Kicking Off Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month with “Kamayan”
“Kamayan” is the first release of Brighter Light Brigade’s Filipinx-themed project tentatively called Kapwa. Featuring LZA (musical shapeshifter Amyliza de Jesus), kindie fave Mista Cookie Jar, and introducing Amanda Maestro, “Kamayan” is Tagalog for “by hand,” and this song celebrates the traditional Filipino style of eating - together in community, without plates or utensils, but with your hands!
In “Kamayan,” LZA, Mista Cookie Jar and Amanda Maestro (all second generation Filipino-Americans born to immigrant parents) explore their favorite Filipino foods, their roots, and the sense of community that stems from sharing food and stories around the table. This hip hop-inspired tune also celebrates the intergenerational ways Filipinx families share their culture from Lola (grandmother) to apo (grandchild).
Instrumentally, “Kamayan” features an all Filipinx-crew (Amyliza de Jesus, Stephie G., Henry Go, and Isi Miranda) playing traditional Filipino instruments: bamboo castanets, bungkaka, kulintang, and Tinikling bamboo poles.
The single will be available on all major platforms, and fans can pre-order the song or pre-save it to their Spotify playlists. “Kamayan” will be released on Friday, April 28th, 2023 to coincide with the beginning of AAPI Heritage Month. Mabuhay!
lyrics
Eh yo, it’s Saturday night
We gettin’ ready for the boodle fight
Kamayan is the Tagalog name
Ano bayan, what’s that ya say? Check it
It’s when you gotta whole lotta food on banana leaves
Laid on the table, ready to feast
Oh, and one other thing
You eat wit’cha hands and make your tastebuds sing
First up we got crispy lumpia
It’s the egg roll that makes everybody say ya
Dip it in vinegar or a sweet and sour sauce
Then crunch crunch and it’ll show ya who’s boss
Pancit is everyone’s favorite noodle dish
Bihon, canton, maybe served with fish
Garlic and onions and veggies too
Just top those noodles with calamansi juice
Adobo’s on the table, it’s some chicken and some pork
Marinated in vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, and peppercorn
Throw in a bay leaf, that brings out the flavor
A salty sour sweet meat that you’ll wanna savor
Then there’s mangga which you know is mango
It’s the prutas oh so magnifico
Cut up into squares still on the skin
You flip it inside out and taste that sweet saccharine
Masarap, masarap, ma-ma-ma-masarap (2x)
Longganisa, hey yo I can’t get enough
This sweet little sausage got me shouting masarap
Put some garlic in your vinegar, serve it up with rice
And tell your Ate you will only share if she’s nice
You can’t have kamayan if you don’t have lechon
Betta get it fast ‘cause guaranteed it will be gone
Dip it in some Mang Tomas, a sweet special sauce
It might be the best combo you come across
Then we’ve got hipon, and that’s shrimp, shrimp
Still with the shell on, your style it will crimp
Gettin’ to the meat takes some work, work
My mama peeled ‘em for me, a nanay’s love perk
Now we got a couple things that are a little bit stinky
Bagoong and patis might make your nose crinkly
When you put it on your food it makes it taste salty
Bringin’ more flavor to this Filipino party
Masarap, masarap, ma-ma-ma-masarap (2x)
Don’t forget your veggies, gotta get that gulay
Tomatoes, cucumber, okra and bok choy
Look at all the colors, the reds and bright greens
We eatin’ on banana leaves, so there’s no plate to clean
Last but not least we got white rice
Plain or fried with garlic, either way is quite nice
And if you’re like me, without it nothing tastes right
So be sure to get a handful with each bite
Make room for dessert ‘cause we’ve got some leche flan
A custard topped with caramel sauce, ya don’t wanna pass this on
Its creamy sweetness in yo’ mouth, gettin’ so busog
Err-body got a food baby, it’s all good
Eatin’ with our hands connects us to our roots
And being in the moment is a worthy pursuit
Sharing food and stories fosters unity
Mista Cookie Jar & the Chocolate ChipsLos Angeles, California
Mista Cookie Jar is a children's music performer/multi-instrumentalist/video producer extraordinaire. His family band, Mista
Cookie Jar & the Chocolate Chips, have toured the US promoting their blend of Urban-Island-Folky-Rock & Roll for the Inner Child. Fusing audio style & visual lyricism, tradition & innovation, Mista Cookie Jar unites a rockstar excitement with the warmth of family music....more
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