The Wedding Dance Summary and Analysis

The Wedding Dance Amador T. Daguio SUMMARY

Awiyao and Lumnay is a long married couple from the Mountain tribes. Awiyao is going to marry another woman, Madulimay, because Lumnay was not able to give him a child. Awiyao went back home to see Lumnay because he didn't find her among the dancers at his wedding. He wanted Lumnay to dance at his wedding for the last time but she cannot. On their moment, there are many flashbacks about how Lumnay did her best to have a child, through offering to the god, Kabunyan; and how Awiyao and Lumnay's love was as strong as the river; but "it is just that a man must have a child", and he had to leave her. He promised her that if he fails to have a child, he will come back to her. She wanted to protest against the written rule that a man can marry another woman, so Lumnay went to the wedding dance. But while seeing her husband married to another woman, she could not take it anymore and just went to the mountain to clear away the beans she had thought about. And so Lumnay, waiting for Awiyao a long time, thought of Awiyao's promise as she cleared away the growing bean plants.

ISSUES IN THE STORY: Tribal Law/Cultural norms Cultural norms have always been used as an excuse to control the behavior of people. They can be constricting and oppressive though it was probably not initially the intention of the practices. 

Tribal Marriage is a civil contract of undefined duration among ifugaos. It may last a month, a year, a decade, or until the death of one of the parties to it. It has no essential connection to tribal religion.

No promises are made by the contracting parties to each other or to anybody else. Nor do the contracting parties take any part in any religious ceremonials or in any marriage ceremonials of any kind. Marriage may be terminated at any time by mutual agreement. However, since it is considered as a contract, if either party terminates the marriage against the will of the other, the injured party has the right to assess and collect damages. In the Story Lumnay did not attend the festivities of Awiyao's wedding. This is a way of defying a custom. Weddings are joyous occasions that all people should celebrate, and Lumnay's non-attendance is an act that clearly states her disagreement with tradition. 

Trial Marriage The trial marriage is merely a primitive sexual mating in the dormitories of the unmarried. Generally, it requires two or more trial marriages to select a person for his more permanent mate. In the story To have a child is a necessity in Lumnay and Awiyao’s tribe, because the children are the heirs to everything the parents have, from the name to the worldly possessions to the skills of the parents. But Lumnay can’t give Awiyao a child , so Awiyao decided to remarry another woman named Madulimay. Awiyao promised Lumnay that if his decision to remarry would fail, he will come back to Lumnay and they will die together.

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Divorce It is due to childlessness for a period of two or three years after marriage. A couple who wish to divorce due to

infertility of either one of the partners is allowed by the law

A husband who divorces a wife without any valid reason will have to leave all properties to the children and the wife. In the story Lumnay was asked by her husband Awiyao for them to have a divorce due to the incapability of Lumnay to give Awiyao a child to inherit her name and possessions. Discrimination An act of considering others inferior to you. In the story The women’s role in the society is only for child-bearing. And since Lumnay was not able to fulfill her role, Awiyao chose to marry another woman who might be able to give him a successor.

APPROACHES: Historical/ Biological Approach The author , Amador Daguio, was born in Ilocos Norte but he grew up in Lubuagan, a place in Mountain Province. This could be the main reason why he wrote the story, “The Wedding Dance”. He could be exposed to the tribal tradition of the native people in Mountain Province. Jungian Approach (Individualization) Awiyao’s decision to have a divorce with Lumnay and marry Madulimay is due to his insecurity and unlikeness to other men in their tribe. He has no child that will inherit his possessions unlike the other man. Feminist Approach In the story, we can see the inequality of a man and a woman in the tribe. Only the necessity of Awiyao is the primary reason why he and Lumnay can be separated and that Awiyao can remarry another woman. The attempt of Lumnay to stop the wedding dance of the future couple means that she already attained the feminist stage but it only reflects the weaknesses and the less significance of a woman.

Archetypal Approach

The use of symbolism is very visible in the story. The Beads for example could be a sign of selfless, unending and everlasting love of Awiyao to Lumnay. The fire in the wedding enlightened Lumnay to accept the decision of Awiyao to marry another woman.

CHARACTERS Awiyao- the ex-husband of Lumnay who will marry another woman Lumnay- the woman who suffered from the cultural norms of their tribe

PLOT Conflict Awiyao and Lumnay cannot have a child Complication Madulimay claimed that she could give a child to Awiyao, forcing Awiyao to marry her and leave Lumnay. Rising Action After a lengthy conversation between Awiyao and Lumnay, Awiyao gave the beads to Lumnay and then left their house. Climax Lumnay found her courage and decided to go to the wedding dance and take back Awiyao. There, she found herself standing near the village where the wedding was held and could see clearly the wedding ceremonies. Falling action

Lumnay decided not to break into the dancing ground and walked away towards the mountain where the bean plants are. Setting The setting is in the northern parts of the Philippines, in the mountainous regions, within one of the mountain tribes. Point of view Limited/ Sympathetic (third person)

Style Richly detailed Tone Sincere and longing Story’s voice Serious and dramatically tense Theme "love about to be lost", "letting go", and "love does not conquer all"

Reflection The story was written as it was by the author, this could be the way of an author to represent or to show to the readers, who are from another tribe or religion, the differences of cultures of every tribe. In the story, it is the Ifugao tribe’s norms that is represented. Although we are all Filipinos, we all know that our country is composed of 7,107 islands that is divided by a body of water. This is the reason why we still do not have or share the same culture and norms. The culture and norms that are still followed by our native folks should be respected

and should not be criticized based on our own culture or the moral that we believed in.