#ModernLove: What is the Modern Equivalent of Harana?

RUMORS about Filipinos possessing innate talent for singing circulates across the world like a religion. But who could blame this popular stereotype when a lot of cultures existing in the country have been associated with singing? Like that one karaoke night you had with your friends, that solemn tune you shared praying with your grandmother, the mandatory singing in masses, and in deep-rooted traditions like harana. 

Harana: Before and After

Courtship in the Spanish period was fresh out from a page of a fairytale. Many would say that  chivalry wasn’t dead back then. 

Imagine a man engrossed in affection for a woman he met the other day; in today’s slang, it is simply phrased as having a crush. He assembled his friends, requesting for their musical knowledge primarily in guitar. At night, they planned to sneak before the woman’s window, packed with the jittery pressure to face the rigid father and the soaring confidence to serenade successfully. The first strum of the guitar made its chord as the man started to sing his sincerest intentions like the lead singer of the band.

The woman inside the house who was only beginning to dream was awakened together with her family who were surprised by the sudden noise. They opened the window and discovered a group of five people serenading, spouting poetic lyricism and melody filling the place with an atmosphere of romance. The woman was drowned in stimulation with the teasing of her family members and the sweet enticing voice pulling her consciousness below. She could only keep her reserved smile and cherry-flushed face hidden behind her fan. 

This is a depiction of how harana as a standardized Filipino courtship plays as a scenario in the past. 

But where does this romantic gesture take place in the modern era? It feels like the art of harana has become a lost ancient text— a myth existing in the love stories of our grandparents. 

Contemporary courtship follows a more direct and less formal engagement where men can just slide into women’s messages, waiting for their replies to establish a conversation. The practice of personally appearing at the woman’s front to mannerly seek her permission and the approval of her family has been long forgotten. People can just lay on their bed, constantly make updates on their phones, and even without the intimate effort and personal appearance, romantic connection is possible. Is this a downgrade to a creative method of pursuit or did technology transform courtship into a less sentimental process? 

If we’re going to dig into the current state of courtship, is there something they can offer that can be compared to the practice of harana as a cultural phenomenon? 

Modern Equivalent of Harana

These Gen Zs are majorly aware of  harana from its rich history but none had the opportunity to experience it for themselves. They offered opinions on what is tantamount to the practice of harana that is culturally prevailing in modern courtship. 

For Emmanuel Matining, 21, the art of harana can be contained in a recording— a modernized version yet its gist partially remains. 

“Pagkanta through voice message.” He laughed. 

As per Den Mark Mediana, 21, various social media platforms can replicate the harana experience through the involvement of music. 

“Sa modernong panahon, ang katumbas ng harana ay ang iba’t-ibang paraan ng pagpapahayag ng pag-ibig gamit ang mga makabagong teknolohiya at social media platforms. Ilan lamang dito ang video call serenade, live performances, at paggawa ng personalized playlist sa Spotify. Bagamat nagbago ang anyo nito kompara sa haranang nakasanayan, iisa pa rin ang layunin nitong makapagpahayag ng pag-ibig gamit ang musika,” he said. 

The same sentiment follows Cirene May Orlanda, 21, who regarded social media as the new ground for similar courting practices. 

“Sa aking palagay, sa modernong panahon, ang harana ay maaaring maihahalintulad sa iba’t ibang anyo ng pagpapahayag ng pagmamahal, tulad ng paggawa ng personalized na kanta o video na pinopost sa facebook, pag dedicate ng mga kanta o awitin sa social media, o kahit simpleng pagkanta sa isang tao habang nagvivideo call o facetime gamit ang online platforms tulad ng messenger,” she noted. 

For Gen Zs, the modern equivalent of harana exists primarily in social media platforms such as serenading in video calls and recordings as well as dedicating music and personalized playlists. Harana in its nature is a social event fueled by the essence of music. While the same goes for these versions, the difference between them is strikingly dull.

The modern equivalents, although carried with the same intention of expressing affection and romance, differ from the sophisticated execution. Social media has become the modern setting for Gen Z courtship, completely dismissing the contribution of physical audiences in elevating the experience. The incorporation of modern technologies in shaping the custom is highly implied.  

Let’s Look Back in the Past and Experience Harana

Clara Balmaceda, 71, from the harana generation emphasized the beauty of traditional and  careful courtship compared  to the instant relationship nowadays.

“Ang harana ay ginagawa ng isang binata o grupo ng mga kabinataan at  ginagamitan ng gitara kasabay ng pag awit na may lyrics o mensahe ng papuri at paghanga sa dalagang sinisinta. Ito ay ginagawa sa gabi. Ito ay nangyari noong unang panahon… Usually sa ngayon… Today, ito ay maihahalintulad sa social media like sending messages towards his lady love. Noon ay mabagal ang ligawan. But nowadays, pag gusto ka rin ng girl, it’s a matter of an hour or less ay girlfriend mo na,” she narrated. 

She witnessed the rise and fall of this tradition with her own eyes. 

“Ako noon at the age of 17 ay nakaranas ng harana. As a teenager, may kilig to the bones. Pero no’ng nasa college na ako kasi di uso sa manila ang harana,” she said. 

Peeking at it from the male perspective, Runolfo Marquez, 69, reminisced harana not just a symbol of romance but an initiation of friendship in its first bloom. 

“Karanasan ko sa harana kapag my dalagang bagong dating galing sa ibang lugar, natutuwa kaming haranahin para makipagkilala… Sinasadya sila sa kanilang bahay, matapat sa bintana at kakantahan. Kung makipagkilala patutuluyin ka sa bahay nila. Magbibigay galang sa magulang… Napaka moderno na ngayon dahil noon ang dalagang Pilipina ay hindi pinapayagan ng magulang sa labas makipagkilala kaya malaking pagkakaiba noon at ngayon,” he said. 

The transition from traditional courtship to modern romance has been felt by the harana generation. But what are their reactions to modernizing a cultural phenomenon for Gen Z preference? 

“Ok lang ‘yon. As long as nae-express niya ang kanyang feelings sa paraang may respect at totoo ang layunin nya,” Clara commented. 

“Ok na rin. Katulad ng magkalayo kayo, pwede kayong magkausap sa video call,” said Runolfo. 

Although the precious memories of harana marked the opulent history of Filipino romance, the older generation has respected the current version with its own trademark. They embraced modernity with its offered advancement to the culture of courtship. For them, the core of romance  lingers not with how one does it but the intention that lies beneath. 

Many still believe that harana as a courting practice requires a noble and genuine intent to carry out. More than the skills in singing, it reflects the confidence of the man in meeting the woman and her family members in flesh, the sincerity of the words spoken, and the effort to make a grand gesture. However, this does not mean to diminish the version of Gen Zs to modern courtship but only to highlight the culturally significant, authentic, and enriched practice of harana in the decade where modern technologies barely touched ingenious traditions. 

With Reports from Loyd R. Tolentino