Ambahan

Ambahans inscribed on plants in a bamboo grove [Source: Antoon Postma]

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. The syllabic script and the ambahan poetry have
complemented each other, contributing to their continued existence today.
Reproduced here are three extracts from the work of Antoon Postma, anthropologist and Mangyan historian, and
an ambahan anthology arranged according to the Hanunuo-Mangyan lifecycle.
Introduction to ambahan

Ambahans inscribed on a bamboo slat

The ambahan is a literary product and poetic expression of the Southern Mangyans of Mindoro, Philippines.
Although there are about seven different ethnic groups living in Mindoro, collectively called the Mangyans, these
groups are quite distinct from each other as to language, customs, and way of living. Only the ethnic group living in
the south of Mindoro, roughly comprising the areas within the municipalities of Bulalacao (San Pedro), Mansalay,
Oriental Mindoro and San Jose, Occidental Mindoro, claims the name Mangyan as the descriptive title of their
tribe. To stress their point, they might add the epiteth: "Hanunuo" Mangyan, that is, a "truly, real, genuine"
Manygan.
Together with their northern neighbors, the Buhids, they possess a pre-Spanish writing system, considered to be of
Indic origin, with characters expressing the open syllables of the language. Two distinct syllabaries are still in
practical use among the ethnic groups in Mindoro, viz. the northern Buhid on one hand and the southern Buhid
with the Hanunuo-Mangyans on the other. The existence of a writing system among these tribes certainly accounts
largely for the wealth of literature prevalent among them. One of the literary products, the one written down most
frequently on bamboo-tubes or slats, is the ambahan.
For better understanding and appreciation of the ambahans presented here, a short outline on the character and
use of the ambahan will be given here.
As a definition, it can be stated that the ambahan is:
A. A rhythmic poetic expression with a meter of seven syllable lines and having rhythmic end-syllables.
B. It is most often presented as a chant without a determined musical pitch or accompaniment by musical
instruments.
C. Its purpose is to express in an allegorical way, liberally using poetic language, certain situations or certain
characteristics referred to by the one reciting the poem.
The meter of seven syllables in one line is the characteristic of the ambahan which most obviously distinguishes it
from other kinds of Hanunuo-Mangyan poetry. However, there are exceptions to the rule. For instance, more than
seven syllables may be found at the beginning of the ambahan, especially when it starts with the standard
expression magkunkuno (speaks, says) because the one who "speaks" here may have a long name containing more
than the usual seven syllables. Actually, these first lines should not be considered as part of the poem proper, but
rather as an introduction to or an explanation of the circumstances which gave rise to the ambahan itself.
Sometimes, there may be more than seven syllables because the employed word or words cannot be shortened
and no other combination of words is available. On the other hand, a line may contain less than seven syllables in
order to preserve the meaning of the line itself which might be disturbed if more syllables were added. However,
the last exception rarely occurs.
In an effort to conform to the rule of having only seven syllables in each line, the composer tries to fit his words
within the pre-determined quantity of syllables. This accounts for the many elisions and contactions of words that
make the reading of the ambahan in the Hanunuo-Mangyan script so difficult and exasperating to the translator.
Thus nirwasan comes from niruwasan; nilkasan from nilukasan; the mono-syllables gin from ginan; u from una.
Conversely, the words may be extended, i.e. syllables may be added in order to have the required seven syllables.
In most cases, the normal procedure involves the use of affixes and suffixes, both of which are extensively used in
the Philippine languages. The most common one in the Hanunuo-Mangyan language is the suffix -an. Manok
becomes manukan, balunos becomes balunusan, without a change in meaning. Within the word, "extensions" may
also be found which might be old infixes, no longer common. So dayap becomes dalayap, layaw becomes lugayaw.
Another way of lengthening a word is by repeating the word itself, not so much to make it superlative in meaning
(e.g. in Tagalog: laking-laki), but rather to complete the seven syllable requirement.
While it is not my intention to be technical on this point, as a linguist's analysis of morphological phenomena
would be, the foregoing illustrations demonstrate that the prescribed scheme of seven syllables in ambahan verse
gives ample opportunity for lexical calisthenics, an exercise which may fascinate many students.
The rhyming end-syllables are an essential feature of the ambahan. The most common rhyming syllable is -an,
being a regular suffix for verbs and substantives in the Hanunuo-Mangyan language. But other combinations with
the vowel a are rather common too, such as in lines having the end-syllables: a, ak, ag, ang, as, aw, ay. Here the
vowel a is combined with nearly all the consonants in the Philippine alphabet. In the same way, the vowels I (or e)
and o (or u) can be found as the rhyming syllables, either alone or in combination, e.g.: I, id, ing, ip, it, and o, od,
ok, on, ong, os, ot, oy.
The rhyming in the ambahan is consequent, i.e. once started with -an, all lines will end in -an. This appears to be in
contrast to the rhyming scheme of a Tagalog poem, where at the end of a line a vowel rhyme may include any
consonant in combination with this vowel. The ambahan is stricter in this respect, though it is interesting to note
that here and there consonants, if belonging to the same phonetic class, may be included as the rhyming
consonant in combination with the rhyming vowel. Hence, the word inwag rhymes with ma-ayad because both g
and d belong to the phonetic class of voiced stops. The word humbak rhymes with dagat because both k and t
belong to the phonetic class of voiceless stops. The word sundong, lumon and tayutom are the end-syllables of one
ambahan because ng, n, and m belong to the phonetic class of voiced sonorants. Of course, it is not because the
Hanunuo-Mangyan knows anything about phonetics that these instances occur, but it is a fact that the
interchanges of these consonants are not considered violations of the unwritten rules of the ambahan, provided
that the vowel remains the same.
The ambahan is a chanted verse, but it is changed plainly or almost recited. The rendering of the ambahan with
musical pitch might differ from person to person. Some might intone the words like in common conversation;
others might use it a monotone recitation; or still others might sing it with a distinct melody. But generally, it can
be said that when an ambahan is "sung," there is only a slight musical pitch discernable, except maybe towards the
end, when the last syllables are drawn out a bit to indicate that the chant is about to end. Furthermore, it is well
worth noting that the ambahan, is "sung" without the accompaniment of musical instruments, as differentiated
from another kind of Mangyan verse, the urukay, which is preferably chanted to the accompaniment of the
homemade guitar.
One who has a knowledge of the language of the Hanunuo-Mangyans as it is used in their daily conversation, will
be able to understand very little of the language that is used in the ambahan. The language used in the ambahan
differs from the spoken language, though many a word used widely in the daily Hanunuo-Mangyan language is also
used in the ambahan-vocabulary. It is quite possible to compile a long list of words (eventually a complete
dictionary) that are used only in the ambahan verse, but, for the purpose of this book, only a few words need to be
mentioned.
Conversational language Ambahan language English

