Growing up in the barrio, the making of a huhuwwa was one of our simple joy. The huhhuwa is made from the stem of the rice plant crafted to produce sound. At times, it would be devised just like the tungngali (flute) to make it more musical. It is not really intended to last long as the stem is expected to wither. So a huhuwwa is a temporary amusement.
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| The huhhuwa |
There is a verse that we used to recite while crafting it as if it were a prayer necessary to produce the sound. The verse is as follows.
Dudduk, dudduk! Bayyatuk!
Tumkuk a't umiyag a
Ta donglon nan gayyaman
Ad Dukliggan-igan-igan!
Deyya nan algo'n natulittuliggonggong,
Natulittulippokpok!
Baklung, gumangoh a.
[Translation:
I shall pierce in, pierce in, Bayyatuk!
Shout and yell
So you will be heard by the centipede
In Dukligan-igan-igan!
There is the sun that is round,
spherical!
Baklung, sound off now!]
The last time I went for a vacation in our barrio, I saw kids still playing with the huhhuwa. That, I think was a good thing. Not all the playthings are bought! But they are not already reciting the verse. Well, it was really unnecessary. But I could this be indicative of a general decline in the use of the native language or say a disinterest in indigenous literature much so a meaningless verse such this recited in the making of the huhhuwa?
