Philippine Literature Pre-Colonial Era Quiz

21st Century Literature

• Focuses on literature from the 21st century.

What is Literature?

• Literature encompasses written or spoken artistic works.
• It uses language to convey ideas, emotions, and experiences.

Literary Text

• Literary texts are written expressions of broader artistic works.
• They are products of written literature transformed into a written form.

Literary Text Characteristics

• Narrates a story.
• Expresses feelings, thoughts, and ideas (imaginary or real life experiences).
• Conveys information and transcends boundaries of time, place, culture, and language.

The Beginning of Literature - Evidence

• Evidence dates from 50,000 years ago to the 14th century A.D.
• Found in the Tabon Cave of Palawan.

Periods of Philippine Literature

• Pre-Colonial Period
• Spanish Period
• American Period
• Japanese Period
• Contemporary & Modern Period

Pre-Colonial Period

• Literature classified into folk speech, folk songs, and folk narratives.
• These include riddles, proverbs, myths, fables, and hero tales.

Pinoy Urban Legends

• Reflect fearful creatures from stories.
• Students should draw and describe the physical attributes of the creature.
• Students should describe their feelings about the creature.

Various Religions, Cultures and Traditions

• Various religions influenced beliefs and traditions.
• Various cultures affected values and beliefs.
• This varied during different periods.

Animism

• A predominant religion.
• Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism were also practiced.

14th Century

• Predominantly Islamic due to the introduction of foreign religion.
• Early Filipinos lacked formal education but had their own government systems.
• Daily experiences and religious rites reflect the literature of that time.

Pre-Spanish Writing System - Baybayin

• Baybayin, an ancient writing system, was officially recognized.
• Formalized by House Bill No. 1022.

Diverse Pre-Colonial Literature

• Literature during this period comes from poetry, songs, and storytelling.
• Anyone who understood the language and method could use this form for art.

Types of Pre-Colonial Literature

• Folk speech
• Proverbs
• Folk songs
• Work songs
• Folk tales
• Myths
• Legends
• Fables
• Trickster Tales

Folk Speech & Examples

• Expressed in riddles/bugtong, proverbs, or talinghaga.
• Example: "Heto na si Kaka, bubuka-bukaka / Sa araw ay bungbong, sa gabi ay dahon."
• Example: "Pirmi lang gapasirong pay basa man dyapon" - "Always sheltered but still wet."
• Example: "Ini sa may liog pay wala sing ulo, may lawas pay wala sing busong." - "It has neck, but no head; it has body but no belly."

Paktakun

• A literary form used by the Western Visayan people.
• Also called a riddle.

Folk Tales or Kwentong Bayan

• Anonymous, timeless, and placeless stories spread amongst groups.

Myths

• Regarded as sacred and explain origins and purposes of the cosmos.

Legends

• Explain events using mythical elements relevant to the lives of early Filipinos.

Fables

• Narratives with animals acting as human beings.
• Designed to highlight human follies and weaknesses.

Trickster Tales

• Adventures of a clever hero outwitting authority figures, often from the upper class.

Essential Question

• How do literary works help us better understand the world around us?

Group Up!

• Groups must select one pre-colonial literary work.
• Deliver folk speech and folk songs.