To be “Waray”, or as folks would have it- “Waray-Waray”- is to carry that métier of aggression and unabashness before the public. “Waray-waray hindi muurong”,as they would sing it.
The Warays,a Visayan race, twin stock to their geographic look-alike in the province of Leyte. As a Leyte-Samar unity, it was the late noted historian, H.Otley Beyer, in his authoritative study, “The Philippine Saga”, who pointed out that “some of the best collections of lyric poetry made from the culture-rich Visayan Isles came especially from Leyte and Samar.”
Not only that – but the gamelan, considered the first organized orchestras here introduced by that long, long ago Shri-Visayan empire of Java was well developed and popularized in the archipelago by the Leyte-Samar song consciousness.
The Waray – long developed in its cultural and economic practices together with Leyte in times long back no history can trace – perhaps can be defined for our times on a historical level. On terms of history that has become curiosity, for tourism, for our people’s posterity.
The Waray land is rich in beaches. There are about 10 vocational beach resorts with the Red Beach, the White beach, the Abuyog Beach and Babatngon Bay the most famous of all. Red Beach and White Beach have gone down in our history for the part they played in liberation of the country during World War ll.
The Warays pride also of their Tolosa Beach right next to Leyte Gulf where once was fought that great American-Japanese seafight between the greatest massing of their armadas.
The Limasawa Isle, too, which is of proximity to the Waray region is as you know the place where the first mass in the Philippines was held in March 25, 1521.
The Sohotan Natural Bridge in Bassey, Samar is all of 840,000 sq. m. area of natural stone bridge and waterfalls developed as historic and recreation spots.
The western coast of Leyte and southern Samar have been famous for their Malasiqui, a billfish of about 700 lbs. each. Also the exceptional spots of the Waray world the Villaba Asphalt Mines and Ormoc City thermo hot spring shooting up hot water every 30 minutes, not to forget the San Juanico Strait Crossing ,one of the Philippines most modern highways.
But now – you have the richest dimensional possibilities of Waray songs woven for you by the professional Villar kundiman connoisseurs – the 8 blended Mabuhay Singers under the direction of Leopoldo Silos. Yes, the Warays – they can sing! And they can show you so many things of life’s wonders. With a Mabuhay!
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