Pre-Colonial Period

• A rhythmic poetic expression with a meter of seven syllable

lines and having rhythmic end-syllables.
• It is most often presented as a chant without a determined
musical pitch or accompaniment by musical instruments.
• Its purpose is to express in an allegorical way, liberally
using poetic language, certain situations or certain
characteristics referred to by the one reciting the poem.

WHAT IS AMBAHAN?
A. Seven syllables in one
line.
However, there are exemptions to the rule:
1. When Ambahan starts with a standard
expression magkunkuno (speaks, says) because
the one who speaks may have a long name
which contains more than the usual seven RESTRICTIONS
syllables. Actually, this first line should not be
considered as part of the poem proper but OF AMBAHAN:
rather an introduction.
2. No other combination of words/shorter terms
are available to fit the seven syllables.
3. A line may contain less than seven syllables to
preserve the real meaning of the ambahan.
Due to an effort to
conform to the rule…
Elisions and contractions
of words may occur such as:
• Nirwasan intead of RESTRICTIONS
niruwasan OF AMBAHAN:
• Nilkasan from nilukasan
• Gin from ginan
• U from una
Due to an effort to
conform to the rule…
Words may be extended.
• Use of affixes and suffixes.
• Example: Suffix –an RESTRICTIONS
• Manok-manukan OF AMBAHAN:
• Balunos-balunusan
• Example: infix
• Dayap-dalayap
• Layaw-lugayaw
Due to an effort to
conform to the rule…
Repeating the word
• Laking-laki
• Tuwang-tuwa RESTRICTIONS
OF AMBAHAN:
B. Rhyming end syllables

Vowel –a in the lines ending

with: a, ak, ag, ang, as, aw, ay.
RESTRICTIONS
In the same way, the vowels I (or OF AMBAHAN:
e) and o (or u) can be found as
the rhyming syllables, either
alone or in combination, e.g.: I,
id, ing, ip, it, and o, od, ok, on,
ong, os, ot, oy.
B. Rhyming end syllables

• The rhyming in the ambahan

is consequent, i.e. once started
with -an, all lines will end in - RESTRICTIONS
an. OF AMBAHAN:
C. The ambahan is a
chanted verse
• Some might intone the words
like in usual conversation.
• Others might use it a RESTRICTIONS
monotone recitation. OF AMBAHAN:
• Or others might sing it with
distinctive melody.
• The last syllable must be
drawn out a bit to indicate
that the chant is about to end.
C. The ambahan is a
chanted verse
• Sung without the
accompaniment of any musical
instruments.
RESTRICTIONS
D. The language used in the OF AMBAHAN:
Ambahan differs from the
spoken language
E. Ambahan is
allegoric.
When a Mangyan poet writes
of a flower, he writes of it not
for the purpose of celebrating RESTRICTIONS
its beauty or fragrance but to OF AMBAHAN:
make it an allegory or a
symbol of human life, it's
problems, and its challenges.
THE ORIGIN OF THE AMBAHAN:
To determine the approximate
time in which an ambahan was
written, two criteria may be
suggested: the subject and the
kind of words used.
Kind of words used:
By using this criterion, ambahans may be
categorized into three classes:
1. This type of ambahan restricts itself
mainly to the use of literary words, i.e.
words not used in daily conversation. THE ORIGIN OF
2. Words borrowed from neighboring AMBAHAN
tribes, especially the Buhid tribe, are
used.
3. Lastly, there is the ambahan of later
times, in which loan-words from
Spanish, Tagalog or Bisaya are
evident.
USES AND PURPOSES OF AMBAHAN
• Not for poet’s satisfaction
• It is a poem of social character
• To educate children
• For courting USES AND
• Asking for food PURPOSES OF
• For bidding goodbye or AMBAHAN
farewell
• For competition during social
gathering.
EXAMPLES OF AMBAHAN
Huwag ka ngang umiyak
Hala ka at mapukaw
Pusang-ligaw sa gubat AMBAHAN:
Ngumiyaw, maghihiyaw BIRTH AND
Wala kitang pambugaw INFANCY
Sibat nati'y nawasak
Gulok nati'y nabingaw!
H'wag ka ngang magulo
May laog nanunubok
Mula gubat susugod AMBAHAN:
Wala kitang panghamok BIRTH AND
Sibat nati'y napulpol INFANCY
Itak ay anong purol!
Anak, 'wag kang ngumalngal
Hala ka, may bakulaw!
Sa dahilig do'n buhat AMBAHAN:
Tutuktok sa suliras BIRTH AND
Kay tulis ng galamay INFANCY
Wala kitang pamatay
Tong itak walang saysay
Kinalawang 'yang sibat!
 Noong ako'y muraan Kung maaring puntahan
Sanggol na sanggol pa lang Pasyalan at pagmasdan
Karga pa sa kandungan Punong namumukadkad
Inuugoy sa duyan Alaala kailanman!
Sa kagagawang duyan
Hinehele ni Nanay
Hindi n'ya iniiwan
Sapo n'ya sa kandungan AMBAHAN:
O kay gandang nagdaan!
Muli sanang mahimlay
CHILDHOOD
Sa banayad na duyan
Nang tunay kong mamasdan
Paglaki kong kariktan
Kayong taga-baybayan
Maging taga-burulan
Sabi ng hipong sapa:
Kahit mo man bakuran AMBAHAN:
May lusot, paraan pa! ADOLESCENCE
 Kawayan sa Marigit
Pag tanaw ko, palapit
Labong pa siyang kay liit AMBAHAN:
Nang daanan ko pabalik COURTSHIP
Siksikan mga tinik
Mainam nang pang-sahig!
 Lugod kong kaibigan
Kung kita'y pag-isipan
May ilog sa pagitan
May gubat sa harapan AMBAHAN:
Ngunit kung pagbulayan FRIENDSHIP
Parang nasa tabihan
Kapiling sa kandungan.
 Taghoy ng kaluluwa: Sa bago kong hantungan
Kanina nang lumisan Sa tabihan ni Amang
Sa dampa kong tahanan Kapiling na si Inang!
Katawan ko'y naghihirap
Sa banig na higaan
Di pa lumilisan
Balisang nagpaalam
AMBAHAN:
Pa-biling-biling naman DEATH
Pakaliwa't pakanan
Sige na nga kung ganyan
Ako na ay lilisan
Liligo sa hugasan
Sa tubig dalisayan
 THANK YOU
Prepared by:
MR. MARC LEWOR GABINETE DANDAL
English Instructor I
Agricultural Science High School