Kastifun

By Silek Musical Ensemble
Lyrics

Pagtitipon
(Translated by Henry G. Dalon)

Lagi kong tanong, gaano karami
Lahing Blaan sa aming bayan.
Anuman ang dugong pinagmulan
Ay pinagmulan ko rin.

Bakit tayo nag-aaway sa sariling bayan?

Kailan magkakaroon ng pagtitipon para sa pagkakaisa ng mga Blaan?
Kailan matatapos ang pagdanak ng dugong Blaan sa bawat tinutunguhang bayan?
Maraming matatapang,
Maraming masasamang salita.

Kailan magkakaisa ang dugong Blaan?
Bakit tila iba-iba ang tinatahak nating daan?
Magtulungan tayo sa ikauunlad ng bayan.
Itigil na natin ang pag-aaway.

Bakit tayo nag-aaway sa sariling bayan?

Kailan magkakaroon ng pagtitipon para sa pagkakaisa ng mga Blaan?
Kailan matatapos ang pagdanak ng dugong Blaan sa bawat tinutunguhang bayan?
Maraming matatapang,
Maraming masasamang salita.

Kailan magkakaisa ang dugong Blaan?
Bakit tila iba-iba ang tinatahak nating daan?
Magtulungan tayo sa ikauunlad ng bayan.
Itigil na natin ang pag-aaway.

Kailan magkakaisa ang dugong Blaan?
Bakit tila iba-iba ang tinatahak nating daan?
Magtulungan tayo sa ikauunlad ng bayan.
Itigil na natin ang pag-aaway.

Bakit tayo nag-aaway sa sariling bayan?
Bakit tayo nag-aaway sa sariling bayan?

Gathering
(Translated by the editors, based on the Filipino translation by Henry G. Dalon)

I always ask how many
The Blaans are in our land.
Their lineage
Is my lineage too.

Why do we fight in our own land?

When will we have a gathering to unite the Blaan people?
When will Blaan bloodshed in every land end?
So much cruelty,
So many unkind words.

When will people of Blaan descent unite?
Why do we seem to take different paths?
Let us work together for the progress of the land.
Please let’s not fight.

Why do we fight in our own land?

When will we have a gathering to unite the Blaan people?
When will Blaan bloodshed in every town end?
So much cruelty
So many unkind words.

When will people of Blaan descent unite?
Why do we seem to take different paths?
Let us work together for the progress of the land.
Please let’s not fight.

When will people of Blaan descent unite?
Why do we seem to take different paths?
Let us work together for the progress of the land.
Please let us not fight.

Why do we fight in our own land?
Why do we fight in our own land?

Kastifun

By Silek

(This song has been performed in numerous events. Kastifun literally means “gathering.” The song calls for the Blaan to set aside their differences and work together, for they are of the same blood. “Deen to baling suteh, nawan di banwe,” the most repeated line in the song, is asking why the members of the tribe are fighting one another.)

Gel guh salek ti kalbong
Tubed Blaan di banwe.
Git lito guh samfo yo gamo
Guh samfo guroh.

Deen to baling suteh, nawan di banwe.

Kelen kafnge tu ron kastifun kasafye Blaan.
Kelen kafnge lite a Blaan maloh di banwe.
Afnaloh labeh,
Afnaloh tase kastulen.

Kelen kastifun am e lito Blaan,
Kamom ti baling sakla dalan.
Beg ata stabeng di kafye banwe,
Neng ato baling sahal kiyeh.

Deen to baling suteh, nawan di banwe.

Kelen kafnge tu ron kastifun, kasafye Blaan.
Kelen kafnge lite a Blaan maloh di banwe.
Afnaloh labeh,
Afnaloh tase kastulen.

Kelen kastifun am e lito Blaan,
Kamom ti baling sakla dalan.

Beg ato stabeng di kafye banwe,
Neng ato baling sahal kiyen.
Kelen kastifun am e lito Blaan,
Kamon ti baling sakla dalan.

Beg ato stabeng di kafye banwe,
Neng ato baling sahal kiyen.

Deen to baling suteh, nawan di banwe.
Deen to baling suteh, nawan di banwe.

Two Songs

By Kim Nathaniel Tan

Philippines, My Homeland

(Performed in a Bonifacio Day poetry reading organized by the writers group in South Cotabato Province)

Look up!

Three stars and a single sun over there.
Blue and red are the colors of our history.
Our flag signifies redemption.

We are Filipinos, Filipinos,
nowhere to run when our man’s down,
for that’s what we are.

We fought for the freedom of our nation,
fight here fight there for our nation,
but I guess we all forget this now,

For other Filipino people only care about their selves,
and there are some
killing each other for the opinions about their selves.

The blood of our heroes
who claimed the land from the enemy who tried to take our land’s
now wasted.

Philippines, Philippines, my homeland!

Walls painted red,
our life’s held by Death.
Sky’s no more blue,
and the sun’s stopped shining through.

The stars from above,
well, nowhere to be found.
I don’t know the reasons for the fights between opinions,

For other Filipino people only care about their selves,
and there are some
killing each other for the opinions about their selves.

The blood of our heroes
who claimed the land from the enemy who tried to take our land’s
now wasted.

Philippines, Philippines, my homeland!

The Jam Man

I am the Jam Man
Singing about my life and the
Place I belong is
Is a place of killing in sight.

Walking along the highway,
I met people and they
Told me if I could make a song about what’s going on,
And I said yes.

Tears drip out while blood splashes on the wall.
They say they don’t want this, they didn’t ask for this.
Parents and their children have nothing to eat, but
Still want guns and ammunition,
Try to feed a gun instead of belly situation

That aches
That aches

Praying for blessings
But still pointing guns to have it,
And the faith they’re saying
Is a faith that’ll lead to a fight.

Walking along the highway,
I met people and they’re
Trying to argue about this so-called belief and faith.
Well that’s why

People will forever and ever hate their race
Because of forcing beliefs on other men
Keep on preaching but don’t mean teaching
Trying to educate but only mean to convince the state.

I am the Jam Man
Singing about my life
And this is the story I wanna sing
To the world.