"An Iroy Nga Tuna"

Philippine Literature in the form of Waray Language seems to be music in our ears. Hearing other dialects's poetry and drama helps us appreciate not just our own Filipino Language but also Waray language. The growing acceptance of Waray Language in our country strengthened Regional Writers, especially in the Visayas Region to create more literary works using their ethnic mother tongue as the medium for their art.

Illuminado Lucente was a Phillipine writer whose works are commonly poems and dramas using Waray Language.He is part and the Sanghiran San Binisayaha in Samar Leyte and is considered as one of the greatest writer in the Waray Language.
Among all the playwrights, Illuminado Lucente really stands out in terms of literary accomplishment. He wrote about thirty plays and most of these dealt with domestic conflicts and the changing mores of Waray society during his time.

His most famous work is the poem "An Iroy nga Tuna" (THE MOTHERLAND) .

This poem is considered as the "Waray Waray Second National Anthem."






AN IROY NGA TUNA

An iroy nga tuna matam-is pagpuy’an
Bisan diin siplat puros kasangkayan.
Aanhi an hingpit na ginkalipayan
Hira nanay, tatay pati kabugtuan.


Lugaring kay hiblon, sa dughan bati-on
Inin Pilipinas dayuday uripon
Ay Tuna nga akon nataw'han!
Hain daw an hingpit nga ginkaripayan?

Salamat uyamot hinin kalangitan
Waray na mabug-on nga at’ kasakitan
Kay adton uripon nga nayon
Labis mapait pa kay han kamatayon.

Duroyog mag-ampo inin katiripon
Nga di’ bumalik an at’ kauripon
Kairo han at’ sumusunod kon
Tulo nga bitoun ngan adlaw matunod.


OTHER Works

Poetry
An Iroy nga Tuna
Baga Durogas Ngan Baga Tinuod (1939)
Hangin Gad La (1960)
Pilipinas
Gugma
Panhayhay (Ginsa-aran)
Bumangon Ka Pepe
Debelopmental nga Istorya
It's Just the Wind

Drama
Abugho
An Duha nga Sportsmen
Diri Daraga, Diri Balo, Diri Inasaw-an
Up Limit Pati An Gugma



Those are the achievements of Illuminado Lucente. If you would try to explore more of his works, learn with it, and get meaningful lessons through it.That would be great and worth it. All of us should not focus on whats trend. We should be more appreciative of other regional writers which would probably give more interesting works. It can make them be more motivated in doing lots of works just like Illuminado Lucante.