Introduction to 21st Century Philippine Literature PDF

SH1903 Introduction to 21st Century Literature Pre-Colonial Times A Brief History of 21st Century Philippine Literature Ow...

SH1903 Introduction to 21st Century Literature Pre-Colonial Times A Brief History of 21st Century Philippine Literature Owing to the works of our own archaeologists, ethnologists and anthropologists, we are able to know more and better judge information about our pre-colonial times set against a bulk of "The Literary Forms in Philippine Literature" material about early Filipinos as recorded by Spanish, Chinese, by Christine F. Godinez-Ortega Arabic and other chroniclers of the past. The diversity and richness of Philippine literature evolved side Pre-colonial inhabitants of our islands showcase a rich past by side with the country’s history. This can best be appreciated through their folk speeches, folk songs, folk narratives and in the context of the country’s pre-colonial cultural traditions indigenous rituals and mimetic dances that affirm our ties with and the socio-political histories of its colonial and our Southeast Asian neighbors. contemporary traditions. The most seminal of these folk speeches is the riddle which The average Filipino’s unfamiliarity with his indigenous is tigmo in Cebuano, bugtong in Tagalog, paktakon in Ilongo literature was largely due to what has been impressed upon and patototdon in Bicol. Central to the riddle is him: that his country was “discovered” and, hence, Philippine the talinghaga or metaphor because it “reveals subtle “history” started only in 1521. resemblances between two unlike objects” and one’s power of observation and wit are put to the test. While some riddles are So successful were the efforts of colonialists to blot out the ingenious, others verge on the obscene or are sex-related. memory of the country’s largely oral past that present-day Filipino writers, artists and journalists are trying to correct this The proverbs or aphorisms express norms or codes of behavior, inequity by recognizing the country’s wealth of ethnic community beliefs or they instill values by offering nuggets of traditions and disseminating them in schools and in the mass wisdom in short, rhyming verse. media. The extended form, tanaga, a mono-rhyming heptasyllabic The rousings of nationalistic pride in the 1960s and 1970s also quatrain expressing insights and lessons on life is “more helped bring about this change of attitude among a new breed emotionally charged than the terse proverb and thus has of Filipinos concerned about the “Filipino identity.” affinities with the folk lyric.” Some examples are the basahanon or extended didactic sayings from Bukidnon and the daraida and daragilon from Panay. 01 Handout 2 *Property of STI  [email protected] Page 1 of 6  SH1903 The folk song, a form of folk lyric which expresses the hopes Our country’s epics are considered ethno-epics because unlike, and aspirations, the people’s lifestyles as well as their loves. say, Germany’s Nibelungenlied, our epics are not national for These are often repetitive and sonorous, didactic and naive as they are “histories” of varied groups that consider themselves in the children’s songs or Ida-ida (Maguindanao), tulang “nations.” pambata (Tagalog) or cansiones para abbing (Ibanag). The epics come in various A few examples are the lullabyes or Ili-ili (Ilongo); love songs names: Guman (Subanon); Darangen (Maranao); Hudhud (Ifug like the panawagon and balitao (Ilongo); harana or serenade ao); and Ulahingan (Manobo). These epics revolve around (Cebuano); the bayok (Maranao); the seven-syllable per line supernatural events or heroic deeds and they embody or poem, ambahan of the Mangyans that are about human validate the beliefs and customs and ideals of a community. relationships, social entertainment and also serve as a tool for These are sung or chanted to the accompaniment of indigenous teaching the young; work songs that depict the livelihood of the musical instruments and dancing performed during harvests, people often sung to go with the movement of workers such as weddings or funerals by chanters. The chanters who were the kalusan (Ivatan), soliranin (Tagalog rowing song) or taught by their ancestors are considered “treasures” and/or the mambayu, a Kalinga rice-pounding song; the verbal repositories of wisdom in their communities. jousts/games like the duplo popular during wakes. Examples of these epics are the Lam- Other folk songs are the drinking songs sung during carousals ang (Ilocano); Hinilawod (Sulod); Kudaman (Palawan); Daran like the tagay (Cebuano and Waray); dirges and lamentations gen(Maranao); Ulahingan (Livunganen-Arumanen extolling the deeds of the dead like the kanogon (Cebuano) or Manobo); Mangovayt Buhong na Langit (The Maiden of the the Annako (Bontoc). Buhong Sky from Tuwaang–Manobo); Ag Tobig neg Keboklagan (Subanon); and Tudbulol (T’boli). A type of narrative song or kissa among the Tausug of Mindanao, the parang sabil, uses for its subject matter the The Spanish Colonial Tradition exploits of historical and legendary heroes. It tells of a Muslim hero who seeks death at the hands of non-Muslims. While it is true that Spain subjugated the Philippines for more mundane reasons, this former European power contributed The folk narratives, i.e. epics and folk tales are varied, exotic much in the shaping and recording of our literature. Religion and magical. They explain how the world was created, how and institutions that represented European civilization enriched certain animals possess certain