YOU ARE MY ONLY HOPE




A Kalanguya song adapted from a Tagalog Praise song

Comments

Kitt M. Kaagapaymo, Life Coach said…
The view is beautiful. Wow. Thanks for the song. And while I have nothing against adaptatin, I have a suggestion. Can you post authentic, indigenous kalangoya music and put lyrics there praising God's name or some sort. That would be more closer to your people's heart. I have been wanting to hear music, indigenous music from ethnic tribes. Bless you!
9:44 AM
Wil Reyes said…
Nice pictures. I assume it's Nueva Vizcaya. What's the river's name? And who's singing, btw?
9:55 AM
Margie Lumawan said…
Hello po, thanks for your comment. Sorry, we are still working on recording and reviving original Kalanguya music. It's not an easy job cuz most of the old folks who know them won't sing for no occasion (also some still fear the spirits so they don't just sing if you want them to). Most if not all of our songs are composed and sang impromptu when the occasion calls for it (at least in the villages I've been to) and so if you're not there to record it, then you don't have a song.

Regarding indigenous music as being closer to the heart of Kalanguya, well, having been working for quite a time to promote the Kalanguya language, music, culture and everything Kalanguya, that is not really the case. :) Music adaptations has been done to hymns and other Filipino folk songs since the 50s; only the music is adapted, the lyrics are not translated but are totally changed, and if the words are able to touch the Kalanguya heart, then it does not matter if the song is sang with the tune of Achy Breaky Heart or What's Up or something :) :) :). See, I am a mother tongue, Kalanguya culture promoter, but on many occasions, my heart has been broken because of the unfortunate fact that majority of the Kalanguyas in my generation seem to not care if their original music totally goes into oblivion. Yeah, it's sad, but that's the reality.
12:42 PM
Margie Lumawan said…
Hi Wil, thanks for dropping by. Yes, the pictures are taken from the Kalanguya country of Nueva Vizcaya. You have to travel by foot for 8 hours to get there. The river is locally called Beley ni Iyoh (Home of the Aged Eel - legend has it that there is a centuries-old eel in the deepest part of the river that requires human sacrifice annually. People in the past had been fooling the eel and had been sacrificing pig instead, but the eel apparently found out and it got so angry that it just come out once in a blue moon and drown anyone who's crossing the river at that moment. Pretty horrible! :) So until now, when the current is strong and someone accidentally drown, the old folks would say that the Iyoh (Great Eel) attacked again.

My friend and I did the singing but I won't tell you which part has my voice. hehe
12:52 PM
kris Golden said…
Pehpehed ! thanks for sharing .
2:23 PM
Kitt M. Kaagapaymo, Life Coach said…
Sad really. But you can re-educate. You see when I attended the Intellectual Property Rights seminar for artists and composers, tribal music has special protection. If lets say i want to compose an original kalanguya music, the lawyer said in order to preserve tradition and culture, I will have to seek permission from the tribal authorities if I can go ahead with the composition (or any derivatives for that matter). And if ok, the tribe's own people should sing it. Western missionaries in the past disparaged the authentic music because they thought it's paganistic or "evil.' So they supplanted it with western hymns. The young generation think that that is the "real music." That is not so however. The govt is trying hard to preserve and protect tribal culture and tradition. As believers, we have a responsibility to allign with the government's efforts. Otherwise, the tribe's rich culture and tradition will go into total oblivion. Sigh.
5:19 PM
Daphne Marie Falag-ey said…
Well sis, I think u r doing a great job of promoting ur own music. Already, u r trying to produce ur own native songs. That's a big step already.
5:45 PM
fortunato lumawan said…
Hi! shal-lamat di bebat hin melengas pekinegan, mipundin melon ni mipihil u di bansa ta! miliru gina u ron dlua u midlayas pedereman hu mepebetad da rema di bansa subanen! Marj, pengempya a di familya nami bu di subanen! Dad.
11:51 AM
marc john said…
hi.... may i know the language of the song.... thanks...
7:58 PM
marc john said…
we want to promote the subanen tribe... may i ask were can we get an original subanen music and chants ...thanks
8:00 PM
Margie Lumawan said…
hi, the song is in Kalanguya, it is one of the Igorot languages of the Cordillera, Northern Luzon. The Subanen comment you read here is from my dad-in-law. My husband is from the Southern Subanen Tribe of Mindanao. Thanks for dropping by and leaving a comment. I don't think there is a recorded Subanen songs or chants at this time. That is one of my husband's planned projects in the future.
7:08 PM
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