Seguyun and Sebalang: Music in Tboli Courtship and Marriage

Your #NationalMuseumPH features the seguyun and the sebalang—musical genres performed by the Tboli of South Cotabato during courtship and marriage as part of our #MuseumFromHome program as we celebrate the love month and also the #NationalArtsMonth.

Music plays an inherent role in marking the courtship between a Tboli man and woman as the seguyun is performed to publicly announce the sewol (courting) to the community. It is performed by men and women playing the hegelung/agelang (two-stringed lute) and s’ludoy (polychordal bamboo zither), respectively. The two players utilize unique variations that aim to produce a coordinated tempo and complementary rhythm instead of playing in unison. 

Sebalang is performed during the moninum (marriage negotiation ceremony). In contrast to the seguyun, the sebalang is performed by two pairs, each consisting of a man and woman. One pair plays the slagi setang (gong ensemble) while the other plays the t’nonggong ne kasal (drum and percussion sticks). Dancers also accompany the performance of the pairs as they play two different tempos at the same time. 

The other aspects of the moninum is also characterized by competitions which play out the tensions between the family of the bride and the groom. Men from each family participate in setolu (singing debates) to negotiate on wealth exchange. They also hold seket kuda (ritual horse fights) to symbolize the polar opposites between the family of the bride and the groom. Ultimately, however, the moninum is an instrumental ceremony through which they recognize and affirm the bond between their communities. 

The #NationalMuseumPH is now open to vaccinated individuals and their children. You can check some of these instruments located at the 3F, Lumad Gallery of the National Museum of Anthropology.

#Seguyun
#Sebalang
#Tboli

Text and poster by the Ethnology Division

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