Throughout my latest go to to Cotabato Metropolis, one of the vital charming experiences was exploring a vibrant group of expert Kulintang Makers in Barangay Kalanganan, the place custom and craftsmanship converge.
Kulintang and Gong Crafts in Cotabato Metropolis
The very first thing that greets you will not be a sight however a sound—a deep, resonant clang echoing by a modest workshop in a quieter a part of the town. It feels nearly ceremonial, as if every strike of steel carries a narrative older than the palms that form it. That is the place custom breathes—not in museums or performances, however in fireplace, sweat, and molten brass.
I got here to Cotabato Metropolis in quest of dwelling tradition, and I discovered it right here at Kalanganan Brasswares, the place the traditional artwork of kulintang crafting endures.
The Rhythm Earlier than the Music
Contained in the foundry, the air is thick with warmth and objective. Artisans transfer with quiet precision, pouring molten brass into molds that can quickly turn into a part of a kulintang—a set of graduated gongs laid horizontally, central to the musical traditions of the Maguindanao, Maranao, and different Muslim Filipino communities.
As I observe the method fastidiously, I come to an necessary realization: the true starting of music happens effectively earlier than the primary notice is performed. It begins deeply rooted within the meticulous shaping and forging of the steel, the place the essence of sound is born.
Every gong is meticulously tuned not by machine, however by ear—fastidiously hammered and adjusted till it resonates on the exact pitch required. There’s no shortcut, no digital calibration concerned. It depends solely on expertise, instinct, and an nearly religious connection to sound, making certain every instrument embodies concord and depth.
A Custom Forged in Brass
Kulintang music predates colonial historical past within the Philippines. It’s a part of a broader gong-chime tradition discovered throughout Southeast Asia, however right here in Mindanao, it has developed its personal identification—deeply tied to group rituals, storytelling, and social gatherings.
At Kalanganan, I discovered that most of the artisans inherited their craft from generations earlier than them. Some started as kids, observing their elders, progressively participating within the course of. Immediately, they’re among the many few remaining keepers of this custom.
Supporting them is the Cotabato Brassware Affiliation, a collective that ensures expertise are handed down, encourages honest commerce practices, and retains native craftsmanship viable in a quickly modernizing world.
With out this community, the foundry would possibly merely be one other fading relic. As a substitute, it stands as a dwelling workshop—resilient and related.
Forging Sound: How Kulintang Gongs Are Made in Cotabato Metropolis
Step inside a standard workshop like Kalanganan Brasswares and also you’ll shortly understand that kulintang-making is much less an industrial course of and extra a choreography of fireplace, rhythm, and intuition. Every gong is formed by hand, guided by reminiscence and sound slightly than machines. Right here’s how these devices come to life:
1. Gathering and Making ready the Brass
The method begins with brass—typically recycled from outdated supplies like spent shells, damaged fixtures, or discarded steel. The items are cleaned and sorted earlier than being positioned right into a furnace.
As the hearth roars, the stable steel softens right into a glowing liquid. The warmth is intense, and the air thick with smoke and objective. For the artisans, this stage is about persistence—ready till the brass reaches simply the appropriate temperature for casting.
2. Casting the Gong Blanks
As soon as molten, the brass is fastidiously poured into round molds. These molds decide the preliminary dimension and thickness of every gong, referred to as a “clean.”
The pour should be regular and exact. Too quick, and bubbles kind; too gradual, and the steel cools erratically. When the brass solidifies, it emerges uninteresting and tough—removed from the gleaming instrument it’s going to turn into.
3. Shaping and Hammering
That is the place the transformation actually begins. Utilizing hammers of various sizes, artisans form the gong by hand. The raised heart—the “boss” or knob—is fashioned by repeated, managed strikes.
The rhythm of hammering fills the workshop. It’s not random; every strike has intention. Over hours, generally days, the flat steel takes on its distinctive curved kind.
4. Tuning by Ear
Maybe probably the most outstanding stage: tuning.
There are not any digital tuners right here. As a substitute, the artisan listens. He strikes the gong, pauses, then hammers particular factors to regulate its pitch. A kulintang set requires a exact vary of tones, every gong complementing the others.
It’s a course of that calls for years of expertise. One fallacious strike can alter the sound totally. However in expert palms, the steel begins to sing.
5. Sprucing and Ending
After shaping and tuning, the gong is smoothed and polished. The uninteresting floor is reworked right into a heat, golden sheen.
At this stage, imperfections are refined, edges are cleaned, and the gong is ready for meeting right into a full kulintang set.
6. Assembling the Kulintang
Lastly, the person gongs are organized horizontally on a wood rack to kind the kulintang. Each bit is positioned based on pitch, able to be performed as a part of an ensemble.
When struck in sequence, they produce the flowing, melodic patterns that outline kulintang music—sounds that echo throughout celebrations, rituals, and generations.
Behind each completed kulintang isn’t just craftsmanship, however continuity. Organizations just like the Cotabato Brassware Affiliation assist make sure that these expertise are handed on, supporting artisans and preserving a convention that may in any other case fade.
Watching the method unfold, you perceive one thing profound: kulintang music doesn’t start with efficiency. It begins in fireplace, in hammer strikes, and within the quiet, practiced listening of those that form sound from steel.
Attention-grabbing Notes from the Foundry Flooring
No two kulintang units are precisely alike. Every carries refined tonal variations formed by the artisan’s hand.
Brass is usually recycled. Previous supplies are melted and given new life, making every instrument each historic and sustainable.
Tuning is totally guide. A single gong can take hours of tremendous hammering to attain the proper pitch.
The identify “kalanganan” refers to a standard ensemble, emphasizing the music’s collective nature.
The place to Purchase Kulintang in Cotabato Metropolis
When you’re hoping to deliver residence greater than recollections, Kalanganan Brasswares is likely one of the most genuine locations to buy kulintang units and different brass gadgets. Costs fluctuate relying on dimension and craftsmanship, however what you’re actually shopping for is a chunk of dwelling heritage.
Different small workshops round Cotabato Metropolis additionally produce brassware, typically related by the Brassware Affiliation. It’s value asking locals for suggestions—you would possibly discover lesser-known artisans whose work is simply as outstanding.
Getting There
Reaching Cotabato Metropolis is a part of the journey:
By Air: The closest airport is Awang Airport (Cotabato Airport), about 30–45 minutes from the town correct.
By Land: Vans and buses join Cotabato Metropolis to close by areas like Davao and Basic Santos.
Throughout the Metropolis: Tricycles and taxis can take you to Kalanganan Brasswares; locals are acquainted with the workshop in the event you point out its identify.
The roads might not all the time be easy, however they lead someplace significant.
Reflection: Extra Than Metallic and Music
As I stepped out of the foundry, the rhythmic hammering light behind me, however its echo lingered. It wasn’t simply the sound of steel being formed—it was the sound of continuity.
In a world that always prioritizes velocity and uniformity, locations like Kalanganan remind us that tradition will not be mass-produced. It’s cast slowly, imperfectly, and with intention.
The kulintang, when performed, tells tales. However the deeper story lies in its making—within the palms that refuse to let silence take over.
And maybe that’s what journey ought to actually be about: not simply witnessing magnificence, however recognizing the quiet labor that retains it alive.
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