Lesson Title:

Pre-Colonial Literature in the Philippines

 Expectations:
In this lesson, you are expected to become familiar with the :

A. Development of literature in the Philippines,

B. Forms of Oral lore
C. Philippine Epic
D. Hinilawod
 Examine the timeline in the next slide,

which do you think is the most interesting period?

Why do you think so?

 Timeline of Philippine Literary Periods
MODERN
TIMES

Contemporary
Literature
Literature 1996
under the
Literature Republic
under
Literature Foreign 1946-1985
Oral Lore under
from Pre- Colonialism
Spanish
colonial Colonialism 1898-1945
Times
1565-1897
------ 1564
These are cultural images of Pre-Colonial Philippines.

What activities
do you see?

What can you

say about them?
 INPUT
Did you know that …
Early Filipinos lived in villages frequently found along sea coasts
and river banks, close to the major sources of food and the
most convenient transportation routes.

They were fishermen, jungle farmers and hunters.

Variously referred to as natives, tribal Filipinos, or
ethnic minorities, these Filipinos had used oral lore.
Be aware that…

- oral lore -
is a form of human communication
where knowledge, art, ideas and cultural material
are received, preserved and transmitted orally
from one generation to another
You should
also know
that…
Early Filipinos
weaved together
countless myths
and legends
to explain certain
phenomena in life.
 You must understand that…
Coming from daily
observations about life,
oral lore became the bedrock
of Pre -Colonial Literature.
Here are the Forms of Oral Lore.

Epic

Songs Myths Which among these you

find interesting? Why?
ORAL
LORE
Tales &
Riddles
Legends

Proverbs
Do Take Note of these..
 Epic
A long narrative poem
which tells about the exploits or adventures of heroes
of great historical or legendary importance
that perform valorous deeds.
 EPIC

LITERARY EPIC FOLK EPIC

Writers/Authors Are Unknown Writers/Authors Are Known

…has long narrative or story

…is serious and is based on oral tradition
…has reference to supernatural events and heroic deeds
…has impact on the beliefs, customs , ideals or life values of the people
Sample Epics
Read this.

HINILAWOD
An Epic from Central Panay
 The Hinilawod epic tells the story of the exploits of the three demigod brothers,
Labaw Donggon, Humadapnon and Dumalapdap of Panay.

Anthropologist Dr. F. Landa Jocano recorded a version of the epic from the
inhabitants of Central Panay.