characteristics, why some the languages in the lowlands, introduced theater which we places have waterfalls, volcanoes, mountains, flora or fauna would come to know as komedya, the sinakulo, the sarswela, and, in the case of legends, an explanation of the origins of the playlets and the drama. Spain also brought to the country, things. Fables are about animals and these teach moral lessons. though at a much later time, liberal ideas and an 01 Handout 2 *Property of STI  [email protected] Page 2 of 6  SH1903 internationalism that influenced our own Filipino intellectuals Aside from religious poetry, there were various kinds of prose and writers for them to understand the meanings of "liberty and narratives written to prescribe proper decorum. Like freedom." the pasyon, these prose narratives were also used for proselitization. Some forms are: dialogo(dialogue), Manual de Literature in this period may be classified as religious prose Urbanidad (conduct book); ejemplo (exemplum) and poetry and secular prose and poetry. and tratado (tratado). The most well-known are Modesto de Castro’s "Pagsusulatan ng Dalawang Binibini na si Urbana at Religious lyrics written by ladino poets or those versed in both si Feliza" (Correspondence between the Two Maidens Urbana Spanish and Tagalog were included in early catechism and and Feliza) in 1864 and Joaquin Tuason’s "Ang Bagong were used to teach Filipinos the Spanish language. Fernando Robinson” (The New Robinson) in 1879, an adaptation of Bagonbanta’s "Salamat nang walang hanga/gracias de sin Daniel Defoe’s novel. sempiternas" (Unending thanks) is a fine example that is found in the Memorial de la vida cristiana en lengua Secular works appeared alongside historical and economic tagala (Guidelines for the Christian life in the Tagalog changes, the emergence of an opulent class and the middle language) published in 1605. class who could avail of a European education. This Filipino elite could now read printed works that used to be the exclusive Another form of religious lyrics are the meditative verses like domain of the missionaries. the dalit appended to novenas and catechisms. It has no fixed meter nor rime scheme although a number are written in The most notable of the secular lyrics followed the conventions octosyllabic quatrains and have a solemn tone and spiritual of a romantic tradition: the languishing but loyal lover, the subject matter. elusive, often heartless beloved, the rival. The leading poets were Jose Corazon de Jesus and Francisco Balagtas. Some But among the religious poetry of the day, it is the pasyon in secular poets who wrote in this same tradition were Leona octosyllabic quintillas that became entrenched in the Filipino’s Florentino, Jacinto Kawili, Isabelo de los Reyes and Rafael commemoration of Christ’s agony and resurrection at Calvary. Gandioco. Gaspar Aquino de Belen’s "Ang Mahal na Passion ni Jesu Christong Panginoon natin na tola" (Holy Passion of Our Lord Another popular secular poetry is the metrical romance, Jesus Christ in Verse) put out in 1704 is the country’s earliest the awit and korido in Tagalog. The awit is set in known pasyon. dodecasyllabic quatrains while the korido is in octosyllabic quatrains. These are colorful tales of chivalry from European Other known pasyons chanted during the Lenten season are in sources made for singing and chanting such as Gonzalo de Ilocano, Pangasinan, Ibanag, Cebuano, Bicol, Ilongo and Cordoba (Gonzalo of Cordoba) and Ibong Adarna (Adarna Waray. Bird). There are numerous metrical romances in Tagalog, 01 Handout 2 *Property of STI  [email protected] Page 3 of 6  SH1903 Bicol, Ilongo, Pampango, Ilocano and in Pangasinan. Enrique Laygo (Caretas or Masks, 1925) and Balmori who The awit as a popular poetic genre reached new heights in mastered the prosa romantica or romantic prose. Balagtas’ “Florante at Laura” (ca. 1838-1861), the most famous of the country’s metrical romances. But the introduction of English as medium of instruction in the Philippines hastened the demise of Spanish so that by the Again, the winds of change began to blow in 19th century 1930s, English writing had overtaken Spanish writing. During Philippines. Filipino intellectuals educated in Europe the language’s death throes, however, writing in the romantic called ilustrados began to write about the downside of tradition, from the awit and korido, would continue in the colonization. This, coupled with the simmering calls for novels of Magdalena Jalandoni. But patriotic writing continued reforms by the masses gathered a formidable force of writers under the new colonialists. These appeared in the vernacular like Jose Rizal, Marcelo H. del Pilar, Mariano Ponce, Emilio poems and modern adaptations of works during the Spanish Jacinto and Andres Bonifacio. period and which further maintained the Spanish tradition. This led to the formation of the Propaganda Movement where The American Colonial Period prose works such as the political essays and Rizal’s two political novels, Noli Me Tangere and the El A new set of colonizers brought about new changes in Filibusterismo helped usher in the Philippine revolution Philippine literature. New literary forms such as free verse [in resulting in the downfall of the Spanish regime, and, at the poetry], the modern short story and the critical essay were same time planted the seeds of a national consciousness among introduced. American influence was deeply entrenched with Filipinos. the firm establishment of English as the medium of instruction in all schools and with literary modernism that highlighted