The other women joined in, creating a rhythm by clapping their hands and stamping their feet on the damp earth. They sang a nonsensical, catchy phrase: “Kiriwkiw, kiriwkiw, talikod, abante, balik!” (“Turn, forward, back!”). What started as a spontaneous jest soon became a regular pastime.
But the heart of the Kiriwkiw is unchanged. When the dancers take those three quick steps forward, two shy steps back, and then zigzag sideways, they are not just dancing. They are remembering Marikit by the river, the birds that taught them to be quick and light, and the wisdom that life, like the kiriwkiw in flight, is a zigzag path worth dancing all the same. kiriwkiw folk dance history
Long before the Spanish friars built the stone church that still towers over the Loboc River, the riverside settlements of Bohol were alive with the rhythms of daily life. The people fished, planted rice, and raised families, but they also watched the world around them with keen, observant eyes. Among their most fascinating neighbors was a small, restless bird called the Kiriwkiw —the Philippine Pied Fantail ( Rhipidura nigritorquis ), known for its jerky, never-still movements and its habit of fanning its tail as it hunted for insects. The other women joined in, creating a rhythm
Rather than ban the dance, the clever locals adapted. They performed the Kiriwkiw during the town fiesta in honor of San Pedro (St. Peter), tying the bird’s “free-spirited hunt” to the idea of the soul searching for righteousness. The dance survived, but its original, pre-colonial meaning remained intact—a mimicry of nature, a laugh at life’s unpredictability. Today, the Kiriwkiw is a treasured part of Bohol’s folk dance repertoire. It is performed during the Sandugo Festival (which commemorates the blood compact between Sikatuna and Legazpi) and in local school programs. The costume has evolved: women now wear colorful balintawak dresses with wide, fan-like sleeves to exaggerate the “tail” movement, while men wear simple barong and red trousers. The music is played with a rondalla —bandurrias, guitars, and drums—though the original kalutang beat remains central. But the heart of the Kiriwkiw is unchanged