Early Stages of Filipino Literature

Pre-Spanish Period

Early Filipinos wrote on bamboos and bark of trees, on palm

leaves, and even on the ground.
Oral Tradition - handed down from generation to generation by
local poets and old folks
Outputs of the Period
o Folklore
o Epics
o Poetically dramatic forms
Each tribe expressed its literature in its own dialect.
The literature of this period was crude in ideology and
phraseology.
Filipino proverbs embodied the wisdom of the ages past.
o Ang dila ay hindi patalim ngunit kung sumugat ay
malalim.
o Bahay man ay palasyo, kung laman ay kuwago; Mabuti pa
ang kubong laman ay tao.
Riddles - expressed in poetic
o Riddling - a battle of wits among participants
o Tagalogs - greatest number of collected riddles
Isang prinsesa nakaupo sa tasa.
Narito na si Amba, sulong-sulong ang dampa.
Folksong- spontaneous andinformal expression of our ancestors
personal experiences
o lullaby songs (Hele or Oyayi!), courtship songs,
thanksgiving songs, songs to bury the dead, songs for the
sick and dying
o Matulog ka bunso, ang ina moy malayo; At hindi ka
masundo, daay walang magturo.
Tulog na matulungin, hindi kita gigisingin, hindi kita
pupuyatin at bunsoy palalayawin.
Tale - in the form of myths, legends and fables
o Origin Myths - explained the origin of the surrounding world

Epic - dominated the literature of this period

long poetic composition recounting the heroic

exploits of characters displaying superhuman
strength
features Filipino national traditions and aspirations at
certain stages of the life history of the people
Popular Filipino Epics (Dr. Jose Villa Panganiban)
o Biag ni Lam-ang (Ilocos Region)
o Hudhod and Alim (Ifugaos) Kabunlan and Bendian (Ibaloys)
o Kumintang (Tagalogs)
o Maragtas and Hinilawod (Panay-Bisaya)
o Haraya and Lagda (Sibuhanon and Samar-Leyte Bisaya)
o Hari sa Bukit (Negros Bisaya)
o Ronsay (Kuyunon Bisaya
o Dagoy and Sudsud (Tagbanuas of Palawan)
o Bantugan (most popular darangan of the Muslims)
o Daramoke-A-Babay (Maguindanao)
o Indarapatra at Sulayman (Maguindanao)
o Bidasari (adapted from Malays by Muslims)
o Parang Sabil (Sulu Muslims)
o Tatuaang (Bagobos of South Mindanao)
o Ulangingin and Seleh (Manobos)
Spanish Period
The Philippine literature of this period was centered on Christian
faith
There was a gradual shift of interest from nature and natural
phenomena to the lives of the saints, miracles, hymns, and
invocations based on the teachings of the Catholic church.
Literary works became almost purely imitative of Spanish
themes, forms, and traditions.
Early part of Spanish domination
o Metrical Romance:
Corrido (a legendary religious narrative form)
Awit (a heroic-chivalric narrative poem)
Dalit (a religious hymn in verse)

The Spanish missionaries encouraged the sacred drama.

o Pasyon - a narrative poem on the life of Christ chanted
during Lenten season.

Cenaculo concentrated on the sufferings and death of

Christ.
o Moro-Moro or Comedia de capa y espada - a blood and
thunder melodrama that depicted the conflict between the
Christians and the Muslims
o Carillo or Shadow Play - made of cardboard figures
projected on a white screen; the manipulator supplied the
action and dialogue
o Tibag - a dramatic reenactment of St. Helenas search for
the Holy Cross
o Duplo and Karagatan - native dramas connected with the
mourning rituals and later with harvest celebrations
o Zarzuela - a musical comedy or melodrama in three acts
about the elemental passions of man or some current
issues of the day
o Religious matters - were printed in prose in the form of
novenas and prayer books, biographies of the saints, tales,
and novels.
o Lyrical Folk songs and Riddles - only
through these that the Filipinos were able to
retain their native traditions and values
o Love songs: in the form of serenades
Balitaw
Kundiman
Tapat
Doctrina Christiana
Francisco Baltazars Florante at Laura
o O Pagsintang labis ng kapangyarihan
Sampung mag-aamay iyong nasasalaw!
Pag ikaw ang nasok sa puso nino man,
Hahamaking lahat masunod ka lamang.
At yuyurakan na ang lalong dakila,
Bait, katuwiray ipanganganyaya.
Buong katungkulay wawalang-bahala,
Sampo ng hiningay ipauubaya.
o

