Lubi-Lubi

So I woke up early today, and the gf was up too, and as I was going through my daily morning rounds of smart-assery and girlfriend-teasing, the conversation somehow drifted into the mundane subject of the children’s song Lubi-Lubi.

Enero, Pebrero, Marso, Abril, Mayo,
Hunyo, Hulyo, Agosto,
Setyembre, Oktubre,
Nobyembre, Desyembre,
Lubi-lubi.

Till today I never quite figured out what Lubi-Lubi was. After a bit of digging around (ie Google) I found out that Lubi-Lubi was some sort of edible plant, that looked like a coconut - no surprise there as lubi is Bisaya for coconut.

That’s all well and good, but what the hell is it doing at the end of a children’s song about the months of the year? You’re singing about names of months then suddenly a plant? The gf and I mused that the composer just didn’t have enough months to end the song and complete the rhyme, hence, lubi-lubi (it was probably his favourite vegetable).

But then I found this:

Video

Lubi-lubi lubi, lubi lingkuranay
Ayaw gad pagsak-i, kay hibubo-ay.
Ayaw gad pagsak-i,
Lubi-lubi

Kon maruruyag ka kumaon hin silot
Didto la nga didto la
Kan Nanay nga didto la.
Kan Tatay nga didto la, pakigsabot.

Agidaw-gidaw an bukaw
Naglupad-lupad ha igbaw
Agidaw-gidaw an gitgit
Naglupad-lupad ha langit

Agidaw-gidaw an bukaw
Naglupad-lupad ha igbaw
Agidaw-gidaw an gitgit
Linmupad ha langit

Enero, Pebrero, Marso, Abril, Mayo,
Hunyo, Hulyo, Agosto,
Setyembre, Oktubre,
Nobyembre, Desyembre,
Lubi-lubi.

Eureka. Now it makes sense. What we commonly believed to be a children’s song is actually just a verse in a longer, Waray composition. Suddenly, Lubi-Lubi seemed less ridiculous. Lubi-Lubi, as it turns out, has context. And yes, I might just be very slightly bored to look this all up.
Now if only I could understand Waray.

Goodnight Sweet Princes and Princess

sparkplug:

such a sad week

i was about to blog the same thing but the 80’s kid inside me still can’t believe that mj’s gone =/