What is Ambahan?

ORIGIN

The Ambahan is the traditional poetry of the Hanunuo Mangyans of Oriental Mindoro. It is usually written in a bamboo in Surat mangyan, a century-old pre-Spanish scripts. Ambahan is a literary product and poetic expression of the Southern Mangyans of Mindoro. Even though there are about seven different ethnic groups living in Mindoro, the Mangyans are quite distinct from each other as to language, customs, and way of living.

CHARACTERISTICS

The Ambahan has a few characteristics. First, it is a rhythmic poetic expression with a meter of seven syllable lines and having rhythmic end-syllables. It is usually presented to a chant without a predetermined pitch or musical instrument accompanied. It is meant to express in an allegorical way, using poetic language, certain situations referred to by the one reciting the poem.

The characteristics of the Ambahan having seven syllables in a single line differentiate it from other forms of poetry of the Hanuno’o Mangyans. The first line of ambahan have more than seven syllables even though this line of the ambahan may not be considered as part of the poem proper and only serves as an introduction. This due to the lack of suitable word combinations for certain lines or the lines cannot be shortened.