The Wedding Dance by Amador Daguio

Plot Diagram

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Characters

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Symbolism

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Theme Connection

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What's Included in This Teacher Guide

• Essential Questions for Discussion & Reflection
• Summary of The Wedding Dance
• Plot Diagram, Character Map, Theme & Symbolism Activities
• Cultural Background & Author Bio
• Creative Post-Reading Projects
• Step-by-Step Symbol & Theme Analysis
• Student FAQs and Answer Key

Essential Questions for "The Wedding Dance"

1. What are the gender expectations in Awiyao’s culture?


2. How does tradition shape personal choices?


3. Is love more powerful than cultural pressure?


4. What do the symbols in the story say about societal values?

"The Wedding Dance" Summary

In this emotionally charged short story, Awiyao leaves his first wife Lumnay because she cannot bear children. He chooses to marry again to fulfill a tribal duty. Despite lingering affection, cultural expectations override personal love. The story ends with Lumnay alone, heartbroken, and walking into the night.

About the Author and Cultural Context

Amador Daguio was born in the Ilocos province of the Philippines in 1912. He began writing poetry in high school and published his first poem before he graduated. Throughout his career, he taught at a number of schools in the Philippines and also worked as a lawyer, editor, reporter, and public relations officer for the Filipino government. Known for his poetic exploration of indigenous themes, Daguio's work highlights the traditions of the Igorot people, including communal rituals like marriage dances and the cultural role of children in a family. You can also read more information about Daguio to elevate your unit.

Awiyao and Lumnay most likely belong to the Igorot people who inhabit the mountain areas of Luzon, the largest island in the Philippines. The Philippine islands were settled by various migrants from Southeast Asia for centuries. These peoples built up a number of different cultures and clan-based social structures on the many islands of the archipelago. In the 1500s, Spain colonized the islands, spreading Christianity and the Spanish language. Following Spain’s loss in the Spanish American war of 1898, the Philippines became a territory of the United States. During World War II, the islands were occupied by the Japanese until gaining their independence in 1945. The Igorot people maintained many of their traditional cultural practices through the late 19th century. Even today, dance and gangsa music form an important part of their celebrations. View the videos below to get a sense of the gangsa sound and the Kalinga wedding dance featured in “The Wedding Dance”.

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Oj7sO3cqeQ
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJLamaUUuu8

Ideas for Post-Reading Activities

Storyboard That is an excellent tool for students to create fun and engaging projects as a culminating activity after finishing a novel. In addition to our premade activities, here are some ideas that teachers can customize and assign to students to spark creativity in individual students, pairs, or small groups for a final project. Several of these ideas include Storyboard That templates that can be printed out or copied into your teacher dashboard and assigned digitally. All final projects can be printed out, presented as a slide show, or, for an extra challenge, as an animated GIF!

1. Using the timeline layout, retell the story in chronological order.


2. Create a map of the setting using the small poster or worksheet layout. Use free form or other text boxes to include a key or label the different parts of the map.


3. Using one of Storyboard That’s board game templates, create a game based on the book for your classmates to play!


4. Using the worksheet layout and Storyboard That’s worksheet assets, create a test or a quiz for other students in the class. You can create all kinds of questions such as multiple choice, short answer, and even matching! When you are done, be sure to make an answer key.


5. Using one of Storyboard That’s biography poster templates, create a poster about Lumnay, Awiyao, or both. Be sure to include important biographical features such as: place and date of birth, family life, accomplishments, etc. Although we don’t know much about the characters in this story, students should use their imagination!


6. Create a book jacket of the novel using one of Storyboard That’s book jacket templates. Use Storyboard That art to create the cover, and write a summary of the story on the back, just like real books have!


7. Using one of Storyboard That’s social media templates as a starting point, create a social media page for one or more of the characters in the novel. Be sure to think how the character thinks while creating this page.


8. Create a scrapbook page made by one of the characters in the novel. Storyboard That has lots of premade templates that you can use as is, or change to fit your character’s personality! Check out our scrapbook templates today!


9. Write a “The Wedding Story” analysis with a partner or small group. Consider why Awiyao would choose a child over his wife and what you would do.

Frequently Asked Questions about "The Wedding Dance"

Why does Awiyao leave Lumnay?

Because tribal culture values children, Awiyao feels obligated to remarry even though he still loves her.

What do the beads symbolize?

Love, memory, and a final farewell. They are a parting gift full of emotional weight./p>

What is the central conflict?

The tension between individual love and cultural expectation.

Why is this story relevant today?

It explores universal struggles: duty vs. desire, cultural norms, and emotional sacrifice.