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Forged in Fire and Memory: Inside a Kulintang Foundry in Cotabato City

Inside a Kulintang Foundry: Crafting Cotabato’s Gongs

During my recent visit to Cotabato City, one of the most captivating experiences was exploring a vibrant community of skilled Kulintang Makers in Barangay Kalanganan, where tradition and craftsmanship converge.

The first thing that greets you is not a sight but a sound—a deep, resonant clang echoing through a modest workshop in a quieter part of the city. It feels almost ceremonial, as if each strike of metal carries a story older than the hands that shape it. This is where tradition breathes—not in museums or performances, but in fire, sweat, and molten brass.

I came to Cotabato City in search of living culture, and I found it here at Kalanganan Brasswares, where the ancient art of kulintang crafting endures.

The Rhythm Before the Music

Inside the foundry, the air is thick with heat and purpose. Artisans move with quiet precision, pouring molten brass into molds that will soon become part of a kulintang—a set of graduated gongs laid horizontally, central to the musical traditions of the Maguindanao, Maranao, and other Muslim Filipino communities.

As I observe the process carefully, I come to an important realization: the true beginning of music occurs well before the first note is played. It begins deeply rooted in the meticulous shaping and forging of the metal, where the essence of sound is born.

Each gong is meticulously tuned not by machine, but by ear—carefully hammered and adjusted until it resonates at the precise pitch required. There’s no shortcut, no digital calibration involved. It relies solely on experience, intuition, and an almost spiritual connection to sound, ensuring each instrument embodies harmony and depth.

A Tradition Cast in Brass

Kulintang music predates colonial history in the Philippines. It is part of a broader gong-chime culture found across Southeast Asia, but here in Mindanao, it has developed its own identity—deeply tied to community rituals, storytelling, and social gatherings.

At Kalanganan, I learned that many of the artisans inherited their craft from generations before them. Some began as children, observing their elders, gradually taking part in the process. Today, they are among the few remaining keepers of this tradition.

Supporting them is the Cotabato Brassware Association, a collective that ensures skills are passed down, encourages fair trade practices, and keeps local craftsmanship viable in a rapidly modernizing world.

Without this network, the foundry might simply be another fading relic. Instead, it stands as a living workshop—resilient and relevant.

Forging Sound: How Kulintang Gongs Are Made in Cotabato City

Step inside a traditional workshop like Kalanganan Brasswares and you’ll quickly realize that kulintang-making is less an industrial process and more a choreography of fire, rhythm, and instinct. Each gong is shaped by hand, guided by memory and sound rather than machines. Here’s how these instruments come to life:

1. Gathering and Preparing the Brass

The process begins with brass—often recycled from old materials like spent shells, broken fixtures, or discarded metal. The pieces are cleaned and sorted before being placed into a furnace.

As the fire roars, the solid metal softens into a glowing liquid. The heat is intense, and the air thick with smoke and purpose. For the artisans, this stage is about patience—waiting until the brass reaches just the right temperature for casting.

2. Casting the Gong Blanks

Once molten, the brass is carefully poured into circular molds. These molds determine the initial size and thickness of each gong, known as a “blank.”

The pour must be steady and precise. Too fast, and bubbles form; too slow, and the metal cools unevenly. When the brass solidifies, it emerges dull and rough—far from the gleaming instrument it will become.

3. Shaping and Hammering

This is where the transformation truly begins. Using hammers of different sizes, artisans shape the gong by hand. The raised center—the “boss” or knob—is formed through repeated, controlled strikes.

The rhythm of hammering fills the workshop. It’s not random; each strike has intention. Over hours, sometimes days, the flat metal takes on its distinctive curved form.

4. Tuning by Ear

Perhaps the most remarkable stage: tuning.

There are no electronic tuners here. Instead, the artisan listens. He strikes the gong, pauses, then hammers specific points to adjust its pitch. A kulintang set requires a precise range of tones, each gong complementing the others.

It’s a process that demands years of experience. One wrong strike can alter the sound entirely. But in skilled hands, the metal begins to sing.

5. Polishing and Finishing

After shaping and tuning, the gong is smoothed and polished. The dull surface is transformed into a warm, golden sheen.

At this stage, imperfections are refined, edges are cleaned, and the gong is prepared for assembly into a full kulintang set.

6. Assembling the Kulintang

Finally, the individual gongs are arranged horizontally on a wooden rack to form the kulintang. Each piece is placed according to pitch, ready to be played as part of an ensemble.

When struck in sequence, they produce the flowing, melodic patterns that define kulintang music—sounds that echo across celebrations, rituals, and generations.

Behind every finished kulintang is not just craftsmanship, but continuity. Organizations like the Cotabato Brassware Association help ensure that these skills are passed on, supporting artisans and preserving a tradition that might otherwise fade.

Watching the process unfold, you understand something profound: kulintang music doesn’t begin with performance. It begins in fire, in hammer strikes, and in the quiet, practiced listening of those who shape sound from metal.

Interesting Notes from the Foundry Floor

• No two kulintang sets are exactly alike. Each carries subtle tonal differences shaped by the artisan’s hand.
• Brass is often recycled. Old materials are melted and given new life, making each instrument both historical and sustainable.
• Tuning is entirely manual. A single gong can take hours of fine hammering to achieve the correct pitch.
• The name “kalanganan” refers to a traditional ensemble, emphasizing the music’s collective nature.

Where to Buy Kulintang in Cotabato City

If you’re hoping to bring home more than memories, Kalanganan Brasswares is one of the most authentic places to purchase kulintang sets and other brass items. Prices vary depending on size and craftsmanship, but what you’re really buying is a piece of living heritage.

Other small workshops around Cotabato City also produce brassware, often connected through the Brassware Association. It’s worth asking locals for recommendations—you might find lesser-known artisans whose work is just as remarkable.

Getting There

Reaching Cotabato City is part of the journey:

• By Air: The nearest airport is Awang Airport (Cotabato Airport), about 30–45 minutes from the city proper.
• By Land: Vans and buses connect Cotabato City to nearby regions like Davao and General Santos.
• Within the City: Tricycles and taxis can take you to Kalanganan Brasswares; locals are familiar with the workshop if you mention its name.

The roads may not always be smooth, but they lead somewhere meaningful.

Reflection: More Than Metal and Music

As I stepped out of the foundry, the rhythmic hammering faded behind me, but its echo lingered. It wasn’t just the sound of metal being shaped—it was the sound of continuity.

In a world that often prioritizes speed and uniformity, places like Kalanganan remind us that culture is not mass-produced. It is forged slowly, imperfectly, and with intention.

The kulintang, when played, tells stories. But the deeper story lies in its making—in the hands that refuse to let silence take over.

And perhaps that is what travel should really be about: not just witnessing beauty, but recognizing the quiet labor that keeps it alive.

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Read: Bundos Fara: The Master of T’Boli Brass Casting

Forged in Fire and Memory: Inside a Kulintang Foundry in Cotabato City

Melo Villareal

Out of Town Blog

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