PAKIRING SYMBOLISM: AN ETHNOCHOREOLOGICAL INQUIRY INTO ITS MOVEMENTS AND MEANING

This study explored the Pakiring dance as a cultural text through an ethnochoreological lens, focusing on how its movements, music, costume, and facial expressions embody the identity, beliefs, and traditions of the Maguindanao people. Using qualitative research method, including respondent observation, interviews, focus group discussions, and document analysis, the study investigated how dancers and audiences coconstruct cultural meaning through performance. Findings revealed that costume emerged as the core symbol of cultural identity, serving as a nonnegotiable marker of authenticity, while the use of props was optional and contextdependent. The embodied symbolism of movements, particularly the butterflyinspired hip sways and graceful hand gestures, conveyed values of elegance, respect, interaction, and communal harmony. Emphasis, clarity, flexibility, and simplicity in movement execution allowed individual expression while maintaining shared cultural meaning. The study further found that the transition from traditional instruments such as kulintang and agong to modern musical accompaniment reflected cultural adaptation without diminishing symbolic continuity. Facial expressions, especially smiling and controlled fierceness, played a significant role in shaping emotional and cultural interpretation and remained appropriate and culturally aligned. Ultimately, the study highlighted the importance of community participation, audience interpretation, and documentation in sustaining Pakiring’s relevance in contemporary society. Pakiring was found to be a living tradition that preserves cultural identity, strengthens social bonds, and transmits heritage across generations. It is recommended that Pakiring be systematically documented and integrated into cultural and educational programs to ensure its preservation and continued cultural significance.