UNA (Kuntaw Mindanao)

Words and Music by Neil Cervantes
Arranged and Performed by Kuntaw Mindanao

Una is a song written in 2009 as we witness the life and struggle of the lumad (indigenous peoples in Mindanao) in defending their communities against the encroachment of foreign and large-scale mining corporations. Many lumad communities organize themselves and united to resist against development aggressions and militarization of their ancestral lands.

Una is a Filipino word that means "first", it represents the assertion of the lumad as the first inhabitant to be the stewards of their ancestral lands and the environment.

LYRICS:

Chorus:
Una iyeh-iyeh
Una iyeh
Una iyeh-iyeh
Una… (Repeat 4x)

Kay kita man ang una ning yuta
Nga tabunok sa gugma ug kultura
Gihiusa sa kaliwat ug kasaysayan
Sa pakigbisog batok sa pagkadaot…

Repeat Chorus

Kay kita man ang una ning yuta
Nga napuno sa paglaum og mga damgo
Kay ang tinguha ning atong kaliwatan
Ang paglingkawas, pagbag-o sa kahimtang…

Repeat Chorus

Instrumental

Repeat Chorus
Repeat Verse 1 and 2
Repeat Chorus
Coda:
Una, Una (8x)
Una!