SURVEY OF PHILIPPINE LITERATURE

WORK PLAN

Prelim Period: Nature, Essence and Significance of Literature, Historical background of

Philippine Literature, Pre-Colonial Literature

Course Intended Week Module/Lesson Coursework Target Date

Learning Learning Activity/Assessment of
Outcomes Outcomes Submission

Articulate the 1 Class Orientation Google Survey Form August

importance of on school and 10,2020
the course class policies
content as (vision, mission,
well as goals, and core
appreciate values), including
classroom retention policies
management and online
that is etiquette
conducive to
learning. Introduction to the
course objectives,
contents,
activities, and
requirements
Demonstrate Assess the 2-3 Nature, Essence Timeline of the August 20,
knowledge significance and significance of Philippine literary 2020
and of literature, literature history (pair work)
understanding specifically, *Rubric is provided.
of time Philippine Historical
periods and literature in background of
growth and English Philippine
development Formulate a Literature
in Philippine timeline of
literature. the history of
Philippine
literature
Interpret Write a short 4-5 Pre-Colonial Write a short native September
literary works poem Literature poem (individual 4, 2020
in the context following a • Riddles work).
of socio- native • Proverbs *Rubric is provided.
historical Philippine • Myths and
events. form. Legends
• Epics
Write • Folktales
creatively in • Folksongs
the
understanding
of
representative
literary works.
Prelim Requirement PRELIMINARY Week of Prelim Examination
EXAMINATION (to
be submitted via
Canvas)
Creative Work: A
creative
presentation
(infographic,
editorial cartoon or
poster) of a myth,
legend or epic
(group work).
(Total of 50
points) *Rubric is
provided.
 Nature, Essence and Significance of Literature

What is Literature?

Literature, in its broadest sense, is any written work. Etymologically, the term derives from
Latin litaritura/litteratura “writing formed with letters,” although some definitions include
spoken or sung texts. More restrictively, it is writing that possesses literary merit. Literature
can be classified according to whether it is fiction or non-fiction and whether it is poetry or
prose. It can be further distinguished according to major forms such as the novel, short
story or drama, and works are often categorized according to historical periods or their
adherence to certain aesthetic features or expectations (genre).

It is also an enduring expression of significant human experiences in words well-chosen

and arranged.

https://courses.lumenlearning.com/introliterature/chapter/defining-literature/
Literature is a term used to describe
written or spoken material. Broadly
speaking, "literature" is used to describe
anything from creative writing to more
technical or scientific works, but the
term is most commonly used to refer to
works of the creative imagination,
including works of poetry, drama, fiction,
and nonfiction.

Philippine literature had evolved much

before colonization. It is full of legends
and tales of colonial legacy. Mexican
and Spanish dominance over the land
and the people, over varying periods of
time, witnessed the incorporation of
English, Spanish, Filipino and native
languages, to express ideology and
opinion. Literature in the Philippines
developed much later than in most other
countries. Evidence reveals the use of a
script called Baybayin that flourished in
1521. Baybayin was used to write about
legends, in Luzon, during Spaniard
domination.
 ESSENCE AND SIGNIFICANCE OF
LITERATURE

 Literature (origin of term litera

w/c means letters) deals with
ideas, thoughts and emotions of
man – thus it can be said the
literature is the story of man.
(Baritugo, et al. 2004)

 Literature in its broadest sense,

is everything that has never
been written.

 The best way to understand

human nature fully and to know
a nation completely is to study
literature.(Garcia, et al. 1993)

 Through literature, we learn the

innermost feelings and thoughts
of people – the most real; part of
themselves, thus we gain an
understanding not only of
others, but more importantly, of
ourselves and of life itself.
(Garcia, et al. 1993)

 Literature offer us an experience

in which we should participate
as we read and test what we
read by our own experience.

 Literature does not yield much

unless we bring something of
ourselves to it.
 Literature is a faithful production of life… in a sense it is a product
and a commentary on life process.

 Literature illuminates life.

