Philippine Literature and Texts (Pre-colonial Times and Spanish Colonizations)

Philippine Literature and Texts

(Pre-colonial Times and the Spanish Colonization)

21st Century Literature from the Philippines and the World

The variety and abundance of Philippineliterature evolved even before the colonialperiods. Folk tales, epics, poems and marathonchants existed in most ethno linguistic groupsthat were passed on from generation togeneration through word of mouth. Talesassociated with the Spanish conquest also tookpart in the country’s rich cultural heritage.

Philippine Pre-colonial Literature

Some of these pre-colonial literary piecesshowcased in traditional narratives, speeches and songsare tigmo in Cebuano, bugtong in Tagalog, patototdonis Bicol and paktakon in Ilongo. Philippine epics and folktales are varied and filled with magical characters. Theyare either narratives of mostly mythical objects, personsor certain places, or epics telling supernatural eventsand bravery of heroes, customs and ideologies of acommunity.


Owing to the works of our own archaeologists,ethnologists and anthropologists, we are able to know moreand better judge information about our pre-colonial times setagainst a bulk of material about early Filipinos as recorded bySpanish, Chinese, Arabic and other chroniclers of the past.

Pre-colonial inhabitants of our islands showcase a richpast through their folk speeches, folk songs, folk narrativesand indigenous rituals and mimetic dances that affirm ourties with our Southeast Asian neighbors.


1. Biag ni Lam-ang (Life of Lam-ang) of the

Ilocanos narrates the adventures of theprodigious epic hero, Lam-ang who exhibitsextraordinary powers at an early age. At ninemonths he is able to go to war to look for hisfather’s killers. Then while in search of lady love,Ines Kannoyan, he is swallowed by a big fish, buthis rooster and his friends bring him back to life.

Examples of ethno-epics popularized by different ethnic groups in the country

2. The Agyu or Olahing of the Manobos is athree part epic that starts with the pahmara(invocation) then the kepu’unpuun ( anarration of the past) and the sengedurog(an episode complete in itself). All threeparts narrate the exploits of the hero as heleads his people who have been driven out oftheir land to Nalandangan, a land of utopiawhere there are no landgrabbers andoppressors.


3. Sandayo of the Subanon tells of the story ofthe hero with the same name, who isborn through extraordinarycircumstances as he fell out of the hair ofhis mother while she was combing it onthe ninth stroke. Thence, he leads hispeople in the fight against invaders oftheir land and waterways.


3. Aliguyon or the Hudhud of the Ifugaostells of the adventures of Aliguyonas he battles his arch enemy,Pambukhayon among rice fieldsand terraces and instructs hispeople to be steadfast and learnthe wisdom of warfare and ofpeacemaking during harvestseasons.


Biag ni Lam-ang

Sandayo

Aliguyon or the Hudhud

3. Labaw Donggon is about the passionateexploits of the son of a goddess Alunsina,by a mortal, Datu Paubari. Thepolygamous hero battles the hugemonster Manaluntad for the hand ofAbyang Ginbitinan; then he fights SikayPadalogdog, the giant with a hundredarms to win Abyang Doronoon andconfronts the lord of darkness,Saragnayan, to win Nagmalitong YawaSinagmaling Diwata.


Other epics known to most Filipinos arethe Ibalon of Bikol, Darangan which is a Muslimepic, the Kudaman of Palawan, the Alim of theIfugao, Bantugan of the Maranao, theHinilawod of Panay, and the Tuwaang ofManobos.

The Tagalogs pride their Myth ofBernardo Carpio, a folk hero said to hold themountains of San Mateo apart with hispowerful arms to prevent them from colliding.

There are shorter narratives that tell theorigins of the people, the stars, the sky and theseas.

A famous story that tells of the origin ofman and woman is that of Malakas (man) andMaganda (woman) who came out of a bambooafter being pecked by a bird. This and otherstories of equal birthing of man and womanthroughout the archipelago assert a woman’sequal position with a man within the tribalsystems.

Literary Forms during the Pre-colonial Period

Mythology, body of myths of a particular culture,and also the study and interpretation of myth. Myth is acomplex cultural phenomenon that can be approachedfrom a number of viewpoints. In general, myth is anarrative that describes and portrays in symboliclanguage the origin of the basic elements andassumptions of a culture. Mythic narrative relates, forexample, how the world began, how humans andanimals were created, and how certain customs,gestures, or forms of human activities originated.Almost all cultures possess or at one time possessedand lived in terms of myths.

