"Atin Ku Pung Singsing" - Kapampangan Folk Song

"Atin Ku Pung Singsing" is a traditional Filipino folk song from Central Luzon, Philippines in Kapampangan sung by adults and children. The origin of the song is unknown, and there is a debate whether it was pre-colonial or colonial in origin. What is certain is that its melody is most likely from the 18th century as it was similar to Spanish and Mexican folk songs of the era.

The folk song presents a woman as its main character and a man as a secondary character. The woman in the song was looking for a missing ring given by her mother and offers her love as a prize for the man who could find it.

The popular Filipino children song Ako ay May Lobo (literally: "I have a Balloon") is also sung in the same melody of this folk song.

It was interpreted by Filipino popular artists such as Lea Salonga in Ryan Cayabyab's Bahaghari album, Freddie Aguilar and Nora Aunor. It was also performed by different orchestras and brass bands. A brass band rendition of the song was chosen by Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, a Kapampangan herself, to be used as the march played during her inspection of the honor guard during military honors.

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SOURCES:

Original audio recording:    • Atin Ku Pung Sinsing (Once I had a Ri...  

Images:

*“Proposed Kapampangan Flag”. Retrieved from https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/...

“Seal of Pampanga”. Retrieved from https://images.app.goo.gl/rZUqPoT12xX...

“Mount Arayat” photo taken by Q Ramos. Retrieved from https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/co...

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FOOTNOTE

*The official flag of the Province of Pampanga is the Provincial Seal over a white background. However, there have been proposals to replace it with a red-gold-green tricolor. According to primary sources, these colors were used by the Maniago Revolt, an anti-Spanish uprising in the Province of Pampanga led by Fransisco Maniago during the 1670’s. It was also allegedly associated with the pre-colonial Kapampangan chieftains and rajas. In some versions of the tricolor, an outline of Mt. Arayat, one of Pampanga’s most distinct mountains, is imposed at the tricolor’s center.