User:Jmar918/Waray people

"Waray Waray" and Eartha Kitt
The folk song, “Waray Waray” came to international attention in the 1960s when the American entertainer, Eartha Kitt, performed and recorded her own version of the song. Kitt sings the song in a mix of Tagalog and Visyan with some English interludes. Unlike her songs in other languages such as French and Spanish, Kitt’s version of, “Waray Waray” is rough with mispronunciation, emphasis on the wrong words, and even a few made up words.

The folk song itself was originally composed by Juan Silos, Jr with lyrics by Levi Celerio. The song is about Waray women and feeds into the stereotypes around them. With lines like, “Waray women will never flee, even in the face of death.” and “But Waray women are different We do not fear anyone.” The folk song perpetuated the stereotyping of the Waray as strong and fierce people, willing to fight. The song portrays the Waray women as thuggish, tough, and grumpy. Ultimately, “Waray Waray '' would be performed by Kitt across the globe including in the Philippines. “Waray Waray” itself would become a part of the bigger discourse on what it means to be a Filipina.