MYTHS

Myths are traditional stories occurring in atimeless past. They involve supernatural elements andare beyond the frontiers of logic. Long ago, when ourancestors heard the sound of thunder and sawlightning, they were frightened because they could notunderstand why these things happened. In order tounderstand these and other natural events, theycreated stories. The stories were handed down fromgeneration to generation all over the country. Althoughmyths are not based on objective truth, they reflectboth universal worries and the worries of specificcultures.

MYTHS

WORLD LITERATURE: In the cold northerncountries, where the sun disappears almostcompletely during the winter season, great fireswere lit in the midwinter to help the sun to bereborn. The ancient Greeks tell a myth in whichPrometheus stole fire from Zeus, the chief god,and gave it to humans so that they could keepthemselves warm. To punish him, Zeus chainedPrometheus to a rock where his liver was eatenby an eagle every day but grew again everynight.

MYTHS

a. The Gods and Goddesses (Ilocos)

b. Why There is a High Tide during a Full Moon(Ibanag)

c. Why the Dead Come Back No More (Ifugao)

d. Mag-asawang Tubig (Tagalog)

e. How the Moon and the Stars Came to Be(Bukidnon – Mindanao)

Myths from the Different Regions of the Philippines

One day in the times when the sky was close to theground a spinster went out to pound rice. Before she beganher work, she took off the beads from around her neck andthe comb from her hair, and hung them on the sky, which atthat time looked like coral rock.

Then she began working, and each time that she raised her pestle into the air it struck the sky. For some time she pounded the rice, and then she raised the pestle so high that it struck the sky very hard.

Immediately the sky began to rise, and it went up so far that she lost her ornaments. Never did they come down, for the comb became the moon and the beads are the stars that are scattered about.

How the Moon and the Stars Came to Be (An Epic from Bukidnon)

Traditional narrative or collection of relatednarratives, popularly regarded as historically factual butactually a mixture of fact and fiction. The medieval Latinword legenda means “things for reading”. Duringcertain services of the early Christian Church, legenda,or lives of the saints, were read aloud. A legend is set ina specific place at a specific time; the subject is often aheroic historical personage.

LEGENDS

A legend differs from a myth by portraying ahuman hero rather than one who is a god. Legends,originally oral, have been developed into literarymasterpieces. Legends are stories about real peoplewho are famous for doing something brave orextraordinary. Every time the story was told, it becamemore exaggerated and so it is now difficult to tell howmuch of the story is really true.

LEGENDS

WORLD LITERATURE: One of the greatest legendary figuresin Britain is King Arthur. He was the son of King UtherPendragon, a Celtic King. King Uther gave his child to Merlinthe wizard. Merlin taught Arthur everything he knew so thathe could become a great king. When King Uther died, Merlinstuck a sword into a rock and said, ‘This sword is in the stoneby magic. Only the true king will be able to pull it out’. Manymen tried but none succeeded. When Arthur tried, the swordslipped out easily. Arthur was made king. He went on tofound the Round Table, an order to knights who becamefamous for fighting the wicked and helping the poor.

LEGENDS

a. The Legend of the Sleeping Beauty (Kalinga)

b. Legend of the Dama de Noche

c. Legend of the Banana Plant

d. Legend of the Firefly

Legends from the Philippines

The proverbs or aphorisms expressnorms or codes of behavior, community beliefsor they instill values by offering nuggets ofwisdom in short, rhyming verse.

The extended form, tanaga, a mono-riming heptasyllabic quatrain expressinginsights and lessons on life is “more emotionallycharged than the terse proverb and thus hasaffinities with the folk lyric.”

Some examples are the basahanon or extended didactic

sayings from Bukidnon and the daraida and daragilon from Panay.

The folk song, a form of folk lyric whichexpresses the hopes and aspirations, the people’slifestyles as well as their loves.

These are often repetitive and sonorous, didacticand naive as in the children’s songs or Ida-ida(Maguindanao), tulang pambata (Tagalog) or cansionespara abbing (Ibanag).

A few examples are the lullabyes or Ili-ili (Ilongo); lovesongs like the panawagon and balitao (Ilongo);haranaor serenade (Cebuano); the bayok (Maranao); theseven-syllable per line poem, ambahan of the Mangyansthat are about human relationships, socialentertainment and also serve as a tool for teaching theyoung; work songs that depict the livelihood of thepeople often sung to go with the movement of workerssuch as the kalusan (Ivatan), soliranin (Tagalog rowingsong) or the mambayu, a Kalinga rice-pounding song;the verbal jousts/games like the duplo popular duringwakes.

