DAGUPAN CITY—There was a time when every January 6, Pangasinenses are roused from their sleep by the lilting strains of the Galikin, a Christmas story told in a song.
Galikin is perhaps the oldest and longest Pangasinan song that tells the story, from conception to birth, of Jesus Christ, Catholic priest Immanuel Escano said.
The word Galikin, he said, is short for “Galikayo,” a Pangasinan word meaning “come here.”
Conrad Manuel Villanueva, 27, the director of the Manaoag local government choir, said the song is sung for 19 minutes.
A group of residents from central Pangasinan towns would visit selected houses and sing, just like the usual carolers do, and are given some money by house owners on January 6, the Feast of the Epiphany.
The song seemed to be intended to be sung at night until early morning, when everyone is fast asleep. Its first verse goes: “Masantos tan mablin oras / So inter na Dios Lawas / Ombangon itin misalamat / Ta inianac lay dios lawas (A holy night / Is given by God / Let us all awaken / Because God has been born).”
Galikin is the theme song of the Galicayo Festival of the pilgrimage town of Manaoag, where it is sung during festivities held every first week of December.
There are hardly “manag-galikin” (Galikin singers) now and the song is losing out to modern music. Galikin is heard only during cultural festivals, like the provincial government’s “Balitok a Taoir” (Golden Heritage).
Who wrote the song is not known, but it was probably composed during the Spanish period, Escano said.
“You can see the influence of Mexican music in the song,” he said.
Galikin is written in metered verse and calls on shepherds to announce the birth of the “king of kings who was born in Bethlehem.”
The chorus goes: “Galikin, galikin capastoresan / Galikayon, galikayon manangigalang / Ed Ari ray, ed ari ray, catawenan / A diad Belen so nianakan (Come you shepherds / Come you who want to honor / The king of the heavens / Who has been born in a manger).”
Escano said Galikin was the competition piece of the Manaoag local government choir during the Balitok a Taoir competition in December, winning for the group the top prize.
Villanueva said he chose the song, whose melody he learned from his parents and friends, for its relevance because it was Christmas when the competition was held.
“I rearranged it, but preserved the integrity of the melody,” he said. “It was a very popular song among our ancestors and was traditionally sung during [the] Christmas [season].”