Laygay Samarnon Series, No. 2 - "DI KA BA NAGSIRING?" (Hernani, E. Samar)

Estehanon folk songs on matters of love, courtship or even serenades are typically Waray Bisayan which, as described by Sugbo reveal the "images of kasakit (suffering), palooylooy (pity), and kuri (difficulty) on the part of the person in love." The song below, learned by Mr. Irasga from his grandfather, Tomas Corral who came from Hernani town fits the images mentioned by Sugbo. The raw or literal translation, here given, was from an unpublished manuscript entitled "Laylay han Kasanhi: The Songs of Samar Island" an aborted folk song book project with the Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino, where our contributor - Mr. Irasga, was one of the author and researchers.

Di ka ba nagsiring, ha akon nagsaad?

Im' ak' uunungan halad an im kalag.

An im' kinabuhi, ngadto ha lubnganan

Di ngay-an tapuran, sugad la hin dampog

nga waray hi-uran.

Uunan-on ko la nga pagliaw-liaw

Nga makatambal la han mga kamingaw

San-o la kakulop, san-o man kaadlaw

Nga diri an luha, nga di gud an luha

ha mata manlugmaw.

Have you not told, have you not promised me?

That you will commiserate on my plight,

with your soul, with your life, as long as you live

I should haven't put my hope on you

For you're like a rain cloud which dissipated.

How will I ever comfort myself?

How will I ease this loneliness?

Should have it been yesterday, or tomorrow

That tears, yes, tears will fall no more.

Source: As stated above.

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CHUA-AY - Philippine Folk Song (Ifugao)

Chua-ay is probably among the most popular Ifugao folk song. This simple song first appeared in Emilia Cavan's book "Filipino Folk Songs" published in 1924. According to this book, Chua-ay is an "Igorot Wedding Song." Nonetheless, it became popular in the academe as the Ifugao "rice pounding song," and the pounding of the pestles are supposed to follow the rhythm of the song. How this sudden change of understanding came down to present-day Filipino students is not known. The song text translation below was taken from Cavan's book, p. "v." Man-child brave, man-child strong, For thee we call, oe!, oe! Brave to fight, strong to work, We bid thee come, oe!, oe! Carry rice from field to town, oe!, oe!

ILI-ILI TULOG ANAY - Philippine Folk Song (Hiligaynon)

Ili-ili Tulog Anay is probably the most popular Filipino lullaby. Thanks to Prof. Prisicilla Venturanza Magdamo who was able to record this gem-of-a-song from a certain Maria Abitang in Bañga, Aklan. It was later published in her Philippine Folk Songs: Songs of the Visayas Vol. 1 (with piano accompaniment), Vol II (fakesheet style), and in Vol. III for chorus. And the rest is history. The short soothing song simply means: Ili-ili (a crooning word for babies) sleep awhile/ Your mother is not here,/ She went to the store to buy bread/ Ili-ili sleep awhile. The notation below was taken from a learning module available online.

Philippine Folk Song - LUBI-LUBI (Waray)

Lubi-lubi is a Waray folk song about the coconut ( lubi ). The song simply means that the Waray folks can enjoy coconuts in all the 12 months of the year. The Waray version of the song (also called Lubi-lubi Lingkuranay ) is about a dwarf coconut (probably an allusion to a small maiden) which a man promises not to climb, after all it was not that tall. The song proceeds the now famous enumeration of the months of the year. The succeeding stanza is a dialogue between a maiden and a suitor who is trying to win her "immature" heart which she likened to a young coconut ( silot ). The maiden warns the suitor to first seek the permission of her parents before even picking one silot. For those familiar with the song, the third verse, sung for the second part of the music can be sang: Kun waray sin abaniko/ Patay na inin lawas ko/ Lawas ko, ay, ay, madedesmayo/ San balhas nga dimasyado. ...

FOLK SONGS FROM THE PHILIPPINES

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