 Literature is our life’s story including its struggles, ideas, failures,

sacrifices and happiness. (Ang,2006)

 Literature appeal’s to man’s higher nature and its needs –

emotional, spiritual, intellectual and creative. Like all other forms
of art, literature entertains and gives pleasure; it fries the
imagination and arouses noble emotions and it enriches man by
enabling him to reflect on life and by filing him with new ideas.
(Garcia, et al. 1993)

 Literature is one of the seven arts ( i.e., music, dance,

painting,sculpture,theathre and architecture) and as such,
literature is a creative product of a creative work the result of
which is form and beauty. ( Nuggets, 2004)
https://www.academia.edu/27650507/ESSENCE_AND_SIGNIFICANCE_OF_LITERATURE
Historical Background of Philippine Literature

The literature of the Philippines is predominantly a

reflection of the influence of the Spaniards on the
indigenous culture and traditions. The people of
Manila and native groups within the Philippines used
to write on bamboo and the arecaceae palm. They
used knives for inscribing the ancient Tagalog script.
The literature thus preserved was limited to the
seventeen basic symbols of the language. With just
three vowels and consonantal symbols that had
predetermined, inherent sound, the literature handed
down was in a 'raw' state and needed to be
developed.

The Tagalog language script that was used initially to

preserve and hand down literature, was limited to a
diacritical mark or 'kudlit' that further modified
pronunciation and writing. The dot, line or arrow head
was either placed above or below the symbol. The
literature thus preserved has played a very important
role in the public schooling arena and the rise of the
educated class. 'Ilustrados' such as José Rizal and
Pedro Paterno contributed to important Spanish
literary work in the Philippines and subsequently,
Philippine Classical Literature. The cultural elite
penned a number of historical documents. Literature
in the Philippines also includes various national
anthems, revolutionary propaganda and nationalist
articles. Most of the literature of the land was initially
in the Spanish language and the contributions were
profound writings by Marcelo H. Del Pilar and Claro
M. Recto, among a host of others. Philippine
literature was preserved well through private
publications like 'Plaridel' and the first Spanish
newspaper 'El Boletín de Cebú' and 'Flora Sentino',
by Orlando Agnes.
Literature in the Philippines was developed and
preserved by native Filipino intellectuals. Isidro
Marfori, Enrique Fernandez Lumba, Cecilio Apostol,
Fernando Ma. Guerrero, Jesús Balmori, Flavio
Zaragoza Cano and Francisco Zaragoza played a
major role in the preservation of the stories handed
down in time. Writers such as Castrillo, Fernandez,
Rivera, Licsi and Estrada also spent a major part of
their lives in the documentation of 'by-word-of-
mouth' hand-downs. Columns and articles in
newspapers such as El Renacimiento, La
Vanguardia, El Pueblo de Iloilo, La Democracia and
El Tiempo and magazines such as 'Independent'
and 'Philippine Review' kept the legacies alive in
Spanish and English.

Many of the world's best short stories are native to

the Philippines. When the Filipino writers began
using the English language for artistic expression,
they took the original works of the Philippines to the
west. The folk tales and epics were, in time, put into
written word along with poems and chants that were
the legacies of the ethnolinguistic groups. Literary
work now available includes articles on Spanish
conquest, native cultural heritage, pre-colonial
literature and traditional narratives. Another very
interesting segment of Philippine literature includes
inspiring speeches and songs. This segment has
effectively maintained the mystifying characteristic
of Philippine epics and folk tales. The narratives
and descriptions of various magical characters,
mythical objects and supernatural are surreal,
distinctly adhering to the ideologies and customs of
the natives.

Ethno-epics such as Biag ni Lam-ang or the Life of

Lam-ang, Agyu or Olahing, Sandayo of Subanon,
Aliguyon, the Hudhud and Labaw Donggon are
great examples of assimilated styles and language
variations. Today, Philippine literature reflects
national issues through political prose, essay writing
and novels. Novels by Jose Rizal, El Filibusterismo
and Noli Me Tangere patronize the revival of the
rich folk tradition.

http://literature-is-fun.weebly.com/part-i-historical-background-of-
the-philippine-literature.html
Philippine Literature during Pre-Colonial Period
Published on February 26, 2016

Precolonial Period

Filipinos often lose sight of the fact that the first period of the Philippine
literary history is the longest. Certain events from the nation’s history had
forced lowland Filipinos to begin counting the years of history from 1521, the
first time written records by Westerners referred to the archipelago later to be
called “Las Islas Filipinas”. However, the discovery of the “Tabon Man” in a
cave in Palawan in 1962, has allowed us to stretch our prehistory as far as
50,000 years back. The stages of that prehistory show how the early Filipinos
grew in control over their environment. Through the researches and writings
about Philippine history, much can be reliably inferred about precolonial
Philippine literature from an analysis of collected oral lore of Filipinos whose
ancestors were able to preserve their indigenous culture by living beyond the
reach of Spanish colonial administrators.

