The Visayan word alindahaw normally means ‘drizzle’ (ambon in Tagalog), but in this song, it refers to a small, beautiful insect. Depending on the which part of the Visayas you’re in, it could be a butterfly, firefly or dragonfly.
ORIGINAL VISAYAN LYRICS
Ako’y pobreng alindahaw
Sa huyuhoy gianod-anod
Nangita ug kapanibaan, ahay,
Sa tanaman ug sa manga kabulakan.
Aruy, aruy, aruy, aruy…
Ania si bulak sa mga kahidlaw
Aruy, aroy, aruy, aruy…
Aruy, aruy, di ka maluoy
Ning pobreng alindahaw.
Aruy, aruy, aruy, aruy…
FREE ENGLISH TRANSLATION
I’m a poor dragonfly
In the breeze being swept away
Searching for a place to rest, sigh,
In the garden among the flowers.
Ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch…
Like flowers for the one who yearns
Ouch, ow, ouch, ouch…
Ouch, ouch, don’t be sorry
For this poor dragonfly.
Ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch…
KAHULUGAN SA TAGALOG
Awiting-bayan na may masayáng himig at sinasaliwan ng balse.
Same comment.
di ka ba maluoy?
Asking for empathy for this poor dragonfly
Alindahaw is rain .
Alindanaw is dragonfly
As a child in Cebu, I learned that “alindahaw” meant dragonfly. I didn’t come across it to mean drizzle. Drizzle in Cebuano is taligsik. As a grade schooler in the late 50’s and early 60’s, we were singing this song already. The last line of the chorus, as I learned it, is a question : “Di ka ba maluoy, ning pobreng alindahaw?” The lyrics presented lacks the word “ba”
Will “di ka ba maluoy” translate to “Won’t you feel sorry?”
“Di ka ba maluoy” literally translates to “wouldn’t you get dried up/ shrivelled”. “ “Won’t you feel sorry” translates to “di ka ba magsisisi/maaawa”
In Leyte in the northern part facing Cebu, I heard my parents and the elderly people using the word alindahaw which means it’s about to rain that the wind is already blowing cold and moist. It can cause people especially children to get sick of colds and fever.