Wedding Dance by Amador Daguio

Amador T. Daguio was a poet, novelist and teacher during the pre-war. He was best known for his fictions and poems. He had published two volumes of poetry, “Bataan Harvest” and”The Flaming Lyre”. He served as chief editor for the Philippine House of Representatives before he died in 1966.

He was born on January 8, 1912 in Laoag, Ilocos Norte, but grew up in Lubuagan, Mountain Province, where his father, an officer in the Philippine Constabulary, was assigned. He was class valedictorian in 1924 at the Lubuagan Elementary School. Then he stayed with his uncle at Fort William McKinley to study at Rizal High School in Pasig. Those four years in high school were, according to Daguio, the most critical in his life. “I spent them literally in poverty, extreme loneliness, and adolescent pains…”

In 1952, he obtained his M.A. in English at Stanford U. as a Fulbright scholar. His thesis was a study and translation of Hudhud hi Aliguyon (Ifugao Harvest Song). In 1954, he obtained his Law degree from Romualdez Law College in Leyte. Daguio was editor and public relations officer in various offices in government and the military. He also taught for twenty-six years at the University of the East, U.P., and Philippine Women’s University. In 1973, six years after his death, Daguio was conferred the Republic Cultural Heritage Award.

Short Story Analysis: “Wedding Dance” by Amador Daguio

I. Wedding Dance
by Amador Daguio

II. SYNOPSIS/ SUMMARY

Awiyao and Lumnay were husband and wife for seven years, but now the husband has to marry another woman, Madulimay, because Lumnay was not able to give him a child. (In their culture in the mountains during those times, having a child to follow after the husband’s name was a must.)

On the night of the wedding, Awiyao goes to his and Lumnay’s house to personally invite her to the traditional wedding dance. However, Lumnay, the best dancer in the entire tribe, refuses to go. Then, during their conversation, it is revealed that both of them still love each other, but because of their tribe’s custom, they have to separate.

Awiyao goes back to the wedding, to the wedding dance, after being fetched by some friends. Lumnay wants to follow, partly because of the dance, and partly because she wants to put a stop to their tribe’s tradition of having to marry another partner just to have a child.

III. SHORT STORY ELEMENTS

• A. CHARACTERS

1. Lumnay – a woman who was left by her husband because he had to marry another woman/ Developing 2. Awiyao- the husband stated above / Flat
3. Madulimay – Awiyao’s new wife / Flat

• B. PLOT – Linear

a) Introduction

The story opens with Awiyao entering his and Lumnay’s house.

b) Rising Action

Things start to heat up when Lumnay says she does not want any other man.

c) Climax

There is more intensity when Awiyao says he does not want any other woman.

d) Falling action

But they both have to follow their tribe’s tradition.

e) Denouement

Awiyao has to go back to the wedding dance.

• C. SETTING

a) place – in the mountains somewhere in the Philippines
b) time- a long time ago
c) weather conditions- fine
d) social conditions- lower-class
e) mood or atmosphere- sad and tense

• D. POINT OF VIEW

The Point of View used in this short story is the Omniscient Limited – The author tells the story in third person (using pronouns they, she, he, it, etc). We know only what the character knows and what the author allows him/her to tell us. We can see the thoughts and feelings of characters if the author chooses to reveal them to us.

• E. LITERARY DEVICES

For me, there is an extensive use of the literary device Symbolism. There are many symbols here, and these are the darkness, the house’s four walls, the smoldering embers, and the beads. The darkness symbolizes how the two lead characters feel. Meanwhile, the house’s walls symbolize the former couple’s “imprisonment.” The smoldering embers that become glowing coals symbolize the love that both of them still feel towards each other. Finally, the beads symbolize Awiyao’s great love for Lumnay even if she was not able to give him a child.

• F. THEME

In my opinion, the theme True love never dies is applicable to this story.

• G. CONFLICT

The conflict here is Man vs. Society. The lead characters have to follow their tribe’s custom –ARV Wedding Dance
Amador Daguio

SYNOPSIS/ SUMMARY

There was a couple named Awiyao and Lumnay. They were married for a long time but Awiyao her husband has to marry another girl named Madulimay because Lumnay cannot bear a child. On the night of the wedding of Awiyao and Madulimay, Awiyao went to his and Lumnay’s house where they used to live to personally invite his ex wife to join the dance but Lumnay refuses to join. Lumnay is the best dancer in their tribe.

They had a heart-to-heart talk about their separation, and on their conversation they found out that the couple still had a thing on each other. They still love each other but they have to separate because their tribe’s custom is–every man in that tribe should have one (or more) child that would carry his name and if his wife cannot give him a child he can marry another woman. It’s a man’s necessity to have a child.

Lumnay can hardly let go of her husband. The two both agreed that if Awiyao’s second marriage did not work, he will go back to Lumnay’s arms and this was sealed by the beads that Lumnay will keep. Then Awiyao goes back to the wedding because someone is calling him already. After being fetched by others, Lumnay decided to go to the wedding not to dance or to join the celebration but to stop the wedding.

She decided to break the unwritten law of her tribe, but when she is near all her guts to stop the wedding suddenly disappeared. She did not have the courage to break into the wedding feast. Lumnay walked away from the dancing ground, away from the village. She went to the mountain instead and in the mountain is where she diverted all her bitterness in her and she partly reminisce their story of Awiyao.