11 Questions
What is the most prominent characteristic of pre-colonial Philippine literature?
It was based on oral traditions
Which of the following is NOT a type of folk song mentioned in the text?
Harana (serenade song)
What is the purpose of 'bugtong' in pre-colonial Philippine literature?
To engage in a battle of wits among participants
Which of the following is a characteristic of 'tanaga', a literary form mentioned in the text?
It is a mono-riming heptasyllabic quatrain
What is the purpose of 'salawikain' (proverbs) in pre-colonial Philippine literature?
To convey wise sayings and teachings
Which of the following literary forms is NOT mentioned in the text?
Epics
What type of literary work typically explains the origin of things?
Legends
Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of Spanish colonial literature?
It was written exclusively by native Filipinos
What type of Spanish colonial literary work dramatizes the passion and death of Christ?
Senakulo
Which of the following is an example of a secular Spanish colonial literary form?
Awit
What is the main purpose of the Spanish friars' literary works during the colonial period?
To spread Christianity and destroy anything indigenous
Study Notes
Pre-Colonial Period (BC to 1564)
- Based on oral traditions, crude on ideology and phraseology
- Characterized by oral literature, folk songs, prose works, and epics
Oral Literature
- Riddles (bugtong): battle of wits among participants, e.g. Tigmo (Cebu), Paktakon (Ilonggo), Patotdon (Bicol)
- Proverbs (salawikain): wise sayings that contain a metaphor, used to teach as a food for thought
- Tanaga: a mono-riming heptasyllabic quatrain, expressing insights and lessons on life
Folk Songs
- Express hopes and aspirations, people's lifestyles, and loves
- Often repetitive and sonorous, didactic and naive
- Examples:
- Hele or oyayi (lullaby)
- Soliranin (boat song)
- Kumintang (war song)
- Diona (wedding song)
- Dalit (religious song)
- Kundiman (love song)
- Dapayanin (drinking song)
- Ambahan (Mangyan) - 7-syllable per line poem, about human relationships and social entertainment
- Kalusan (Ivatan) - work songs, depicting livelihood of the people
- Tagay (Cebuano and Waray) - drinking song
- Kanogan (Cebuano) - song of lamentation for the dead
- Hibais (travel song)
- Dung-aw (funeral song)
- Bangsal (courting song)
Prose Works
- Myths (Mito): explain how the world was created, how certain animals possess certain characteristics, etc.
- Legends (Alamat): explain the origin of things, e.g. Why the Pineapple Has Eyes, The Legend of Maria Makiling
- Fables (Pabula): use animal characters and allegory
- Fantastic stories: deal with underworld characters, e.g. tiyanak, aswang, kapre
- Folk tales (Kwentong-bayan)
- Parables (Parabula)
Epics
- Narratives of sustained length, based on oral tradition, revolving around supernatural events or heroic deeds
- Examples:
- Lam-ang (Ilocano)
- Hinilawod (Panay)
- Kudaman (Palawan)
- Darangen (Maranao)
- Alim and Hudhud (Ifugaos)
- Kumintang (Tagalogs)
- Ibalon (Bicolanos)
- Maragtas, Hinilawod (Visayans)
- Hari sa Bukid (Hiligaynons)
- Dagoy and Sudsod (Tagbanuas)
- Bantugan (Muslims)
- Indarapatra Sulayman (Maguindanaos)
- Tatuaang (Bagobos)
- Ulagingen and Saleb (Manobos)
Spanish Colonization Period (1565 - 1863)
- Philippines was discovered by the first group of colonizers, the Spaniards
- First settlement by the Spaniards in Cebu was by the group of Adelantado Miguel Lopez de Legaspi
Characteristics
- Two distinct classifications: religious and secular
- Introduced Spanish as the medium of communication
Literary Forms
Religious Literature
- Written by ladino poets or those versed in both Spanish and Tagalog
- Included in early catechism and used to teach Filipinos the Spanish language
- Examples:
- Pasyon: long narrative poem about the passion and death of Christ
- Senakulo: dramatization of the pasyon, showing the passion and death of Christ
- Doctrina Cristiana: the Catholic book of prayers and doctrines
Secular Literature
- Awit: colorful tales of chivalry made for singing and chanting
- Korido: metrical tale written in octosyllabic quatrains
- Prose Narratives: written to prescribe proper decorum
- Examples:
- Dialogo
- Ejemplo
- Manual de Urbanidad
- Tratado
Learn about the characteristics and literary forms of Philippine Literature during the Pre-Colonial Period, from --BC to 1564. Explore the oral traditions, riddles, proverbs, and Tanaga poetry that were prevalent during this era.
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