Part 3: “Mamumugon”

A pitiful experience of a motherless child laborer is told in the folk song “Mamumugon” (Laborer). The virtue of industry is extolled as well as the value of family and the love of a mother to her child. On the other hand, the unfair labor practices were criticized in the song.

Photo by Ap Murillo, from Buhay Pinoy-Filipino Life in Picture, Philippines
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/123/416179389_c439ab2f86.jpg

Mamumugon

Mamugon ako, mamugon,

sa tawo nga manggaranon;

alas-dos ako pakan-on, ay, ay,

orasyon ako paulion.

Pag-abot ko man sa baeay,

mangayo ako it humay;

tinuro ako ni Tatay, ay, ay,

una sa eusong ro paeay.

Alinon ko man ro paeay,

eawas ko karon ginabudlay;

kon buhi kunta si Nanay, ay, ay,

makaon ako, mapahuway.

Mamumugon

Trabahor ako sa bukid,

sa isang taong mayaman;

alas-dos na ko pakakainin, ay, ay

alas-sais na ko pauuwiin.

Pagdating ko naman sa bahay,

hihingi ako ng kanin;

tinuro ako ni Tatay, ay, ay, 

andu’n sa lusong ang palay.

Aanhin ko naman ang palay,

ang katawan ko ngayon ay lupay-pay;

kung buhay sana, si Nanay, ay, ay,

kakain lang at hihilay-hilay.

Laborer

I am a laborer, a laborer

To a wealthy master;

I eat my lunch at 2 o’clock,

I go home at angelus.

But when I arrive at home

And ask for rice,

My father would tell me,

“Go and pound the palay at the rice pounder.”

What would I do with the palay

When my body is so tired?

If only mother is alive,

I will just eat and rest.

(Source: Piologo Tabernilla of Makato, Aklan, 1995)




(To be continued...)


Excerpts from “Virtues and Vices in Aklanon Proverbs, Idiomatic Expressions and Folk Songs” by Alexander de Juan. Paper read during the 23rd Conference on West Visayan History and Culture, sponsored by the U.P. Visayas Center for West Visayan Studies, held on Nov. 15-16, 2012 at Camiña Bahay na Bato, Arevalo, Iloilo City.