symbol as to why we are called people of Siocon],” said Mayor Soriano.

Like any Indigenous tribe in the Philippines, the Subanen tribe has its own culture, and they share this culture with us such as hand-crafted materials, food, and rituals like the Buklog.

Buklog is a thanksgiving ritual system of the Subanen where they express their gratitude to the spirits through presenting coin offerings, calling for the spirits of the dead to gather for a feast, requesting permission from the spirits to gather items from the forest, calling upon the spirits of water and land, as well as music and dance. They then dance on an elevated wooden platform from which the sound of the bamboo resonates. This is believed to please the spirits.

“Di ta basta-basta magbuhat ug buklog kung dili gikan sa magsakit ka, di matambalan, unya maulian. Sa amoa, sa Sinubano, magbuklog ka, pasalamat nga naulian [Buklog is a special event meant to give thanks after recovery from sickness which was not healed by scientific means],” Subanon priest Boliyan Danilo Davi explained.

This year, the Subanen of Siocon, Zamboanga del Norte performed Buklog under the leadership of Davi. This has been a long-time custom in Siocon which dated back to the late Mayor Bernardo B. Cabral. Through this event, Subanen traditions are showcased.

Moreover, through this ritual, unification within the Subanen tribe is practiced. No one can accomplish this event with only ten or thirty people. The making of the Buklog is no easy feat. Machinery is not needed since the only thing they need is integration. This only shows how connection is of importance to the tribe.

Subanen culture is one of the best examples of the many things we need to preserve and give importance to. It does not only present us with materials from their tribe but also their beliefs, ethics, and unity. And like the Subanen tribe, we all should practice unity to help in shaping the country.