From the Ivatans of Batanes to the Samals
of Tawi-tawi, the Philippines is replete with songs which revolves around the
occupation or livelihood of the people. Damiana L. Eugenio, considered as “Ina
ng Folklore sa Pilipinas” classified these kinds of songs in her monumental
anthology “Philippine Literature Series VIII: The Folk Songs” into
“occupational songs.”
The Ivatans sing the kalusan while their seamen row boats. The Ilocanos of the north have songs about
salt-making, the Ibaloy of Benguet have hunting songs. Who could ever forget the short and choppy
Ifugao rice pounding song “Chua-ay”?
The Visayans, living in an archipelago
surrounded with seas teeming with marine resources are expectedly sea-oriented,
in terms of culture, life ways and livelihood. The Eastern Visayas is no
exception. Jaime B. Polo wrote in 1983 about a colorful fishing “ritual-drama”
in the village of Binalayan in Leyte. Much is also written about the buhat ritual to attract schools of dorado fish to Ando island in Borongan,
Eastern Samar.
Needless to say, many of Samar’s folk
songs are about the matters of the sea. In the olden time in Eastern Samar, for
example, folks who happen to row boats in the open seas at around 12 noon to 3
p.m. sing the paghambiyan so that the
spirits will not harm or annoy their trip.
In Llorente town, fisherfolk sing the paghiya to ease their burdens while rowing their boats. Sadly, the
introduction of motorized boats and the modern ways of living had made the
singing of the paghambiyan and paghiya irrelevant. Interestingly, one of the fishing-related
songs which filtered down to the present generation of Samarnons is the song
“An Lab-asiro.” The song is about a
happy “fresh fish” (i.e. lab-as)
vendor who enjoys his lot. The song also
portrays the Samarnon’s communal effort to make living easy and a wife’s duty
of balancing his husband’s family life and work. Versions of the song abound in
Samar with song texts ranging from didactic, to funny or to naughty. The funny version of Borongan is found in
P.V. Magdamo’s “Folk Songs of the Visayas, Vol. VI, (1958),” that of Basey is
in D.L. Eugenio’s work described above, that of Catbalogan is in Miel’s “Samar
Folk Dances, (1973)” and Laoang’s naughty version is in Wolff’s “Beginning
Waray-waray.” The version given below is from Wright (Paranas), Samar which was
collected by Bureau of Public Schools Division of Adult and Community
Education, and later (1966) published in “Philippine Folk Dances and Songs.” So far, the Paranas version is the simplest of
all the versions with just a one-part music.
Ako an lab-asiro nga malipayon,
Bitbit han budyong huyop-huyupon.
Budyong ko nga budyong kay basi ako daupon,
Kay basi ak' katimuran han isda nga linab-asan.
Dida han timod na an akon isda,
Malipay ako matawa-tawa.
Bugsay ko nga bugsay, arabay han magsarakay,
Mauli ako ha balay, dayon ako mapahuway.
I am a happy fish peddler
A conch shell I carry which I
blow and blow the whole day long
Blowing and blowing, so buyers will come around
So the fish I am peddling will be sold out.
When all the fish I have is bought
I am happy and smiling
Paddling and paddling along with other boatmen
To my home I shall be going,
To take an immediate rest.
-English Translation by Maximo Davantes
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