Being born and raised in the Waray shores of Leyte, we reveled in the wealth of Waray literature in songs and poems (siday). We were lulled with such poetry by our forebears. Now that we have grown and finding our destinies in shores away from Leyte, with fondness do we recall these forms of expressing artistry through the written and spoken word.

Waray, as a language, is spoken in the provinces of Leyte, Biliran and the three provinces in Samar island: Western Samar, Eastern Samar & Northern Samar. Incidentally, parts of Masbate facing Samar also speak Waray. However, it is not known whether their forms of literature are also rooted from the Waray masters of Samar & Leyte.

Here then is a site devoted to preserving the rich history of Waray literature from such luminaries as Iluminado Lucente and many other brilliant swordsmiths. I am ever thankful that with the advent of the internet, these legacies from our "Iroy nga Tuna" will once again be shared and relished by Waray souls worldwide thirsty for such antiquity through:

The Online Museum of Everything Waray

Sample:

San-u Ka Bumaya
ni Espiridios Brillo

Kun umabut an adlaw,
ha akun nim’ pagbaya,
bilini aku anay,
hin puraw nga himaya;
panasa an kasamdung,
ha akun hunahuna,
ihalad lugud anay,
an unub nga himaya.

Thanks to Raissa Villasin for linking this site. And much gratitude is accorded to the blog owners for putting this up. Truly, our Waray legacy will forever live on!

Mabuhay an nga Waray!