amang bansay father

inang suyong mother

danom kagnan water

balay labag house

niyog bu-anay coconut

bagaw duyan talk

mata pamidkan eye

That the words of the ambahan vocabulary are found not only in the ambahan of the Hanunuo-Mangyans but also
in the literary products of the neighboring Mangyan tribes, seems to be a significant coincidence worth
investigating, especially if it is remembered that these other tribes use a conversational language different from
the Hanunuo-Mangyan language. Some questions that would confront the investigator are the following: Where
do these ambahan words come from? Are there other dialects in the Philippines from which they may have been
derived? Or do we have to turn our attention to other countries like Indonesia or India to get an explanation? Here
is a potential field of research that should give a linguist enough material to work on.
In some of the ambahans here presented, it will be noticed that the theme is about a bird, a flower, a tree, or an
insect. Other ambahans, though not nature poems in the strict sense of the term, deal with the sun, the moon, the
stars, the rain and the wind. When a Mangyan poet writes of a flower, he writes of itnot for the purpose of
celebrating its beauty or fragrance but to make it an allegory or a symbol of human life, it's problems, and its
challenges. Sometimes the symbolism of a bird or flower may be clear enough, as when a boy talks to his girl about
"a beautiful flower that he would like to bring home." Very often, however, one symbol may refer to different
conditions or circumstances and, thus, becomes a multiple symbol. An examination of ambahan no. 114 will help
clarify this point. What does the poem mean? First, it means simply what it says: "Be careful, or you will be stung
by a bee. Take precautions in getting honey." This would be the literal interpretation of the poem. The added
meaning of allegorical interpretation would depend, of course, on the occasion and circumstances, such as
climbing a mountain, going to sea, going to town, engaging in a contest with another person, or going to the
parents to ask for the hand of their daughter. The complex set of meanings thus woven into an ambahan are
gradually unravelled only after the poem had been analyzed with much care and patience.
A related study which is worth mentioning at this point would be an investigation into the psychological motivation
for the Mangyan's frequent use of plants, animals, and nature symbols and their predilection for allegorical poetry.

