Scanning through my collection of Philippine folk song books, I find it easier to find samples of songs which express pride of one's ethnicity, especially, the noteworthy virtues of each people group's maidens/womenfolk: industrious, beautiful, socially-accomplished, good example, modest, peerless, and so on. Folk songs like the Babaeng Bikolana, the Kapampangan Ing Manai, the Tagalog Ang Dalagang Tagabukid and Lulay; the Waray An Marol (featured earlier in this blog's series, No. 3), the Ilocana a Nadayag and the Daragang Taga-Cuyo of Palawan all take pride in the prime qualities of their womenfolk. However, our love for the Filipinoness outside our own ethnicity is rather rare in the themes of our folk songs. That could be safe, probably, to presume that there could be a lot of folk songs which embody the ardent love for one's place of origin: a town, a province, an island, a region or an island group; however, for folk songs with theme of love for our country could be "very few."
Among this "very few" songs is the Samar-Leyte song An Iroy nga Tuna (Motherland/Inang Bayan). The song text is actually a translation made by Iluminado Lucente of an old patriotic song in Spanish which spells the sweetness of living (and dying) in one's motherland, however, lamenting the bondage from colonial masters. The translated poem mentioned was originally entitled "Ha Akun Tunang Natawhan" which was inalid'agid (adopted/translated) by Lucente in September of 1911. The poem appeared first time in "Pinulongan han Kasingkasing" (1912) and reprinted in Vicente de Veyra's "Hinugpung" (1914). The poem of Lucente contributed two (2) stanzas to the An Iroy nga Tuna song version known to most people in Samar and Leyte. The third and fourth stanzas did not become popular (as a song text) and was rather replaced with a new third and fourth stanzas penned by an anonymous poet. These two new stanzas were obviously added after the Liberation (1946 ff.) as the texts suggest. The melancholic music is attributed to Federico Acebedo.
Among this "very few" songs is the Samar-Leyte song An Iroy nga Tuna (Motherland/Inang Bayan). The song text is actually a translation made by Iluminado Lucente of an old patriotic song in Spanish which spells the sweetness of living (and dying) in one's motherland, however, lamenting the bondage from colonial masters. The translated poem mentioned was originally entitled "Ha Akun Tunang Natawhan" which was inalid'agid (adopted/translated) by Lucente in September of 1911. The poem appeared first time in "Pinulongan han Kasingkasing" (1912) and reprinted in Vicente de Veyra's "Hinugpung" (1914). The poem of Lucente contributed two (2) stanzas to the An Iroy nga Tuna song version known to most people in Samar and Leyte. The third and fourth stanzas did not become popular (as a song text) and was rather replaced with a new third and fourth stanzas penned by an anonymous poet. These two new stanzas were obviously added after the Liberation (1946 ff.) as the texts suggest. The melancholic music is attributed to Federico Acebedo.
An iroy nga tuna matam-is pagpuy-an
Bisan diin siplat puros kasangkayan
Hahani ang hingpit nga at' kalipayan
Hahani hira Nanay, pati kabugtoan.
Lugaring mahiblon, ha dughan bati-on
Nga an Pilipinas, dayuday uripon
Ay, tuna nga ak' natawohan
Hain daw an hingpit nga at' katalwasan.
[3rd and 4th stanzas purposely not included]
To live is sweet in one's motherland
Friends are around you wherever you glance
True happiness is in our land
Where mother, and siblings altogether dwell.
However, it pains me
That the Philippines is forever in bondage
Oh, dear land of my birth
When will you ever taste true freedom.
(Literal translation by the blogger)
Sources:I.C.Lucente, "Pinulongan han Kasingkasing," (1912), p.__.
V.I. De Veyra, "Hinugpung," (1914), pp. 2-3.
A.C. Irasga, et al, "Mga Laylay han Kasanhi" (n.d) unpublished manuscript, n.p.
A.M.Cinco-Tizon, "Mga Samarnon nga Karantahon," (n.d) unpublished fakesheets, n.p.
S.Q. Lagarde, "Koro Leyteno," (2004) p. 125.
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