Waray Tutorial: The Other Meaning of Pinya

To Filipinos, pinya is generally known as pineapple; however, there is another meaning of pinya that's familiar to Waray speakers. Let's take a look at this folk song I learned from San Roque, Northern Samar.

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I

Ako magtatanom sin lemon

Sa iyo libong bayai

An im asawa kay kita

An magpipinya.
II

Ako magtatanom sin lemon

Nga waray dahon

Natudok in maagahon

Naghahanap sin kamatayon.

Loose translation:

I

I will plant a lemon tree

In your backyard.

You leave your husband

So we can be lovers.
II

I will plant a lemon tree

That has no leaves

A lemon tree that grows at dawn

Searching for death.

I recorded the song and uploaded it to youtube. Yes, that's the link to the song. Actually, it has a chorus, but I didn't include it in this post as well as on youtube. Perhaps I will, in the future. Anyway, if you're from Samar or Leyte, you must have heard this song before; hence, you know the part which I omitted. [(Update: You may listen to this song from this link PINYA: A Waray Folk Song (With English Translation)]

To the Warays, pinya may refer to the fruit or to a lover. In Samar, it is common to hear such statements as "Si Maria, pinya ni Mario" (Maria is Mario's lover) or "Magpinya si Maria ngan si Mario" (Maria and Mario are lovers). A couple is magpinya when engaged in an adulterous relationship. They are NOT magpinya if both parties are single and unattached.

Image source

Back to the song: it reflects the playful nature of the Warays and their fondness for symbolism in their language. The last four lines allude to a man's erection and to the sex act. The leafless lemon tree is, apparently, a phallic symbol.