Kapampangan Folk Songs

KAPAMPANGAN
FOLK SONGS
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1. ATIN KU PUNG SINGSING
This may very well be the national hymn of Pampanga, as this plaintive folk
song—about the promise of a girl to give her heart to the man who finds her
lost ring—is known all over the country. It is an example of a ‘basultu’, a
people’s song that often has an allegorical theme. “Atin Ku Pung Singsing”
has been recorded by many artists including Nora Aunor and Freddie
Aguilar, and a Tagalog version exists.
2. ARO, KATIMYAS NA NITANG DALAGA

It has been a tradition in old Pampanga for a swain to sing a serenade song to
the object of his affection during the period of courtship. This
dramatic kundiman, is sung from the point of view of a young man as he
espies his true love from a distance—Isyang, daughter of Apung, charmed by
her beauty and graceful movements as she carries a basket-full of rice cakes
on her head.
3. ATSING ROSING
Another harana song, in which the singer exalts ‘Atsing Rosing’ by offering
her a fantastic assortment of gifts: a necklace of stars, a half-moon crown, a
hammock made of clouds held by a blue rainbow rope. The singer summons
heroes Rizal and Bonifacio to guard the lovely Rosing.
4. DALUMDUM NING BENGI

This harana song is different in that the singer does not refer to his heart’s
desire, but instead, describes in poetic terms the intense moment of their
evening encounter—the falling of rain, cloudy, star-less skies—the only light
being the brief flash of lightning.
LISTEN TO 'DALUMDUM NING BENGI' HERE:
5. EKA MAMAKO
There are many songs in Spanish called “No Te Vayas” (Don’t Go), and
these were eventually introduced to Filipino. The most well-known is the
popular “No Te Vayas de Zamboanga” by Juan Cuadrado, Sr., which even
merited an English version (“Don’t you go, don’t you go to far
Zamboanga!”). This Pampango version was provided by Imang Fely Tinio.
6. INYANG MALATI KU
This very popular ‘basultu’ has so many versions, lyrics-wise—from
romantic to the comic (“Inyang malati ku, linub kung kutseru, sira ya'ing
kalesa, pile ya'ing kabayu”) . Even the beat is sung in varied ways—from
slow and wistful, to bouncy and upbeat. This version has a more nostalgic
feel to it.
7. O KAKA, O KAKA
Another “basultu” which is perfect for dancing. Many grandmothers also
sang this as a lullabye to put their ‘apos’ to sleep. The singer calls a
friend’s (“kaka”) attention and then proceeds to sing his observations of him
and of things around him, in a light, playful and teasing manner.
8. O YAN NA ING PAPEL

The lilting “Oyan na ing Papel” has a repetitive tune and short lyrics that
give a directive for Maring to catch a piece of paper being blown by the
wind. The windblown paper that contains Pepings’s wedding details,
including riding an unrepaired cart to the ceremony
9. O PATAG A BUNDUK
A playful song of many contradictions that talk about a flat mountain, a tree
that grows like a vine, a banana tree that grows in a flower pot, monggo that
needs a trellis, a santol-bearing mango tree, a hen that’s also a chick, and a
rooster that lays eggs. Indeed, this is something for Ripley’s!
10. ONE DAY, MISAN A ALDO

Our love affair with things American began immediately—language was not
a barrier. This narrative song begins in fractured English, which is
immediately translated literally in Kapampangan—to hilarious effects. This
popular song is known to tagalogs as “One Day, Isang Araw”.
11. PIESTA DA RENG ASAN
This old non-sensical song bout n imaginary election among river fishes
surprisingly provides a glimpse into folk lifestles, beliefs and attitudes.
This ‘basultu’ was contributed by Magdalena Dayrit of San Fernando which
Dr. Alejandro Perez included in his 1968 book ‘Pampanga Folklore’.
12. SISINGLE, SISINGLE

This is a play song that is sung in consonance with a game of the same title,
variationof ‘talanan dutung’. It starts with a line of children holding hands,
with the lead child holding fast to a wooden wall, gate, tree trunk, or nay
wooden object. With held hands swaying, as they sing. At the last note of the
song, the players break the line and scamper to look for a wooden object to
touch. A player who fails to do so becomes the next “taya” or ‘it’.

Kapampangan Folk Songs

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Kapampangan Folk Songs

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KAPAMPANGAN

2. ARO, KATIMYAS NA NITANG DALAGA

4. DALUMDUM NING BENGI

8. O YAN NA ING PAPEL

10. ONE DAY, MISAN A ALDO

12. SISINGLE, SISINGLE

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