The Propaganda and Revolutionary Periods

Awakening of Filipino nationalism

o opening of the Philippines to world trade, the Spanish
revolution in 1868, the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869,
and the martyrdom of Gomez, Burgos, and Zamora
o led to the birth of 2 movements:
Propaganda Movement
Revolutionary Movement
The Propaganda Movement
o The Propaganda Movement was reformatory in objective.
Members were children of the rich Filipinos who went to
Spain to be educated
o 3 foremost Propagandists
Dr. Jose P. Rizal
Noli Me Tangere,
El Filibusterismo,
Mi Ultimo Adios (his poetical
masterpiece)
Marcelo H. Del Pilar
the journalist of the Reform Movement;
founder of Diariong Tagalog
Graciano Lopez-Jaena
founder of the Reform Movement
the first editor of La Solidaridad
known for his Fray Botod
The Revolutionary Movement
o The Revolutionary Movement was more violent in
nature and demanded complete independence for the
Philippines.
o The rebels wrote in Tagalog to arouse the people to
revolt against Spain.
Andres Bonifacio
the Great Plebeian
founder of Katipunan
Emilio Jacinto
The Brains of the Katipunan
Editor of Kalayaan (the Katipunans
newspaper)
Authored the Cartilla

Apolinario Mabini

the Sublime Paralytic

the Brains of the Revolution
joined the nationalist movement led by
General Emilio Aguinaldo
Author of True Decalogue
Jose Palma
his poem Filipinas became the text of the
Marcha Nacional Filipina composed by Julian
Felipe

Representatives of Regional Literatures

Bicol Literature
o the folk epic Ibalon and its hero Handiong
the beginning of the universe and the first man
and woman
A bird pecked a bamboo from which sprang
the first man and woman.
o Combat Myths the struggle between good and evil
battle of the gods Gugurang and Bathala against the
evil tandem of Aswang and Kaldan
the humorous story about the lazy giant Colacog
the adventures of the clumsy trickster Juan Osong

o Tigkisan or Toast
a four-line verse uttered extemporaneously during
a wedding reception, a drinking spree, or a simple
gathering
The Bicolano is born and is laid to rest with a song.
There is a song for every occasion or ritual.
Sarung Banggi
Bicols most popular love song composed by
Potenciano Gregorio, Sr.
Harana and Panawagan (love song),
Panayokyok (lullabys)
Panambitan and Ulaw (song for the dead)
Sinalampati or Salampati (wedding song)

a great production of religious literature

Corridos:
o Mag-amang Pobre
o Doa Maria Asin Don Juan
o Pobreng Eduardo
o Jaime del Prado
o Corrido writers: Rosalio Imperial and Rogelio Salazar
Zarzuela: introduced in Naga in 1892
o
religious plays: pagharong-harong or kagharong and
the Cenaculo or Tanggal
Merlinda Bobis wrote Kantado ng Babaeng Mandirigma:
Daragang Magayon, Isang Epico
Pampango Literature

Myths and Legends revolving around Mt. Arayat, Mt.

Sinukuan, and the Candaba swamps
popular folk songs: O Caca O Caca and Atin Cu Pung
Singsing
Romantic story of Gonzalo de Cordova by Padre Anselmo
Jorge de Fajardo (Father of Kapampangan literature)
Mario Proceso Pabalan Byron wrote the first zarzuela (Ing
Managpe) in the vernacular
President Diosdado Macapagal wrote and played the lead
roles in many zarzuelas
Cebuano Literature

Balak - origin of the Cebuanos oral and written literature; the

term used for all kinds of poetry
Sinulog - religious literature in honor of Sto. Nio
La Justicia first Filipino newspaper published in Cebu in 1899 by
Matias de Arrieta and Vicente Sotto
Ang Suga (The Light) the first periodical in Cebuano founded
by Vicente Sotto; popularized the sugilanon (short story)
Marcel Navarra the Father of Modern Writing in Cebu; won
first prize in the first Bisaya short story contest in 1937 with his
piece Ug Gianod Ako (And I was Drifted)
Hiligaynon Literature
Encompasses the Western Visayas regions composed of
Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Iloilo, and Negros

Great epic: Hilinawod

Mariano Perfecto established the Libreria La Panayana in 1877
that printed works in the Hiligaynon
popular publications: Hiligaynon and Yuhum
Balay Turun-an (House of Learning): also called the Central
Panay School for Living Tradition of Panay-Bukidnon was
established by National Artist Federico Caballero
opening of the 20th century until the outbreak of the Pacific War
in 1941
o Philippine literature was patterned after Anglo-American
models (romantic readings of 19th century vintage
saturating the literary scene).
o English: primary tool for communication
after World War II
Filipino writers began to be discernibly more Westernized in the
name of cultural advancement.
sociopolitical upheavals in the 1970s
Filipino writers began to deviate from artistic preoccupations
and wrote protest or committed literature.
Philippine contemporary literature is aware of its inherited
culture and holds on to what is ethnically or locally its own.
It does not ignore opportunities for cross-cultural
encounters.