Language and Identity: The Role of Yakan Contemporary Songs in Reflecting Social Realities in Basilan

This research study explores the intricate relationship between language and identity by examining Yakan contemporary songs from Basilan, Philippines, and their role in reflecting social realities.Yakan contemporary songs serve as a rich cultural medium, encapsulating the values, struggles, and lived experiences of the Yakan people as an indigenous Muslim community.Employing a descriptive-analytical method, this study transcribed and translated ten selected Yakan contemporary songs into English, which then underwent Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA).The analysis investigates the linguistic features, discourse practices, and social roles reflected in these songs.Findings reveal that Yakan contemporary songs are characterized by distinctive figures of speech, honorifics, symbolism, vivid imagery, parallelism, and lexical borrowing from Arabic, Malay, and Filipino.These elements illuminate the cultural values, gender dynamics, familial responsibilities, and spiritual orientations of the Yakan community.By examining these songs through the lens of CDA, the research highlights the significant role of contemporary music in preserving and conveying the social realities and cultural identity of the Yakan people in Basilan.