Isinay Songs: "Kukkuyappon"

When I was little, there were always butterflies cavorting among my mother's front-yard garden of bougainvilleas, gumamelas, lilies, and daisies. It was probably because of such colorful creatures that even as I didn't quite like the tune of this song, I didn't exactly block it when it was taught to us in grade school. The version that I learned (Lyrics 1) was however short compared to the one (Lyrics 2) presented by Nueva Vizcaya delegates in a folk arts festival in Manila in 1978. 

Lyrics 1

KUKKUYAPPON (BUTTERFLY)
[Translation by Charles P. Castro]

  

Kukkuyappon maserot podda

maat tu tay ta dioy si ivahaˆ

eyam tiye sulat uwar

Ta i-ator mu y amigaˆ.

(Butterfly so beautiful

Come I'll tell something

Take this my letter

Then give it to my girlfriend.) 

Alimbawa ta santuwonaˆ

Ya adyom diyoy man-atu-atung

Andiyere atung nar

Atung si sait si nomnom.

(In case she'll ask about me

Please tell I'm not feeling well

If she'll ask what's the cause

Sick due to hurt feelings.) 

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Lyrics 2

KUKKUYAPPON

(BUTTERFLY)

 [Lyrics and choreography by Mrs. Estela G. Fernandez; translation by Mrs. Aida C. Mamaoag]

Kukkuyappon an maserot

Damdaman an-anapoˆ sia

Apeletaˆ di daˆdamar

Mangivolejas si aru-ar.

(Butterfly, so pretty

For you I’ve been searching

Your help I’ve been wanting

My love message, please relay)

Amtaˆ mot di ittuamar

Diyoy at nan manliliwaliw

Are-eyan di savungar

Si gitaw ri mihalang uar.

(I know now where you are

You are there roaming around

Amidst the beautiful flowers

In the meadow of my dear one)

Kukkuyappon an maserot

Maattu ta diyoy si ivajaˆ

Iyator mu tie sulat uar

Si pinavle ar an mariit.

(Butterfly, so beautiful

Please come, I’ve something to tell

Deliver my love letter

To the lady so much I endear)

Ittum di pan-engat muar

Etom si mabves di sulat uar

Uan satie ya yajyajom

Bivil uar mawayir lojom.

(Please be very careful,

Handle the letter very well

Lest it might get lost

My love message will vanish.)

Sar-om tay an basona

Ri sulat uar an in-ator mu

Santuwom di suvvet nar

Mu dawatona ri aru-ar.

(Wait until she reads

The letter you have given

Ask her immediate response

If she accepts my proposal.)

Alimbawa ta dawatona

Ammair piseysalamat uar

Maunat Apu tauar Diyos

On siat mi-ar-arwa.

(In case she accepts my love

My bountiful thanks

First, to our dear Lord

Secondly, to friend butterfly.)

Kukkuyappon lu-uyonaˆ

Seruwon ta ri inaru-ar

Ipasyal tat gitawar

Ta pangilan si gayjaya.

(Butterfly, accompany me

Let’s drop for my loved one

To stroll around the meadow

For relaxation and joy.)

Kukkuyappon manette-a

Belengom di pantaroˆ miar

Ihuyur u, iwayas u

Ilivor u mantunat tunanar.

(Butterfly, please observe

Watch how we both dance

We move forward and sideward

We turn around and around.)

Kukkuyappon an maserot

Maserot an kukkuyappon

Masompal amin dua

Salamat si, salamat si daˆdamar!

(Butterfly, so pretty

Pretty, pretty butterfly

We will soon get married

Thank you, thank you

For your big, big help.)

NOTE: Performed at the Philippine Folk Arts Theater, July 1978, by: Mayor William L. Giron, Mrs. Josefa G. Giron, Mr. Elpidio Cia, Mrs. Edita F.Galutera, Mr. Artemio Mamaoag, Mrs. Aida C. Mamaoag, Mr. Wilfredo Umli (butterfly), selected Bayombong and Solano teachers (flowers). Performed again at the Manila Garden Hotel representing the Province of Nueva Vizcaya during PAGAYAYA ’88 by: Mrs. Epifania M. Cia (Principal of Dupax Central School), Mr. Elpidio Cia (NFE Coordinator), Mrs. Aurora A. Reyes (GACES Elementary School Teacher), Mr. David Castro (District Statistician).

Isinay Songs: "Dattut Ittuwam"

Here's probably the most popular song coming out of, or rather sung by, Isinays especially in Dupax del Sur. In fact, I'm tempted to say that one is not a true Isinay if he/she doesn't know how to sing this one. When he was still teaching at Dupax Elementary School, my father used to sit by the front window of the second floor of our house in Domang and sing this haunting love song to the accompaniment of his ukelele especially during moonlit nights. It was from his frequent rendition of the song that I learned how to sing it myself. In fact, when I was feeling homesick while "vacationing" at the East-West Center in Honolulu in 1986, it was one of the songs I loved to strum the guitar with, along with "Hawaiian Wedding Song" and "Ang Bayan Kong Pilipinas."