The ambahan and its uses

Hanunuo-Mangyan poems in the Mangyan syllabic script inscribed on betel nut containers made of bamboo
The ambahans are very common among the Hanunuo-Mangyans. About thirty percent of the Hanunuo-Mangyans
do not read or write the pre-Spanish Hanunuo-Mangyan script, but it would be rare indeed for a Mangyan not to
know the art of the ambahan. Of course, a Mangyan will quickly deny any knowledge of the ambahan, but this is
only a polite way of refusing to demostrate such knowledge. People who have tried to collect ambahans will be the
first to admit the difficulty of making the Mangyans recite the ambahans outside of the proper occasion for doing
it.
Aside from the Hanunuo-Mangyans, the neighboring Mangyan tribes also know about the ambahan. Though the
actual extent to which the ambahan is known by these other tribes has not been fully investigated, it is certain that
this type of poetry is also common among the Buhid-Mangyans. The language of the Buhid is completely different
from that of the Hanunuo-Mangyans, but one may still partly understand the literary products of the other. The
ambahan can also be found among the tribes living deep in the mountains of Mindoro. These natives go down to
the lowlands very rarely, and on one of these occassions I was lucky enough to acquire some copies of their
ambahans. The Hanunuo-Mangyans do not understand much of it, except when exclusive ambahan words are
used. However, before anything more authoritative can be said on this matter, one must explore the field further.
The verse of the Iraya-Mangyans (in the north of Mindoro) is also very similar to the ambahan-type, i.e. they also
have the characteristic heptasyllabic meter and rhyming end-syllables.
Ambahans are known and recited by Hanunuo-Mangyans, both old and young. Of course, different ambahans will
be appropriate for different age groups.
The children definitely have their own kind of ambahans, something which might be considered as the equivalent
of our nursery rhymes. However, even in these rhymes all the elements of the ambahan are present; the main
distinction lies in the simplicity of the language used. The ambahans for children, however, are short, most of them
containing not more than six lines.
A boy (kan-akan) and a girl (daraga) would be familiar with the ambahans fit for them, but once they are married,
they would acquaint themselves with the ones that are appropriate for their new state of life.
Like all poetry, the ambahan is an expression of an idea or feeling in a beautiful and harmonious language. Unlike
other forms of poetry , however, the ambahan is not poetry for its own sake or for the poet's satisfaction. The
ambahan is primarily a poem of social character; it finds its true existence in society. It is created by the Mangyans
to serve practical purposes within the community. It is used by the parents in educating their children, by young
people in courting each other, by a visitor in asking for food and by a relative bidding goodbye or farewell. Of
course, it would be a mistake to think that the Mangyans converse with each other only by the ambahan. If a man
comes from his field, he would not use an ambahan to tell his wife that he is hungry; he will express the feeling of
his stomach in plain and clear language. But generally speaking, the ambahan is used on those occasions when
something embarrassing, unpleasant, delicate or even precious (as love) has to be said. For instance, a boy may tell
a girl in plain language that he will never forget her, but it would sound so much nicer if he were to do so in an
ambahan.
The social nature of the ambahan has given rise to a kind of verbal contest. Whenever Mangyans are together, a
few of them (often the older generation) will eagerly compete with each other in the ability to recite the ambahan
called for by the place and the occasion. Among these occasions are festivities held in connection with reburial.
One Mangyan might challenge another with an ambahan, for example. This starts the contest. The people gather
around the two contestants (without agreement, without rules, without bets), listening intently to the ambahans
recited alternately by the two opponents. Each ambahan recited is an answer to the problem or theme
propounded in the ambahan preceeding it. Both contestants are lustily cheered and encouraged by their
supporters. In most cases, the one who recites last is declared the winner. The contest may go deep into the night.
Whether one or the other wins is unimportant; what matters most is the entertainment derived from the contest.
A few final remarks about the translation of the ambahan may still be of interest. A researcher who happens to be
in the mountains of Mansalay and becomes acquainted with the ambahan will become enthusiastic about it and
may even want to translate some of them into his own language. But before he can translate the ambahan, he
must study the ancient Indic script. After having mastered it well, he will find out to his dismay, that he still cannot
read everything written on the bamboo. This is due to the fact that the script itself does not show the final
consonant of each syllable. When he has overcome the disappointment, he will probably try to get an ambahan
written down in clear, readable letters. Tape-recording the ambahan would take away the initial difficulties of
copying from script. However, even then he will not understand all the implications of the ambahan unless the
Mangyan can explain it.
In translating an ambahan, we find a special difficulty arising from the symbolic meaning of the words used. The
Mangyan may supply the applied allegorical meaning but he might not understand the literal meanings of certain
words. The meanings of these words can often be discovered because of the frequent use of repetition of ideas.
Sometimes complete lines may be repetitions of the same idea in synonymous words.
Before the ambahan can be completely understood, it is imperative to collect as many samples of the ambahan as
possible. This is the main work being done at present in this field. A detailed comparison of specimens, sifting and
classifying words, and careful experiments in translating the words into another context have to be done by
experts in this field of research. Only then will the ambahan emerge in the fullness of its beauty and signification.
The present anthology of ambahans is selected from a collection that started in 1958. In preparing this selection, it
was not an easy task to decide on the best way of grouping or arranging these ambahans. It was finally decided to
observe a dual system in classifying these Mangyan poems. The first system is to take the obvious and literal
meaning as expressed by the poem. The second is the allegorical or applied meaning that can be gleaned from the
ambahan. With this dual system in mind, the ambahans in this collection have been arranged according tot he life-
cycle of the Hanunuo-Mangyans. Hence, this collection of ambahans starts with the cradle and ends with the
grave. It is believed that this arrangement is the most satisfactory.
Ambahan: Birth and infancy
Since the aim of this collection of ambahans is to present a cross-section of the Mangyan poetic verse with respect
to the life-cycle of the Mangyans, the first ambahans, to be chronological, should pertain to the first chapters of
human life.
The following series of common cradle songs in ambahan style might be a fine illustration of how the songs can be
different in rhyme and metaphor whereas the underlying theme is the same.
Ambahan 3

