Day-eng (Igorot Wedding Traditional Sing-Song Advice)

One of the interesting things visitors to Sagada must have to see is wedding festivities, especially, for those who want to have a feel about the traditions of the Igorots. Unlike in the lowlands, Igorot weddings don’t happened any time of the year. This important day for lovers to knot their ties is scheduled on special months designated as the time for weddings. The months are usually at the end of the year, December and on April.

Well, I know that most people are attracted by the sound of gongs each time there are wedding festivities. They don’t know that dancing with the gongs is only one of the events done during those three special days, and they are missing many more, most interesting of them is the Day-eng.

The day-eng is a singing ways of telling stories that fits the occasion. Here, during the first day of the wedding, the sponsors are asked to say something for the new couple. Some say it in speech like manner, and other performers who know the traditional sing-song style will say their blessings in that manner. The content is like the common contents of speeches, however, there are some words used to make the flow of the song smoother.



When I attended the wedding of a niece last year, it happened that one of those who gave a speech to the couple (I think I heard her name is Mrs. Aglolo) did it in the sing-song style. The first I heard after probably decades of not hearing it. I was just a little bit late to bring out my cellphone to video the rare moment. Below is the video. Click and listen to her beautiful voice.