MANILA, Philippines — Have you always wondered what tribe you belong to? Folk singer and OPM legend Joey Ayala had the same thought when he decided to call his band Bagong Lumad.
"Ako'y litong-lito kaya ko naimbento 'yung term na 'Bagong Lumad.' In my desire to have a clear-cut identity, and I realized I did not have a clear-cut identity," Ayala said during the opening of Dayaw 2022 last October 2 in the Open Auditorium of Rizal Park, Manila.
Dayaw is an annual festival that celebrates Philippine Indigenous People. It is celebrated every October pursuant to Presidential Proclamation 1906, s. 2009 that declares October as the National Indigenous Peoples' Month.
Ayala shared his and his bandmates' ethnolinguistic backgrounds. His father is 50% Chinese while his mother is Cebuana-Portuguese. His mother is from Sarrat, Ilocos Norte.
His bandmates come from Cebu, Manila and Bulacan.
"Hindi ko naman masabi hindi kami katutubo. Pero kung tanungin niyo ako, anong tribo mo, hindi ko rin masagot. Kaya naimbento ko 'yung term na Bagong Lumad. Bagong Katutubo," Ayala added.
The legendary folk singer also told the audience in attendance that if he asked them what their tribe is, those who were from Manila would not consider themselves as katutubo.
"Malamang taga-Maynila ay hindi makasagot dahil hindi nila naituturing ang sarili nila na katutubo. Pero sa tingin ko, lahat tayo ay katutubo. Hindi lang natin alam kung ano 'yung politically correct na termino. Kaya ko naimbento ang salitang Bagong Lumad. Para sa mga katulad kong alanganin. May genetic amnesia baga. Hindi na alam kung ano ang sagot doon," he explained.
Joey Ayala at ang Bagong Lumad performed their two popular songs, "Karaniwang Tao" and "Lumiyab Ka."
WATCH: Joey Ayala, Ang Bagong Lumad perform "Karaniwang Tao"
— Videos by Philstar.com/Kathleen A. Llemit
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