Made up of one or more measured lines with rhymesand may consist of 4 to 12 syllables

Showcase the Filipino wit, literary talent, and keenobservation of the surroundings

Involves reference to one or two images thatsymbolize the characteristics of an unknown objectthat is to be guessed

RIDDLES (Bugtong or Palaisipan)

1. Nagtago si Pedro, labas ang ulo. (Pedro hides but you can still see his head. )

2. Hindi pari, hindi hari, nagdadamit ng sari-sari. (Not a priest, not a king but wears different kinds of clothes.)

3. Bugtong-pala-bugtong, kadenang umuugong. (Riddle me, riddle me, here comes a roaring chain).

4. Heto na si Kaka, bubuka-bukaka. (Here comes Kaka, walking with an open leg.)

5. Buhok ni Adan, hindi mabilang. (Adam's hair, you can't count.)

6. Buhok ni Adan, hindi mabilang. (Adam's hair, you can't count.)

7. Sa araw ay bungbong, sa gabi ay dahon. (Roll in the morning, leaf in the afternoon).

8. Iisa ang pasukan, tatlo ang labasan. (It has one entrance, but has three exit. )

Examples of Riddles

Answers

1. Pako - (Nails)

2. Sampayan - (Clothesline)

3. Tren - (Train)

4.Gunting - (Scissors)

5. Ulan - (Rain)

6. Tubig - (Water)

7. Banig - (Mat)

8. Damit/Baro - (Dress)

A proverb is a simple and concrete saying,popularly known and repeated, that expresses a truthbased on common sense or experience. They are oftenmetaphorical.

A proverb that describes a basic rule of conductmay also be known as a maxim.

These have been customarily used and served aslaws or rules on good behavior by our ancestors. Toothers, these are like allegories or parables that impartlessons for the young.

PROVERBS or EPIGRAMS (Salawikain or Sawikain)

1. A broom is sturdy because its strands are tightly bound.

Matibay ang walis, palibhasa'y magkabigkis.

People gain strength by standing together.

2. It is hard to wake up someone who is pretending to be asleep.

Mahirap gisingin ang nagtutulog-tulugan.

While it is easy to tell people something they do not know, it is much harder if they are willfully choosing not to see what is before them.

Examples of Proverbs

3. If you persevere, you will reap the fruits of your labor.

Pag may tiyaga, may nilaga.

They don't call them the fruits of labor for nothing. Hard work and perseverance are needed to reach your goals. But if you keep trying, one day you will enjoy the results of your efforts.

4. New king, new character.

Bagong hari, bagong ugali.

New leadership always brings new ways.

Examples of Proverbs

Chants are used in witchcraft and enchantments.Our ancestors also believe in unseen spirits or

elemental spirits like dwarfs. They give respect, ask forpermission, and excuse or apology to these spirits in order todeliver them from trouble and danger.

Example of chants,Tabi, tabi po, Ingkong, makikiraan po lamang.Bari-bari Apo, umisbo lang ti tao. (Ilokano)

CHANTS (Bulong)

Sayings are used in teasing or to comment on apersons’ actuations.

Example of sayings,

Nag-almusal mag-isa;

Kaninglamig, tinapa;

Nahulog ang kutsara;

Ikaw na sana, sinta.

SAYINGS (Kasabihan)

A quatrain with seven syllables each with thesame rhyme at the end of each line

Example of tanaga,

“Tahak ng tingin, tulak

ng sulyap, yakap, lapat

ng titig sa balikat,

hatak pa, kindat, hakat.”

TANAGA

A form of folk lyric which expresses the people’s hopes, aspirations and lifestyles.

Repetitive and sonorous, didactic and naïve.

Traditional songs and melodies.

Inspired by the reaction of the people to their environment.

FOLK SONGS

1. Uyayi – lullaby

2. Komintang – war song

3. Kundiman – melancholic love song

4. Harana – serenade

5. Tagay – drinking song

6. Mambayu – Kalinga rice-pounding song

7. Subli – dance ritual song of courship or marriage

8. Tagulaylay – songs of the dead

Examples of Folk Songs

The ambahan is a literary product and poeticexpression of the Southern Mangyans of Mindoro,Philippines.

As a definition, it can be stated that the ambahan is:

a. A rhythmic poetic expression with a meter of seven syllablelines and having rhythmic end-syllables.

b. It is most often presented as a chant without a determinedmusical pitch or accompaniment by musical instruments.

c. Its purpose is to express in an allegorical way, liberally usingpoetic language, certain situations or certain characteristicsreferred to by the one reciting the poem.