The oral literature of the precolonial Filipinos bore the marks of the
community. The subject was invariably the common experience of the people
constituting the village-food-gathering, creature and objects of nature, work in
the home, field, forest or sea, caring for children, etc. This is evident in the
most common forms of oral literature like the riddle, the proverbs and the
song, which always seem to assume that the audience is familiar with the
situations, activities and objects mentioned in the course of expressing a
thought or emotion. The language of oral literature, unless the piece was part
of the cultural heritage of the community like the epic, was the language of
daily life. At this phase of literary development, any member of the community
was a potential poet, singer or storyteller as long as he knew the language
and had been attentive to the conventions of the forms.

Thousands of maxims, proverbs, epigrams, and the like have been listed by
many different collectors and researchers from many dialects. Majority of
these reclaimed from oblivion com from the Tagalos, Cebuano, and Ilocano
dialects. And the bulk are rhyming couplets with verses of five, six seven, or
eight syllables, each line of the couplet having the same number of syllables.
The rhyming practice is still the same as today in the three dialects
mentioned. A good number of the proverbs is conjectured as part of longer
poems with stanza divisions, but only the lines expressive of a philosophy
have remained remembered in the oral tradition. Classified with the maxims
and proverbs are allegorical stanzas which abounded in all local literature.
They contain homilies, didactic material, and expressions of homespun
philosophy, making them often quoted by elders and headmen in talking to
inferiors. They are rich in similes and metaphors. These one stanza poems
were called Tanaga and consisted usually of four lines with seven syllables,
all lines rhyming.
The most appreciated riddles of ancient Philippines are those that are rhymed and
having equal number of syllables in each line, making them classifiable under the early
poetry of this country. Riddles were existent in all languages and dialects of the
ancestors of the Filipinos and cover practically all of the experiences of life in these
times.

Almost all the important events in the life of the ancient peoples of this country were
connected with some religious observance and the rites and ceremonies always some
poetry recited, chanted, or sung. The lyrics of religious songs may of course be
classified as poetry also, although the rhythm and the rhyme may not be the same.

Drama as a literary from had not yet begun to evolve among the early Filipinos.
Philippine theater at this stage consisted largely in its simplest form, of mimetic dances
imitating natural cycles and work activities. At its most sophisticated, theater consisted
of religious rituals presided over by a priest or priestess and participated in by the
community. The dances and ritual suggest that indigenous drama had begun to evolve
from attempts to control the environment. Philippine drama would have taken the form
of the dance-drama found in other Asian countries.

Prose narratives in prehistoric Philippines consisted largely or myths, hero tales, fables
and legends. Their function was to explain natural phenomena, past events, and
contemporary beliefs in order to make the environment less fearsome by making it
more comprehensible and, in more instances, to make idle hours less tedious by filling
them with humor and fantasy. There is a great wealth of mythical and legendary lore
that belongs to this period, but preserved mostly by word of mouth, with few written
down by interested parties who happen upon them.
The most significant pieces of oral literature
that may safely be presumed to have
originated in prehistoric times are folk
epics. Epic poems of great proportions and
lengths abounded in all regions of the
islands, each tribe usually having at least
one and some tribes possessing traditionally
around five or six popular ones with minor
epics of unknown number.

Filipinos had a culture that linked them with

the Malays in the Southeast Asia, a culture
with traces of Indian, Arabic, and, possibly
Chinese influences. Their epics, songs, short
poems, tales, dances and rituals gave them
a native Asian perspective which served as a
filtering device for the Western culture that
the colonizers brought over from Europe.
Ten Reasons Why Life Was Better In PreColonial Philippines

Women Enjoyed Equal Status with Men.

During precolonial times, women shared equal footing with men

in society. They were allowed to divorce, own and inherit
property, and even lead their respective barangays or territories.

In matters of family, the women were for all intents and purposes
the working heads, possessing the power of the purse and the
sole right to name their children. They could dictate the terms of
their marriage and even retain their maiden names if they chose
to do so.

During this time, people also traced their heritage to both their
father and mother. In fact, it could be said that precolonial
Philippines was largely matriarchal, with the opinions of women
holding great weight in matters of politics and religion (they also
headed the rituals as the babaylans).

As a show of respect, men were even required to walk behind

their wives. This largely progressive society that elevated women
to such a high pedestal took a serious blow when the Spanish
came. Eager to impose their patriarchal system, the Spanish
relegated women to the homes, demonized the babaylans as
satanic, and ingrained into our forefathers’ heads that women
should be like Maria Clara—demure, self-effacing, and
powerless.

Society Was More Tolerant Back Then

While it could be said that our modern society is one of the most
tolerant in the world, we owe our open-mindedness not to the
Americans and certainly not to the Spanish, but to the precolonial
Filipinos.

