Tachok

Tachok (tah-CHOHK) comes from the word “payok” which mean the expression of one’s happiness or victory

When the Kalinga gather to celebrate a happy occasion like the birth of a first-born baby boy, a wedding, or a budong (peace pact), the Kalinga Festival Dance is performed. This is danced by the Kalinga maiden. The dance imitates birds flying in the air. Music is provided by gangsa, or gongs, which are usually in a group of six or more.

The concept of the "tachok" is that, it is a victory dance over the cut head. Our ancestors plays a gong whenever they will return in the community from head hunting and they have with them the head of there enemy. They will play a gong and dance around the cut head which give emphasis of there victory or happiness that they were able to neither protect nor save the community from any danger or harm by the enemies.

They do not practice "tachok" only after head hunting but also during marriage, ceremonies and other occasions at the expression of there happiness.