Oh
say can you see by the dawn’s early light - nakikita mo ba sa bukang liwayway.
No one probably would have cared if a
Pilipino rendition of the American national anthem went on the air. But not for
“Nuestro Himno,” a Spanish-language adaptation. Its airing on Hispanic radio
stations unleashed a wave of indignation all over the United States. Liberals
and conservatives alike denounced the Latino version as a “desecration of a
national symbol." President Bush himself said “The Star-Spangled
Banner" should be sung exclusively in English. Not to do so, he warns,
would endanger the national soul. Filipino American commentator Michelle Malkin
dubbed “Nuestro Himno” the “Illegal Immigrant Anthem.”
Tuned in to National Public Radio one
glorious Saturday morning, I listened as more angry voices piped in: “When
people are talking about becoming a part of this country, they should
assimilate to the norm that’s already here," declared George Taplin, a
leader in the national countermovement calling for tougher enforcement of
immigration laws. “What we’re talking about here is a sovereign nation with our
ideals and our national identity."
Never mind that 61 percent of adults in
the entire United States don’t know all the words of this sacred hymn, even in
English. That’s what a recent Harris poll found. And do they even understand
what it means?
“The first step to understanding
something is to understand it in the language you understand, and then you can
understand it in another language," said Leo Chavez, a University of
California professor. “What this song represents at this moment is a communal
shout, that the dream of America, which is represented by the song, is their
dream, too."
Makes sense, I say to myself. Then I
remembered the Joey Ayala adaptation from his CD “16 Love Songs.” I turned on
the CD player and listened. Once, twice. I sang along the third time. I asked
Elvie to write down the words while I took out my guitar. I strummed along,
then sang.
Gently at first, trying to understand.
This is, after all, a love song:
Nakikita mo ba sa bukang
liwayway/<R>ang liwanag na sumilay sa ating paglisan/<R>Pag-asang
wagas sa kaligayahan/<R>Kalayaang umunlad sa bayang payapa/<R>Sa
tulay ng digmaan kita’y tumawid/<R>Nagsumikap, nabuhay at
umiibig/<R>Tayo ngayon ay naririto mga dayong katutubo/<R>At sa
lupang bagong hirang kasaysaya’y pinapanday.
Awesome. This anthem sounds even better in
Pilipino. That’s because I can feel it’s message in my heart. Even without
rockets bursting in air. In a few words, Ayala managed to capture the spirit of
what it means to come to America and become part of this great country - by
working hard, loving freedom and keeping hope alive. It beckons those who love
its values of tolerance and diversity to come share in the American Dream. But
this is the best part: We are here now,
natives from a foreign shore. And in this country we have chosen to
adopt, we are forging our own history as Americans of Filipino ancestry, proud
of our past and its lasting legacy.
It may sound subversive to those who want
us to “assimilate to the norm" (keep America lily-white?) and just melt
into the pot, shedding ourselves of our own history and cultural heritage. But
the browning of America is happening before our eyes. Having brought our songs
and serenades, our stories of struggle and survival, we can only enrich this
country’s cultural tapestry with our hues and threads of brown.
Working together as a community to
celebrate our centennial - which is a vital part of American history - is a
bold affirmation that we, too, have a stake in this country.
On June 4, let’s all show up in full
force on Pennsylvania Avenue. Let’s all sing the Star Spangled Banner, both in
English and Pilipino. The Philippine Festival is actually an American
celebration. The dream of America is our dream too.
E-mail your comments to jonmele@aol.com