Aside from allowing divorce, women back then also had a say in
how many children they wanted. Sexuality was not as
suppressed, and no premium was given to virginity before
marriage. Although polygamy was practiced, men were expected
to do so only if they could support and love each of his wives
equally. Homosexuals were also largely tolerated, seeing as how
some of the babaylans were actually men in drag.

Surprisingly, with the amount of sexual freedom, no prostitution

existed during the pre-colonial days. In fact, some literature
suggests that the American period—which heavily emphasized
capitalism and profiteering—introduced prostitution into the
country on a massive scale.
The People Enjoyed A Higher
Standard Of Government

The relationship of the ruler to his

subjects was very simple back then: In
return for his protection, the people
pay tribute and serve him both in
times of war and peace.

Going by the evidence, we could say

that our ancestors already practiced
an early version of the Social
Contract, a theory by prominent
thinkers such as Thomas Hobbes,
John Locke, and Jean-Jacques
Rousseau which espoused the view
that rulers owe their right to rule on the
basis of the people’s consent.

Conversely, if the ruler became

corrupt or incompetent, then the
people had a right to remove him. And
that’s exactly the kind of government
our ancestors had. Although the datus
technically came from the upper
classes, he could be removed from his
position by the lower classes if they
found him wanting of his duties. Also,
anyone (including women) could
become the datu based on their merits
such as bravery, wisdom, and
leadership ability.
We Were Self-Sufficient

In terms of food, our forefathers did not suffer from any lack thereof.
Blessed with such a resource-rich country, they had enough for
themselves and their families.

Forests, rivers, and seas yielded plentiful supplies of meat, fish, and
other foodstuffs. Later on, their diet became more varied especially
when they learned to till the land using farming techniques that were
quite advanced for their time. The Banaue Rice Terraces is one such
proof of our ancestors’ ingenuity.

What’s more, they already had an advanced concept of agrarian

equity. Men and women equally worked in the fields, and anyone could
till public lands free of charge. Also, since they had little-to-no concept
of exploitation for profit, our ancestors generally took care of the
environment well.

Such was the abundance of foodstuffs that Miguel Lopez de Legaspi,

the most-successful Spanish colonizer of the islands, was said to have
reported the “abundance of rice, fowls, and wine, as well as great
numbers of buffaloes, deer, wild boar and goats” when he first arrived
in Luzon.

We Had Smoother Foreign Relations

We’ve all been taught that before the Spanish galleon trade, the
precolonial Filipinos had already established trading and diplomatic
relations with countries as far away as the Middle East.

In lieu of cash, our ancestors exchanged precious minerals,

manufactured goods, etc. with Arabs, Indians, Chinese, and several
other nationalities. During this time period, many foreigners
permanently settled here after marveling at the beauty of the country
and its people.

Out of the foreigners, it was the Chinese who were amazed at the
precolonial Filipinos the most, especially when it came to their
extraordinary honesty. Chinese traders often wrote about the Filipinos’
sincerity and said they were one of their most trusted clientele since
they did not steal their goods and always paid their debts.

In fact, some Chinese—out of confidence—were known to simply leave

their items on the beaches to be picked up by the Filipinos and traded
inland. When they returned, the Filipinos would give them back their
bartered items without anything missing.
Our Forefathers Already Possessed
A Working Judicial And Legislative
System

Although not as advanced (or as

complicated) as our own today, the fact
that our ancestors already possessed a
working judicial and legislative system
just goes to show that they were well-
versed in the concept of justice.

Life in precolonial Philippines was

governed by a set of statutes, both
unwritten and written, and contained
provisions with regards to civil and
criminal laws. Usually, it was the Datu
and the village elders who promulgated
such laws, which were then announced
and explained to the people by a town
crier called the umalohokan.

The Datu and the elders also acted as

de facto courts in case of disputes
between individuals of their village. In
case of inter-barangay disputes, a local
board composed of elders from
different barangays would usually act
as an arbiter.

Penalties for anyone found guilty of a

crime include censures, fines,
imprisonment and death. Tortures and
trials by ordeal during this time were
also common. Like we’ve said, the
system was not perfect, but it worked.
Several Professions Already Existed

Aside from being farmers, hunters, weapon-makers, and

seafarers, the precolonial Filipinos also dabbled—and
excelled—in several other professions as well.

To name a few, many became involved in such

professions as mining, textiles, and smiting. Owing to
the excellent craftsmanship of the Filipinos, locally-
produced items such as pots, jewelry, and clothing were
highly-sought in other countries. In fact, it is reported
that products of Filipino origin might have even reached
as far away as ancient Egypt. Clearly, our ancestors
were very skilled artisans.