DATTUT ITTUWAM

(WHERE ARE YOU)

Dattut ittuwam, o bilay u

Inaru-arun di satien puso

Nirat di sipan muwar

An sa-on si aruwom

Sangkana tie besan

Saon si tinayanam.

(Where are you, my dearest one

You have endeared my humble heart

Where is your promise

That you will love me alone

Why is it nowadays

That you have left me aside.)

Dattuttun lugar si aya^ panganapan

Si inaru-ar an immaddawi

Ejawan ta lavi, eyongawan di saitar

Uar inin-inop uar

Eyongawan di patoyar.

(Where in this world can I find

My sweetheart who went away

Each day and night I feel pain

Each night I often dream

That death is nearing me.)

Nomnomo na^ mu addawi ya

Nomnomom pay ri satie gi^naar

Satie pusu-ar an mandeyoromdom

Mi^bus ysia, aajis di batang uar.

(Remember me while I am away

Think of my hardships

And worrying heart

Just because of you my better half.)

……………………………..

NOTE: This version was sung at the Philippine Folk Arts Theater, July 1978 and at the Manila Garden Hotel, Pagayaya ’78 by the same Isinay group that presented the Imbestida at the Cultural Center of the Philippines in 1978. And again, the English translation here was done by Mrs. Aida C. Mamaoag. 

Oh yes, those of you who are in faraway lands and feeling "meyongngaw" (homesick) with Isinay love songs like this may be interested to know that there are at least three that are beautifully rendered on YouTube by Ms. Myra Bangad, a music teacher of Nueva Vizcaya General Comprehensive High School (NVGCHS), in Bayombong, NV. In fact, when I was doing this blog post, her duet with a male co-teacher has registered 1,436 views since it was uploaded February 2008 by a certain basteroger. To access Dattut Ittuwam, just google "Isinay Songs" and three frames of Myra's charming face would pop up on your computer screen. 

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Next: Kukkuyappon

Isinay Songs: "Imbestida"

I just found my soft copy of the Isinay songs that I transcribed sometime back from a sheaf of yellowing bond paper lent to me by my sister Judith Castro-Dial. Sang by a group of Dupax Isinays (some of them now long gone) at the Philippine Folk Arts Theatre in 1978, I thought it is but proper to include them in this Isinay blogsite to serve the needs of those who may have forgotten or are looking for their lyrics. 

It's fortunate that the songs came with their English translations. For this I must thank my second cousin Mrs. Aida Coloma-Mamaoag because at least she has saved me from the trouble of facing complainants in the event that a more knowledgeable guy would rise to point out that some Isinay terms and nuances have been murdered in the translation. 

I don't know how Judith managed to get a copy of the script, but suffice it that it carried the following note by way of giving credit where credit is due:  

Representing the province of Nueva Vizcaya, the following performed the Imbestida during the First Philippine Folk Festival at the Philippine Folk Arts Theater on July 7, 1978:

Dancers

Mrs. Estela G. Fernandez (Principal, GACES)

Mr. Juan Felix (Orchestra Violinist)

Mrs. Josefa G. Giron (BIR Collecting Agent)

Mr. Dominador Boada (Municipal Treasurer, Dupax del Sur)

Bride: Miss Jennifer G. Giron

Groom: Mr. Wilbert Giron

Wine Offerers

Mr. Emilio J. Fernandez (Municipal Treasurer, Dupax del Norte)

Mr. Artemio Mamaoag (Post Office Letter Carrier)

Sponsors

Mr. Osias Cadiente (Governor of Nueva Vizcaya)

Mr. William Giron (Mayor of Dupax del Sur)

Singers

Mrs. Aida C. Mamaoag (Teacher, Dupax Elementary School)

Mr. Elpidio Cia (Teacher, Dupax Elementary School)

IMBESTIDA

(Wedding Song and Dance)

Savungar si gitawar

An man-ivil toy pa-eya

Uriaˆ an ineya toy nilu-uyaˆ y Ua

Isumbongaˆ y Ina ya

Bumbungonaˆ y Ama

(A flower in the meadow

Pleads me to pick her

I refused ‘cause Brod was with me

He might report me to Mother

I’ll be whipped by Father)

Mambaliwaˆ an sinalongsong

Ta ittunaˆ si dila mar

Inumom di luppa mar ta

Mainteror pusumar

(I’ll turn to a leaf with nut and lime

And put me in your mouth

Swallow your saliva

To purify your heart)

Manbaliwaˆ an pipingaw

Ta umapaˆ si botoˆ muar

Wara ilat misantu

Saloysoy an balituˆ

(I’ll turn into a moth

And alight on your hair

If someone dares to ask

It’s a golden comb)

Among lan lamesan marmol

Di nganin di duwena ar

Mabves pangipatangan si

Puri ar on galang

(It’s like a marble table

The figure of my idol

Just right for me to lay

My pride and honor)

Wariye toy nasompal ta ya

Man-in-aru tat pantunana

Engatan ta ri panlu-uy tar

Ta mannannar di gayjaya tar

(Now that we are bound

Let’s love each other forever

Smooth our togetherness

To maintain our happiness)

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(Next Song: Dattut Ittuwam)