Beyond Metaphor: Decolonial Praxis in the Lyrical Poetry of Waway Saway

Abstract

 Indigenous lyrical poetry functions not only as cultural expression but also as a repository of ecological knowledge, cultural memory, and resistance. This study analyzes three lyrical poems by Talaandig artist and cultural bearer Rodelio Linsahay Saway: Iítsa Tamóka Yatáki Tombî, Song for the Queen, and Kulaman, through the decolonial framework presented in Decolonization Is Not a Metaphor by Eve Tuck and K. Wayne Yang. The study situates the poems within Indigenous epistemologies and examines how lyrical poetry operates as a form of decolonial praxis that asserts Indigenous sovereignty, ecological stewardship, and cultural continuity. The research focuses on how the poems articulate Indigenous relationships to land and resistance against colonial structures. The findings reveal that the poems construct land as a sacred and living entity deeply embedded in cultural identity and ancestral memory. Furthermore, the lyrical expressions challenge colonial conceptions of land ownership and affirm Indigenous ecological knowledge systems rooted in reciprocity and communal responsibility. The study demonstrates that Talaandig lyrical poetry functions as a form of cultural resistance and contributes to wider discussions on decolonization, environmental justice, and Indigenous knowledge production.