'Sugilanon' is a story about one family it also tells the story of a larger Filipino-American experience in San Francisco since the early 1900s.

The name itself means 'story' in one of the Philippine ethno-linguistic groups of my family: the Cebuano language.

For over 20 years now I've been studying the ancestral music, dance and epic poetry of various Philippine tribal groups and one art form in particular that resonated with me was the Epic Poem of the Kalinga tribe. To the Kalinga people, their Epic Poem, 'di Ullalim', is not a theatrical art form but rather considered to be a remembrance of actual history of the tribe that relates its origins, its victories and defeats, its heroes, and most importantly, the remembrance of how to be the best Kalinga person you can be in terms of ethics, morality, and family/village cohesion.

In the Kalinga community music and poetry is felt in '7' as opposed to the western '8'. The bard who performs the di Ullalim is called the 'Manuullalim' and is always a female who has the 'calling' to take on this role for the community. There are usually only 1-2 per generation who are called. As a woman, I found the fact that a female is the holder and presenter of the community's history to be quite fascinating and empowering.

For this musical commission I was inspired by the Kalinga culture to write an Epic Poem about my own family who first came to America in 1904. Our story is very specific but also very encompassing of my own Filipino-American tribe because the other families that my family have known and married into have had similar historical experiences. So I do feel that even as 'Sugilanon' is a story about one family it also tells the story of a larger Filipino-American experience in San Francisco since the early 1900s. When I have presented these songs and verses to other Filipino-Americans whose family immigrated early in the century, they have agreed, and many feel that 'Sugilanon' is not just my story but also their story.

The verses of 'Sugilanon' follow Kalinga poetry protocol:
7 syllables per line
7 lines per stanza
The rhymes are on lines 2 & 4 and 6 & 7

Track Listing

• Ang Sugilanon
• Binalig
• Maximo
• My Soul Mate
• Julia
• Don't Tread On Me
• The Visayans
• Arm in Arm
• Baby Carolina(2)
• Baby Ko
• Fred
• Fits Just Fine
• The Cousins of La Union
• What I Have
• Caroline
• You Carolina
• Caroline and Fred
• Rooted in Our Love
• Madeline
• The Birth of Kul
• Napoleon
• Off Count Funk
• Madeline and Napoleon
• Dahil Sa Iyo
• Makibaka
• I-Hotel

Additional Details

Label: PATOIS

Genre: World

Run Time: 54:13 mins

Region: 0

Release Date: 03/22/24

UPC: 760137128717