Lumad
Inhabiting the lush mountains and abundant forests of Mindanao, the Lumad suite is a representation of the indigenous people that inhibit this entire area. These people uphold age-long traditions due to resistance from Spanish colonization. Dances are part of rituals used for honoring, courtship, and thanksgiving from the gods. The 36 ethnic tribes of this region possess a culture rich in heritage and spirituality in tune with the environment they have inhabited for hundreds of years. To be one with this culture is to be one with not just God, but nature itself, and this intricate mix of nature and spirituality is portrayed in the many dances performed by this suite.
Lawin Lawin
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A rite-of-passage dance performed by sons of the datu, or chieftan. The dance shows the maturation of an eagle (lawin) from egg to adulthood. As the eagle battles with strong mountain winds, he eventually finds his strength.