Bahay Kubo – Nipa Hut

There was a time when all I dreamed about was to live in a little nipa hut and sing songs all day, while my otherhalf was strumming the guitar.  That changed quickly as I grew older. 🙂 LOL

(My husband asked me “Where would you put your clothes, shoes and handbags?!!!”) 😉 He has got a point.

Bahay Kubo is a Filipino children’s song or nursery rhyme, if you like. This song is certainly sung from the laps of our mothers. I have to say also that often Filipino adults nostalgically sing and/or hum it too. In the modern Philippines, bahay kubo is not what everyone dreams of anymore; most aspire for huge house, the bigger the better.

Having said that, there are plenty of Balikbayans who are engaging architects to create mansions which incorporate a bahay kubo style.

anyway, let us sing Bahay Kubo:

Bahay kubo, kahit munti
ang halaman doon ay sari-sari
Singkamas at talong
Sigarilyas at mani
Sitaw, bataw, patani
Kundol, patola, upo’t kalabasa
At saka meron pang
Labanos, mustasa
Sibuyas, kamatis
Bawang at luya
Sa paligid ligid
Ay maraming linga

…………………………….

Rough translation of the above:

Nipa hut, though really tiny
there are variety of plants
Jicamas and aubergines (eggplants)
Winged beans and peanuts
Green beans, mange tout, flat green beans
Winter melons, courgettes (zucchini), bottle gourd and squash
And there is more
Daikon radish, mustard greens
Onions, tomatoes
Garlic and ginger
And all around
is surrounded by sesame seeds.

hahaha, that is rather a torturous translation. Kindly let me know if anyone of you has a better version of translation. 🙂

hahaha