One of the oldest and most popular Philippine folk song is Bahay Kubo (Nipa Hut). It is traditionally taught to most Filipino children at a young age, usually by their mother. Even in schools, this famous folk song is customarily performed during “Philippine Folk Week” celebrations. Bahay Kubo is also popularly used as part of a medley tune, together with other famous Philippine folk songs, by rondalla groups and composers.
Bahay Kubo Song
Bahay kubo, kahit munti
Ang halaman doon ay sari-sari.
Singkamas at talong, sigadilyas at mani
Sitaw, bataw, patani.
Kundol, patola, upo’t kalabasa
At saka mayroon pang labanos, mustasa,
sibuyas, kamatis, bawang at luya
sa paligid-ligid ay puro linga.
Bahay Kubo in English
My Humble Hut Song
My humble hut, may look tiny,
but the veggies around it, sure are many.
Yam beans and eggplants, wing’d beans and peanuts,
string, hyacinth and lima beans. Winter melon and loofah,
bottl’ gourd, squash, et cetera. There is more, amiga,
radish, mustard, yeah! Onions, tomatoes
garlic and ginger. If you look all around,
sesame seeds abound!
The Bahay Kubo is the native house of the Philippines and is also considered as its national shelter. Made of indigenous building materials like bamboo and nipa, this pre-Hispanic architecture was constructed to perfectly adapt to the tropical climate of the Philippines and to be easily repaired or rebuilt once damaged by typhoon, flood or earthquake which frequented the country. Its name is said to have originated from the Spanish word, cubo, which means “cube,” because of the bahay kubo 's rectangular/cubic shape.
