LAWISWIS KAWAYAN: Philippine Folk Dance

 A Waray folk song that has becaome popular throughout the Philippine archipelago. The dance is probably a late choreography to the folk song. There are four versions to the Lawiswis Kawayan dance: one from Kolambugan, Lanao performed by the Waray settlers in that place. Another version from Eastern Samar uses a "bangko/puruk-anan" as an implement to the dancing. The male dancers have a mango leaf on their mouth in one figure of the dance.

The two versios from Leyte are very distinct from each other. One version is performed with female dancers holding two branches of the "kalipayan" bush and are swayed in time to the music. This version is usually done during house blessings. The last version is the one described in the classic Waray stage play "Diri Bata, Diri Ulitawo, Diri Inasaw-an". As described, the dancers hold one internode of a bamboo with leaves on it. The dance ends with a pose holding the nodes into one long bamboo pole. Given below is the Lawiswis Kawayan song which was traditionally sung alongwith the musicians who play the dance music:

LAWISWIS KAWAYAN (Tanauan, Leyte version) Ako magtatanum lawiswis Kawayan Akon la kan Pikoy palatay-latayan Salbahis ka Pikoy an imo paghuni Naghatag ha kalag, hin' ak' kalipayan Bulahan ka Pikoy, ka Pikoy, tikang panginaun Nagpili hin sanga,tinugdon, hinapun. Unina malupad, paglupad iya karantahun Kundi pagka kulup mabalik guihapon