AMBAHAN

1. Buli sa may kainginNoong s'ya pa'y musmusinHindi ko pinapansinNang gumulang, pagsapitTanggi ko ang lumainSariwa kong kukuninBayong kong lalalainLagi kong sasakbitin!

Example of Ambahan

Philippine Literature during the Spanish Colonization

Spanish colonization in the Philippines startedin 1565 during the time of Miguel Lopez deLegazpi, the first Spanish governor-general inthe Philippines.

Literature started to flourish during his time.

The Spaniards colonized the Philippines formore that three centuries.

Historical Background

The Spanish colonizers wanted to undermine the native oral tradition by substituting for it the story of the Passion of Christ. However, the native tradition survived and even flourished in areas inaccessible to the Spaniards.

The church authorities adopted a policy of spreading the Church doctrines by communicating to the natives in their own language.

DOCTRINA CHRISTIANA (1593)

The first book to be printed in the Philippines, was a prayer book written in Spanish with an accompanying Tagalog translation.

The task of translating religious instructional materials forced the Spanish missionaries to employ native as translators.

Eventually, these natives learned to read and write both in Spanish and in their native tongue.

Ladinos – bilingual natives; they published their works, mainly devotional poetry,

in the first decade of the 17th

century.

GASPAR AQUINO DE BELEN – the most gifted among the ladinos.

He wrote the Mahal na Pasion ni Jesu Christo, a Tagalog poem based on Christ’s passion, was published in 1704.

1. The first Filipino alphabet called ALIBATA was replaced by the Roman alphabet.

2. The teaching of the Christian Doctrine became the basis of religious practices.

3. The Spanish language which became the literary language during this time lent many of its words to our language.

4. The periodicals during these times gained a religious tone.

Spanish Influences on the Philippine Literature

5. Many grammar books were printed in Filipino, like Tagalog, Ilocano, and Visayan.

6. European legends and traditions brought here became assimilated in our songs, corridos and moro-moros.

7. Ancient literature was collected and translated to Tagalog and other dialects.

8. Until the 19th century, the printing presses that published literary works were owned and managed by religious order. Thus, religious themes dominated the literature of the time.

Religion and institutions that representedEuropean civilization enriched the languages in thelowlands, introduced theater which we would come toknown as komedya, the sinakulo, the sarswela, theplaylets and the drama.

Spain also brought to the country, though at amuch later time, liberal ideas and an internationalismthat influenced our own Filipino intellectuals andwriters for them to understand the meanings of “libertyand freedom.”

Literature in this period may be classified asreligious prose and poetry and secular prose and poetry.

Religious lyrics written by ladino poets or thoseversed in both Spanish and Tagalog were included inearly catechism and were used to teach Filipinos theSpanish language.

Fernando Bagonbanta’s “Salamat nang walanghanga/gracias de sin sempiternas” (Unending thanks) isa fine example that is found in the Memorial de la vidacristiana en lengua tagala (Guidelines for the Christianlife in the Tagalog language) published in 1605.

Another form of religious lyrics are themeditative verses like the dalit appended to novenas andcatechisms. It has no fixed meter nor rime schemealthough a number are written in octosyllabic quatrainsand have a solemn tone and spiritual subject matter.

But among the religious poetry of the day, it isthe pasyon in octosyllabic quintillas that becameentrenched in the Filipino’s commemoration of Christ’sagony and resurrection at Calvary.

Gaspar Aquino de Belen’s “Ang Mahal na Passionni Jesu Christong Panginoon natin na tola” (Holy Passionof Our Lord Jesus Christ in Verse) put out in 1704 is thecountry’s earliest known pasyon.

NUESTRA SENORA DEL ROSARIO

It contains the biographies of saints, novenas, and questions and answers on religion.

LIBRO DE LOS CUATRO POSTRIMERIAS DEL HOMBRE

First written book in typography.

ANG BARLAAN AT JOSEPHAT

Biblical Story printed in the Philippines and the first Tagalog novel printed in the Philippines even though it is only a translation.

Some of the books published

THE PASION

This is the book about the life and sufferings of Jesus Christ.

URBANA AT FELISA by Modesto de Castro, Father of Classical Prose in Tagalog

Influenced greatly the behavior of the people in the society.

ANG MGA DALIT KAY MARIA (Psalms of Mary)

Collection of songs praising the Virgin Mary.