The Literacy Rate Was High

Using the ancient system of writing called the baybayin,

the precolonial Filipinos educated themselves very well,
so much so that when the Spanish finally arrived, they
were shocked to find out that the Filipinos possessed a
literacy rate higher than that of Madrid!

However, the high literacy rate also proved to be a

double-edged sword for the Filipinos once the Spanish
arrived. Eager to evangelize and subjugate our
ancestors, the missionaries exploited the baybayin for
their own ends, learning and using it to translate their
various works. Consequently, the precolonial Filipinos
became more easily susceptible to foreign influence.
We Already Had An Advanced Civilization

Contrary to foreign accounts, our ancestors

were not just some backwards, jungle-living
savages. In reality, precolonial Philippines
already possessed a very advanced civilization
way before the coming of the Spanish.

Our ancestors possessed a complex working

society and a culture replete with works of arts
and literature. When the colonizers came,
everything contradictory to their own system
had to go. Sculptures, texts, religious
ceremonies, and virtually anything else
deemed obscene, evil or a threat to their rule
were eliminated.

Conclusively, we can only speculate what

would have happened had our ancestors
never been colonized in the first place.
Although the Spanish era (and the American
period by extension) did have their good
points, would it have really been worth it all in
the end?

https://esielcabrera.wordpress.com/2016/02/26/philippine-literature-during-pre-colonial-period/
Ethnic Tradition

Philippine ethnic literature is a rich repository of ideas, ideals, and

sentiments, preserved through centuries of oral transmission. From
the samples that exist, ethnic literature may be classified into three
groups:

 folk speech
 folk songs
 folk narratives

Folk Speech

Riddles

A puzzle in which an object to be guessed is described in terms of

another, unrelated object, the riddle relies on talinghaga or metaphor.

Because it reveals subtle resemblances between two unlike objects,

the riddle whets one’s wits and sensitizes one’s perceptions of things
often taken for granted.

Proverbs and Aphorisms

instill values and teach lessons.

short sayings which encapsulate and preserve a community’s beliefs,

norms, and codes of behavior.

Usually, a commonplace object or incident is used to illustrate an

accepted truth or cherished ideal.

Example:

Gaano man ang tibay ng piling abaka

Ay wala ring lakas kapag nag-iisa.

• Tanaga

– Extended form of wise saying

– Monoriming quatrain, which expresses insights and

lessons on living

Ang sugat ay kung tinanggap

Di daramdamin ang antak

Ang aayaw at di mayag

Galos lamang magnanaknak.

Folk Songs

• Lullabies

• Love Songs

• Drinking Songs

• Religious Songs

• Death Songs

• Lullabies – sung to put children to

sleep; called oyayi by the Tagalog;
often repetitive and sonorous.

• Many lullabyes are didactic;

some are plaintive, expressing
the hardships of life, a few
express hope in the future.
(Below is a translation.)

Go to sleep, dear little one

Will my fruit please sleep

This strong boy

So when the fruit grows big

He will believe

Everything that we say.

Folk Narratives

Folk Tales – generally called kuwentong

bayan among the Tagalog, are of different
types: myths, legends, fables, and trickster
tales.
Folk Tales

Myths– often regarded as sacred, explain the origin and the goal of the cosmos; usually involve
divinities and spirits who interact with humans.

Legends (alamat) – about more recent events; used to teach lessons in life.

Fables – short tales, usually involving animals, which teach a moral lesson.

Trickster Tales – recount the adventures of clever heroes who outwit authority figures, usually
coming from the upper classes.

Epics

– Less humorous, loftier and much lengthier

– Revolve around supernatural events or heroic deeds, and they embody or

validate the beliefs, customs, and ideals of a community.

– Either sung or chanted during communal affairs such as harvest, weddings, or

funerals, by bards chosen for their wisdom or age.

Popular Philippine Epics

Title Group Translation Humadap

Agyu Arakan-Arumanen
Ulahingan Livunganen-Arumanen
Ag Tobig nog Keboklagan The Kingdom of Keboklagan
Keg Sumba neg Sandayo The Life of Sandayo
Kudaman Palawan
Darangen Maranao
st
Labaw Donggon (1 part of the Sulod
epic Hinilawod)
Humadapnon Sulod
Mangovayt Buhong na Langit Manobo The Maiden of the Buhong Sky
Midsakop Tabpopawoy Manobo Tuwaang Attends a Wedding