the But if Rizal’s novels are political, the novel Ninay (1885) by writer’s individuality and cultivated consciousness of craft, Pedro Paterno is largely cultural and is considered the first sometimes at the expense of social consciousness. Filipino novel. Although Paterno’s Ninay gave impetus to other novelists like Jesus Balmori and Antonio M. Abad to continue The poet, and later, National Artist for Literature, Jose Garcia writing in Spanish, this did not flourish. Villa used free verse and espoused the dictum, “Art for art’s sake” to the chagrin of other writers more concerned with the Other Filipino writers published the essay and short fiction in utilitarian aspect of literature. Another maverick in poetry who Spanish in La Vanguardia, El Debate, Renacimiento Filipino, used free verse and talked about illicit love in her poetry was and Nueva Era. The more notable essayists and fictionists were Angela Manalang Gloria, a woman poet described as ahead of Claro M. Recto, Teodoro M. Kalaw, Epifanio de los Reyes, her time. Despite the threat of censorship by the new Vicente Sotto, Trinidad Pardo de Tavera, Rafael Palma, dispensation, more writers turned up “seditious works” and 01 Handout 2 *Property of STI  [email protected] Page 4 of 6  SH1903 popular writing in the native languages bloomed through the written and serialized in weekly magazines like Liwayway, weekly outlets like Liwayway and Bisaya. Bisaya, Hiligaynon and Bannawag. The Balagtas tradition persisted until the poet Alejandro G. The essay in English became a potent medium from the 1920’s Abadilla advocated modernism in poetry. Abadilla later to the present. Some leading essayists were journalists like influenced young poets who wrote modern verses in the 1960s Carlos P. Romulo, Jorge Bocobo, Pura Santillan Castrence, etc. such as Virgilio S. Almario, Pedro I. Ricarte and Rolando S. who wrote formal to humorous to informal essays for the Tinio. delectation by Filipinos. While the early Filipino poets grappled with the verities of the Among those who wrote criticism developed during the new language, Filipinos seemed to have taken easily to the American period were Ignacio Manlapaz, Leopoldo Yabes and modern short story as published in the Philippines Free Press, I.V. Mallari. But it was Salvador P. Lopez’s criticism that the College Folio and Philippines Herald. Paz Marquez grabbed attention when he won the Commonwealth Literary Benitez’s “Dead Stars” published in 1925 was the first Award for the essay in 1940 with his “Literature and Society.” successful short story in English written by a Filipino. Later on, This essay posited that art must have substance and that Villa’s Arturo B. Rotor and Manuel E. Arguilla showed exceptional adherence to “Art for Art’s Sake” is decadent. skills with the short story. The last throes of American colonialism saw the flourishing of Alongside this development, writers in the vernaculars Philippine literature in English at the same time, with the continued to write in the provinces. Others like Lope K. introduction of the New Critical aesthetics, made writers pay Santos, Valeriano Hernandez Peña and Patricio Mariano were close attention to craft and “indirectly engendered a writing minimal narratives similar to the early Tagalog short disparaging attitude” towards vernacular writings — a tension fiction called dali or pasingaw (sketch). that would recur in the contemporary period. The romantic tradition was fused with American pop culture or The Contemporary Period European influences in the adaptations of Edgar Rice Burroughs’ Tarzan by F. P. Boquecosa who also penned Ang The flowering of Philippine literature in the various languages Palad ni Pepe after Charles Dicken’s David Copperfield even continue especially with the appearance of new publications as the realist tradition was kept alive in the novels by Lope K. after the Martial Law years and the resurgence of committed Santos and Faustino Aguilar, among others. literature in the 1960s and the 1970s. It should be noted that if there was a dearth of the Filipino novel in English, the novel in the vernaculars continued to be 01 Handout 2 *Property of STI  [email protected] Page 5 of 6  SH1903 Filipino writers continue to write poetry, short stories, novellas, novels and essays whether these are socially committed, gender/ethnic related or are personal in intention or not. Of course the Filipino writer has become more conscious of his art with the proliferation of writers workshops here and abroad and the bulk of literature available to him via the mass media including the internet. The various literary awards such as the Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature, the Philippines Free Press, Philippine Graphic, Home Life and Panorama literary awards encourage him to compete with his peers and hope that his creative efforts will be rewarded in the long run. With the new requirement by the Commission on Higher Education of teaching of Philippine Literature in all tertiary schools in the country emphasizing the teaching of the vernacular literature or literatures of the regions, the audience for Filipino writers is virtually assured. And, perhaps, a national literature finding its niche among the literatures of the world will not be far behind. Reference: Ortega, C. (2015, April 14). The literary forms in Philippine literature. Retrieved from https://ncca.gov.ph/about-ncca- 3/subcommissions/subcommission-on-the-arts-sca/literary-arts/the- literary-forms-in-philippine-literature 01 Handout 2 *Property of STI  [email protected] Page 6 of 6