Pangalay is the traditional “fingernail” dance of the Tausūg people in the Sulu archipelago of the Philippines and in Sabah, Malaysia.

Pangalay’s movements greatly resemble the movements of the Asian martial art “kontaw silat,” which is particularly practiced in the Malay archipelago. Pangalay calls for dexterity and flexibility of the wrists, elbows and shoulders. The dexterous movements of these body parts are particularly seen as appealing to the male gender.

A typical Pangalay dancer wears a Joloano costume and a janggay, the metal fingernail extensions, on all fingers. Samal’s variation of the dance makes use of bamboo castanets instead of fingernails. The Pangalay dance is mainly performed in festive occasions or celebrations like weddings.

More than just a dance for celebrations, the Pangalay is incorporated in the Tausūgs’ culture and way of live. Children at a young age are taught and expected to master the Pangalay – doing so is a rite of passage for these children.

Scholars say that Pangalay may have been a remnant of the Balinese and Samal culture because of the dance’s slow movements, which are suggestive of the abundance of birds and fish in southern Philippines.

There is actually a male version of the Pangalay, the Pangasik, which has more martial art movements as dance steps, while Pangiluk is a dance that features both male and female dancers.

There is now a modern version of Pangalay, which has become popular among the people of Sulu and Sabah. The dance is called Pakiring, which emphasizes hip movement rather than upper body movement. Pakiring is danced to modern, electro versions of traditional songs and is now even danced during weddings.