Hanunuo-Mangyan English Filipino

Ambahan 3
Hanunuo-Mangyan English
My dear baby, do not cry
'cause the wild cat might hear us!
The big one from over there,
with his awful long-stretched howl!
Helpless are we if he comes.
Our spear is broken still
and our bolo bent and blunt!
Ambahan 4
Hanunuo-Mangyan English
Don't be noisy, baby dear!
The wild iro might come here.
The one out of the deep woods.
How to fight him when he comes?
Broken is our spear in two
and our bolo disappeared!
Ambahan 5
Hanunuo-Mangyan English
You, my baby, don't make noise!
Some strange animal might come,
coming from across the streams.
Knocking on the house, he will,
with his glittering sharp claws,
No weapons for us to kill;
our bolo we cannot use,
rusty is our spear and blunt.
Filipino
Huwag ka ngang umiyak
Hala ka at mapukaw
Pusang-ligaw sa gubat
Ngumiyaw, maghihiyaw
Wala kitang pambugaw
Sibat nati'y nawasak
Gulok nati'y nabingaw!
Filipino
H'wag ka ngang magulo
May laog nanunubok
Mula gubat susugod
Wala kitang panghamok
Sibat nati'y napulpol
Itak ay anong purol!
Filipino
Anak, 'wag kang ngumalngal
Hala ka, may bakulaw!
Sa dahilig do'n buhat
Tutuktok sa suliras
Kay tulis ng galamay
Wala kitang pamatay
Tong itak walang saysay
Kinalawang 'yang sibat!