1. Arte y Reglas de la Lengua Tagala (Art and Rules of the Tagalog Language)

Translated to Tagalog by Tomas Pinpin in 1610Written by Fr. Blancas de San Jose

2. Compendio de la Lengua Tagala (Understanding the Tagalog Language)

Written by Fr. Gaspar de San Agustin in 1703Vocabulario de la Lengua Tagala (Tagalog vocabulary)First Tagalog dictionary written by Fr. Pedro de San Bueneventura in 1613.

Literary Compositions

3. Vocabulario de la Lengua Pampanga (Pampanga vocabulary)- the first book written in Pampango written by Fr. Diego in 17324. Vocabulario de la Lengua Bisaya (Bisayan Vocabulary)- Best Visayan language book- Written by Mataeo Sanchez in 17115. Arte de la Lengua Ilokana (The Art of the Ilocano Language)- First Ilocano grammar book by Francisco Lopez

6. Arte de la Lengua Bicolana (The Art of the Bicol Language)- First book in the Bicol Language by Fr. Marcos Libsonin 1754

1. Mi Ultimo Adios, Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo by Jose Rizal

2. Dasal at Tocsohan by Marcelo H. del Pilar

3. Pag-ibig sa Tinubuang Lupa by Andres Bonifacio

4. Ninay by Pedro Paterno

5. Florante at Laura by Francisco Baltazar

6. Ibong Adarna by Jose dela Cruz

Filipino Works during Spanish Times

Folk songs became widespread in the Philippines.Each region had its national song from the lowlands to themountains of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

Examples of Folk SongsA. Leron-leron Sinta (Tagalog)B. Pamulinawen (Iloko)C. Dandansoy (Bisaya)D. Atin Cu Pung Sing-sing (Kapampangan)

E. Sarong Banggi (Bicol)

FOLK SONGS

LERON-LERON SINTA – this song depicts humbleness. It’s the story of a man who tries to show what he got to win the heart of his beloved one.

PAMULINAWEN – a song about a man courting and pledging his love to a beautiful girl named Pamulinawen.

DANDANSOY – a farewell song; the title is the name of the boy to whom the singer is saying goodbye.

ATIN CU PUNG SING-SING – the song is a request from a lady who lost her ring given by her mother. She will give her heart to a man who can find the beloved ring.

There were many recreational plays performed by Filipinos during the Spanish times. Almost all of them were in poetic form.

1. Tibag – the word tibag means to excavate. This ritual was brought here by the Spaniard to remind the people about the search of St. Helena for the Cross on which Jesus died through a dramatic performance

RECREATIONAL PLAYS

2. Lagaylay – this is a special occasion for the Pilareñosof Sorsogon during Maytime to get together. This also shows praise, respct and offering love to the Blessed Cross by St. Helena and the mound she dug in.

3. The Cenaculo – this is a dramatic performance to commemorate the passion and death of Jesus Christ.

4. Panunuluyan – this is presented before 12:00 on Christmas Eve. This is a presentation of the search of the Virgin Mary and St. Joseph for an inn wherein to deliver the baby Jesus.

5. Salubong – an Easter play that dramatizes the meeting of the Risen Christ and his Mother.

6. Carillo (Shadow Play) – this is a form of dramatic entertainment performed on a moonless night during a town fiesta or on dark nights after a harvest. This shadow play is made by projecting cardboard figures before a lamp against a white sheet. The figures are moved like marionettes whose dialogues are produced by some experts.

7. The Zarzuela – considered the father of the drama; it is a musical comedy or melodrama three acts which dealt with man’s passions and emotions like love, hate, revenge, cruelty, avarice or some social or political proble.

8. Sainete – a short musical comedy that were exagerrated and shown between long plays.

9. The Moro-Moro – a play that depicts a Christian princess who is captured by the Mohammedans. The father organizes a rescue party where fighting between the Moros and Christians ensues.

10. Awit – fabricated stories from writer’s imagination although the setting and characters are European; refers to chanting.

11. Corrido – were usually on legends or stories from European countries like France, Spain, Italy, and Greece; refers to narration.

12. Karagatan – this is a poetic vehicle of a socio-religious nature celebrated during the death of a person.

13. Duplo – this replaced the Karagatan; this is just a poetic joust in speaking and reasoning.

14. Balagtasan – a poetic joust or a contest of skills in debate on a particular topic or issue.

15. Dung-aw – a chant in free verse by a bereaved person or his representative beside the corpse of the dead.

Submitted by:

Joann Sinilong

Alyssa Marie Ursal

Love Laine Caayon

Atthea Jane Lepiten

12 – Faraday Students

Submitted to:

Mrs. Julie Ann Fernan

Subject Teacher

Philippine Literature and Texts (Pre-colonial Times and Spanish Colonizations)

Education