AMBAHAN & MYTHS

AMBAHAN: MANGYAN BAMBOO VERSES

The ambahan is the traditional poetry of the Hanunuo Mangyans of Oriental Mindoro. It is usually
written on bamboo in the Surat Mangyan, a centuries-old pre-Spanish script.

Scripted on bamboo slats (or on bamboo containers, posts, wooden slats, or tree trunks) the Mangyans
have preserved the ambahan for hundreds of years. Through the effort of Antoon Postma, who
preserved over 20,000 ambahans in the last 50 years, he published his eye-opening book on the
ambahan called Treasure of a Minority.

Characteristics of Ambahan:

 a set of poetic expressions

 with a measured rhyme of seven-syllable lines
 having rhyming end syllables
 vocalized as a chant without a determined melody or too much melodic variation
 without the accompaniment of musical instruments
 recited for the purpose of verbalizing in a metaphorical way
 certain human situations or characteristics
 with the possible challenge of matching answer in dialogue fashion
 in the presence of an interested audience of various size.

We can describe Ambahan as:

• A poem
• A song
• Invites dialogue
• Socially done
• Teaches wisdom
• Expresses the faith and values

Understanding the Ambahan

The ambahan can be interpreted in many ways. To understand it, you don’t need to be an expert. It has
the power to disclose more than what it says in the context when the ambahan was composed and
sung. You don’t need to know the exact context when the ambahan was sung. What you need to do is to
use your imagination and to believe in the ambahan’s power to reveal something about life.
Example:

Title: Life Alone

Ambahan 110: English Translation: Shrinking in this murky pain!

1. Halaw nilyo ma diman How lonesome this life I Filipino Translation:

2. Ud may suyong breathe
Anong lumbay ng buhay
hinmuywan
No mommy, loving me dear
3. Ud may bansay Walang inang kandungan
inmamban No daddy, guiding me clear
Ni ama sa tabihan
4. Hanggan lang kang ka- My buddy throughout my
amban Iring kapiling lamang
way
5. Kang balibag subungan
This old bow my shoulder Ay bawig kong bagtingan
6. Kang sugkod
namuryungan bear Ay tungkod kong panibat
7. No bilang darag kaywan My cane this wooden spear Dahon akong lantahan
8. Maslayawan di kunman
Dried twig I’m a fallen vain Anaki’y sinalimpad!

Title: Bearing

Ambahan 35: Isn’t it truly a fact? Ganyan talaga naman

1. Inda ay nga uy ginan A house so little and meek Dampa kung kasikipan
2. Labag no nawa naw-an
Hardly has a space to sleep Wala halos mahigan
3. U di kang manranukan
4. Ma sa lion lion wan Hope you stay, bear with this Sana ay pagtiisan!
bare!

Filipino Translation:
English Translation:
Myths: Tungkung Langit & Alunsina
• Myths are a part of every culture in the world and are used to explain natural phenomena, where a
people came from and how their civilization developed, and why things happen as they do.
• Myths change to reflect the values and history of the people telling the myth.
The story of Tunkung Langit and Alunsina is a myth from Panay.
Tungkung Langit: A popular deity of the Suludnon people of Panay. He is their version of the ‘creator’
who made the world out of primordial chaos.
Alunsina: A prominent goddess in the Suludnon people’s Pantheon of Gods. Alunsina, also called “ Laon-
Sina” is considered to be the ‘virgin goddess’ of the eastern skies and the wife of Tungkung Langit
(“Pillar of Heaven”).

Tungkung Langit & Alunsina Creation Myth:

The old Visayan folklore states that Tungkung Langit fell in love with Alunsina. After he had courted her
for many years, they married and made their home in the highest part of heaven.

One day Tungkung Langit told his wife that he would be away for some time. He said he must make time
go on smoothly and arrange everything in the world and did not return for a long time. Alunsina thought
he was off to see a lover, so she summoned the breeze to spy on Tungkung Langit. Tungkung Langit
caught the spying breeze and he became very angry with Alunsina. After he returned home, he told her
that it was ungodly of her to be jealous since there were no other gods in the world except the two of
them.

Alunsina resented this reproach, and they quarreled all day. In his anger, Tungkung Langit drove his wife
away. And with that, Alunsina suddenly disappeared, without a word or a trace to where she went. A
few days passed, Tungkung Langit felt very lonely and longed for his wife. He realized that he should not
have lost his temper. But it was too late, Alunsina is gone.

And so in his desperation, he decided to do something to forget his sorrow and win back his wife’s favor.
So he came down to earth and planted trees and flowers that she may notice it, but she still didn’t come
home. Then in desperation, he took his wife’s jewels and scattered them in the sky. He hoped that when
Alunsina should see them she might be induced to return home.
Alunsina’s necklace became the stars, her comb the moon, and her crown the sun. But in spite of all his
efforts, Alunsina did not return home. Until now, as the story goes, Tungkung Langit lives alone in his
palace in the skies and sometimes, he would cry out for Alunsina and his tears would fall down upon the
earth as rain and his loud voice, calling out for his wife, was believed to be the thunder during storms,
begging for her to come back to their heavenly palace once more.