October marks #WorldFoodDay, International Day of #RuralWomen, Peasant Month and Indigenous Peoples’ Month in the Philippines. No better time than now to feature this song ‘Pagay’ (#Rice) about traditional rice-growing practices of Cordillera indigenous farmers.
Here is a meaningful quote about the value of growing rice from Marcus Bangit’s oggayam (a traditional Kalinga chant):
“Arig na ket maysa a pagay,
Binaddekan da ket nalaylay.
Naregregpet nu maidisso
Daga nga entay tinartaripato.
Sigurado nga agtubo
Sabong na ket nalangto
Agbunga ket rinibribo.
Ay ay ogayam … ma gayamen.”
Rice, when trampled on, withers.
Rice thrives when grown on land that we nurture.
It bears abundant flowers and grains in its thousands.
Music and lyrics by Salidummay