My Welcome song by Henry Foken

 3rd Igorot Cordillera BIMAAK Europe (ICBE) Consultation

5-8 May 2005

Hay hay hay!!

Hay hay alay ay ay (2x)

(Oh, my dear is very high or

Swiss mountains are very high)

 

1. Welcome to everybody Welcome to everybody

Palalo nan ragsak mi`  We are extremely happy

Tay inkayo inmali  because you came all the way

Manilas nan ili mi.  To see the place where we stay.

Oray no ad-adchawi  Though it may be far away

Inkayo met na-anosan  you have subdued patiently

Ancho anchowa’y charan  the arduous journey

Ili misnad Switzerland. to Switzerland, our country.

 

2. Intako ma-amongan  So, here, we come together

Ya entako ma-meetingan  to discuss the subject matter

No entoy intako engkan   of what we could do, if ever,

Ili tako’y tinaynan  to our place, we left yonder.

Chata ko’y wad-ay sina  We are in this foreign land

Ma-id kasin teken sina  but it makes no great difference

Tay nan ili mi isna      ‘cause we live in this country

Neutral country ay kanan cha  that is neutral, so they say.

 

3. Wad-ay chamet nan amam-a  Our elders are with us today

Mangilogis nan istorya  to start the story,

Chengen yo ay ongong-a  To our youth, listen attentively

No sino man nan filin cha  for any advice they give. 

Intako finachangan  We need to cooperate

Am-in takoy enka-ilyan  as one people who congregate

Ta wad-ay ganas na  so we will have good memories

Nan intako nachakopan.  of this unique togetherness.

 

4. Chakayo ay ongong-a  To you, the young generation,

Chakayo nan mang-ila  be steadfast and watchful 

Ta itoloy yo koma  to continue the noble call

Nan inpangon nan inmona  started by our elders.

Sik-a met ay Kabunyan  To You, dear Kabunyan

Sika nan kangatuwan  You, who are the highest one,

Ischom nan in-gasewan  May You teach us to be just,

Kegad ka ya fantayan.            May You be our protector and guide.

 

5. Tay nay ma-among kami  As we come here together

Sik-a ama nan mang-ila  oh God, be our overseer

Mangischos igawesan cha  and teach us to be wiser

Ragsak ma-id pating-gana  to attain endless happiness.

No wad-ay man inkamali  And if ever we make mistakes

Koriktarem od chakami  we stand to be corrected

Tay nobody is perfect  because nobody is perfect.

That’s my very best English.  That’s my very best English.

 

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Henry Foken (BIBAK Switzerland) composed the lyrics and melody. He sang the song during the 3rd Igorot Cordillera BIMAAK- Europe (ICBE) Consultation held in Aeschi, Switzerland on 5-8 May 2005. 

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Ric Cuyob (Cordillera Community in Belgium) and Yvonne Belen (MABIKAs Foundation-The Netherlands) translated the lyrics.