Mother Tongue Based Children Songs in Sinama
I went on a short trip to Tinoto, Sarangani to inquire about the teaching efforts being made towards Mother Tongue Based Multilingual Education. The school there is Datu Abdulbali Elementary School. There are over 700 students with the majority of these being Sama speakers. The founder of the school and its first principal was a Sama from Sisangat, Sulu.
I found out the school was being used as a pilot program in MTB-MLE (Mother Tongue Based Multilingual Education). Teachers there are obviously working hard at implementing MTB-MLE. They have created books in Sinama and written songs. They expressed to me that they are having a bit of difficulty taking the children’s mother tongue, Sinama, and going beyond oral learning. Reading and writing in Sinama is a key for making this Mother Tongue Based Education program effective. It will only succeed with a good system for writing the Sinama language.
We have that system. The Sinama orthography is well designed to represent spoken Sinama on paper. Unfortunately, parents and teachers for the most part are unfamiliar with the Sinama orthography. I am glad to get to partner with a 1st grade class at Datu Abdulbali. They sang for me several great songs in Sinama and allowed me to videotape them. My agreement with them was to give their songs back to them on both Youtube and DVD. I added the lyrics to the songs hoping that this would help them learn written Sinama.
Here are 6 Sinama songs sung by children for whom Sinama is their mother tongue. I have included lyrics and translations.
Kuhita’ Bata’-Bata’
Lyrics:
Si Abdul, Si Fatima’.
An’bba ma tōng kalang.
Akalanggal kuhita’.
Kuhita’ bata’-bata’.
O, Ina’, O Ina’
Pal’kkas ka pi’itu.
Mbal na ta’abutnu.
Paloklok na ni batu.
Translation:
Abdul and Fatima are collecting food at the edge of the coral. They find an octopus. A young octopus. “Mother! Mother! Come quickly. You didn’t make it in time. It has now hidden again in the coral.
Manuk-Manuk Paleyang
Lyrics:
Si manuk, si manuk paleyang-leyang.
Si manuk, si manuk paleyang-leyang.
Dikayu’ manuk-manuk pat’ppak ma sanga.
At’kka dikayu’. Duwa na sigā.
Si manuk, si manuk paleyang-leyang.
Si manuk, si manuk paleyang-leyang.
Duwa manuk-manuk pat’ppak ma sanga.
At’kka dikayu’. T’llu na sigām.
Si manuk, si manuk paleyang-leyang.
Si manuk, si manuk paleyang-leyang.
T’llu manuk-manuk pat’ppak ma sanga.
At’kka dikayu’. Mpat na sigām.
Aniya’ Tanganku
Lyrics:
Aniya’ tanganku.
Gibang maka kowan.
Pinariyata’.
Al’ssin sidda.
Angalagpak
Issa, duwa’, t’llu.
Tanganku.
Al’ssin sidda.
Translation:
I have hands, the left and the right. Hold them up. They are very clean & neat. Clap your hands. One, Two, Three. My hands are very clean & neat.
Sangpū’ Ambak
Lyrics:
Sangpū’ ambak palangi-langi.
Pariyata’, pareyo’. Palibut-libut.
Amūng ina’, “Atuli na.”
Amūng ambak, “Mbal. Mbal.”
Sangpū’ ambak palangi-langi.
Pariyata’, pareyo’. Palibut-libut.
Amūng ina’, “Amangan na.”
Amūng ambak, “Aho’. Aho’.”
Translation:
10 frogs are swimming. They go up, down, and all around. Their mother tells them to sleep. The frogs say, “No!”
10 frogs are swimming. They go up, down, and all around. Their mother tells them to eat. The frogs say, “Yes!”
Angitung Kitam!
Manuk-Manuk Enggong-Enggong
nice song
nice song
Hahaha, hap ni kale e’ ku…sogo’ nia certain bissala sigam embal tahatiku…greetings from Sabah…bajau ubian saga kitam lu..
It’s nice to hear sinama songs, although it’s simple but it preserve the Sama Culture. Proud for being Bangsa Sama. Congrats!
i am so happy to hear songs of Sama it really making me think of a pedagogy where i can integrate it in teaching. Aka kuyag pangatayan, proud to be Sama.