I was looking at some old notes and found scribbled lyrics on my tickler – dated 2012, which were hurriedly written for fear that I might miss a word that was said by someone I met at that time. I cannot remember who that person was, but the way the lyrics were crafted seem like it was originally part of the Bahay Kubo folk song.
It seems like this prelude set of lyrics did not become as famous as the rest that made up the song as we we know now – focused on the simple lifestyle of a farmer (or gardener) living in a nipa hut made of bamboo, which eventually became part of the pop culture when someone made a film about it and another one popularized the song in the mid to late 1960s.
How come “Ikay” was not part of the song?
Apparently, the prelude was a story about a woman named Ikay, and her upcoming wedding. It seems that she was anxiously discussing what she needs to have after the ceremony, which was about her home — the Bahay Kubo.
Photo by Denniz Futalan: https://www.pexels.com/photo/nipa-hut-house-beside-the-trees-4330942/
What Ikay did to achieve her goal.
It was a bit blurry but according to the lyrics, Ikay was arguing to try and raise the funds so she could have the home of her dreams. Perhaps she was talking to her suitor or groom-to-be.. or maybe a ninong (god father)?
No matter how truthful the story is within these prelude lyrics to the song, it is quite exciting (at least for me) to find out that there’s this bit of (possibly) a long lost history that adds a different color to the Tagalog-languaged folk song being taught to Filipino children during their early years in school.
Check out the lyrics below and think if it looks legit. Better yet, ask your grannies, maybe someone out there would be able to confirm its authenticity.
Si Ikay dumadabog, ikakasal sa simbahan Kaya pala dumadabog, humihingi ng tugtog Tugtog Antipolo, kung tumugtog pyanong pyano Kaya pala pyanong pyano, humihingi ng ‘sang libo Isang libong ibibigay, ibibigay kay nanay Kaya pala ibibigay, ibibili ng bahay
Bahay kubo, kahit munti Ang halaman doon ay sari-sari. Singkamas at talong, sigarilyas at mani Sitaw, bataw, patani. Kundol, patola, upo’t kalabasa At saka meron pang labanos, mustasa, sibuyas, kamatis, bawang at luya sa paligid-ligid ay puno ng linga.
Strangebrewed could be sometimes seen on some wall in Meta under the pen name Shinaka Motosato. As someone who had various experiences in the field of publications - both online and prints - for more than 20 years, his unquenching thirst to help provide quality lifestyle-related insights gave birth to DAETMETRO.COM.