This is how the story goes…

 When the goddess of the eastern sky Alunsina (also known
as Laun Sina, “The Unmarried One”) reached maidenhood, the
king of gods, Kaptan, decreed that she should marry. All the
unmarried gods of the different domains of the universe tried to
win her hand to no avail. She chose to marry a mortal, Datu
Paubari, the mighty ruler of Halawod.
 The decision of Alunsina angered her other suitors. They plotted to
bring harm to the newlyweds. A meeting of the council of gods was called by
Maklium-sa-t’wan, god of the plains, where a decision by those present was
made to destroy Halawod by flood.
 Alunsina and Paubari escaped harm through the
assistance of Suklang Malayon, the goddess and guardian of
happy homes and sister of Alunsina, who learned of the evil
plot and warned the two so they were able to seek refuge on
higher ground.
 After the flood waters subsided, Paubari and Alunsina
returned to the plains secretly. They settled near the mouth of
Halawod river.
 Several months later, Alunsina became pregnant and told Paubari to
prepare the siklot, things necessary for childbirth. She delivered a set of triplets
and summoned the high priest Bungot-Banwa to perform the rites of the gods
of Mount Madya-as (the mountain abode of the gods) to ensure the good health
of the children. The high priest promptly made an altar and burned some
alanghiram fronds and a pinch of kamangyan. When the ceremony was over he
opened the windows of the north side of the room and a cold northerly wind
came in and suddenly, the three infants were transformed into strong,
handsome young men.
 Labaw Donggon, the eldest of the three, asked his mother to prepare his
magic cape, hat, belt, and kampilan (sword) for he heard a place called Handug
where a beautiful maiden named Angoy Ginbitinan lived.
 The journey towards Handug took several days. Labaw Donggon
walked across plains and valleys, climbed up mountains until he reached the
mouth of Halawod river. When he finally met the maiden’s father and asked for
her hand in marriage, the father asked him to fight the monster, Manalintad, as
part of his dowry. He went off to fight the monster and with the help of his
magic belt, he killed the monster. To prove his feat, he brought to Angoy
Ginibitinan’s father the monster’s tail.
 After the wedding, Labaw Donggon proceeded home
with his new bride. Along the way, they met a group of young
men who told him that they were on their way to Tarambang
Burok to win the hand of Abyang Durunuun, sister of
Sumpoy, the Lord of the Underworld and whose beauty was
legendary.
 Labaw Donggon and his bride continued on their
journey home. The moment they arrived home, Labaw
Donggon told his mother to take care of his wife because he is
taking another quest. This time, he was going to Tarambang
Burok.
 Before Labaw Donggon can get to Tarambang Burok, he has
to pass a ridge guarded by a giant named Sikay Padalogdog who
has a hundred arms. The giant would not allow him to go through
without a fight. However, the giant was no match to Labaw
Donggon’s prowess and skill in fighting so he gave up and allowed
him to continue.
 Labaw Donggon won the hand of Abyang Durunuun and also took her
home. Before long, he went on another journey. He went to Gadlum to ask for
the hand of Malitong Yawa Sinagmaling Diwata who is the young bride of
Saragnayan, Lord of the Darkness.
 The trip to Gadlum required Labaw Donggon to use his biday nga
inagta (black boat) on which he sailed across the seas for many months, went
across the region of the clouds, passed the land of stones until finally he
reached the shores of Tulogmatian which was the seaside fortress of
Saragnayan. The moment he set foot on the ground Saragnayan asked him,
"Who are you and why are you here?“ To which he answered, "I am Labaw
Donggon, son of Datu Paubari and goddess Alunsina of Halawod. I came for
the beautiful Malitong Yawa Sinagmaling Diwata."
 Saragnayan laughed. He told Labaw Donggon that what he wished for
was impossible to grant because she was his wife. Labaw Donggon then
challenged Saragnayan to a duel saying that whoever wins will have her.
The challenge was accepted and they started fighting. Labaw Donggon
submerged Saragnayan under water for seven years, but when he let go of him,
Saragnayan was still alive. The latter uprooted a coconut tree and started
beating Labaw Donggon with it. He survived the beating but was not able to
surpass the powers of Saragnayan's pamlang (amulet) and eventually he gave
up and was imprisoned by Saragnayan beneath his house
 Back home Angoy Ginbitinan and Abyang Durunuun both delivered
sons. Angoy Ginbitinan's child was named Aso Mangga and Abyang
Durunuun's son was called Abyang Baranugon. Only a few days after they
were born Aso Mangga and Abyang Baranugon embarked to look for their
father. They rode their sailboats through the region of eternal darkness, passed
the region of the clouds and the land of stones, finally reaching Saragnayan's
home. Saragnayan noticed that Abyang Baranugon's umbilical cord have not
yet been removed, he laughed and told the child to go home to his mother.
 Abyang Baranugon was slighted by the remarks and immediately
challenged Saragnayan to a duel. They fought and Abyang Baranugon defeated
Saragnayan and won his father's freedom. Labaw Donggon's defeat and
subsequent imprisonment by the Lord of Darkness also angered his brothers.
Humadapnon was so enraged that he swore to the gods of Madya-as that he
would wreak revenge on all of Saragnayan's kinsmen and followers.
 Humadapnon prepared to go to Saragnayan's domain. He employed the
aid of Buyong Matanayon of Mount Matiula who was well-known for his skill
in swordsmanship. For their journey, they rode on a sailboat called biday nga
rumba-rumba. They travelled through the region of the clouds, passed by the
region of eternal darkness and ended up at a place called Tarambang Buriraw.
 In Tarambang Burirawwas a ridge called Talagas Kuting-tang where a
seductive sorceress named Piganun lived. Piganun changed herself to a
beautiful maiden and captured the heart of Humadapnon. Buyong Matanayon
begged with Humadapnon to leave the place with him but the latter refused.
After seven months passed, Buyong Matanayon remembered that they have
brought with them some ginger. One evening at dinner time Buyong
Matanayon threw seven slices of ginger into the fire. When Pinganun smelled
the odor of burning ginger she left the dinner table because sorcerers hated the
odor of ginger. Immediately, Buyong Matanayon struck Humadapnon who
became unconscious. He dragged his friend with him and they were able to
escape.
 They continued with their trek and everywhere they went they exacted
revenge on all of Saragnayan's people and relatives. One day they reached a
place called Piniling Tubig who was ruled by Datu Umbaw Pinaumbaw. There
was a big gathering in the village and when they asked what was going on they
were told that the datu was giving his daughter for marriage to whoever could
remove the huge boulder that rolled from a mountain into the center of the
village. Many men tried their luck but no one so far was able to even move the
stone.
 Humadapnon took off his magic cape and used it to lift the stone and
threw it back into the mountain. The datu kept his word and Humadapnon
married his daughter. During the wedding feast Humadapnon heared about
the beauty of the goddess of greed Burigadang Pada Sinaklang Bulawan from a
guest minstrel who sang at the celebration. After the wedding Humadapnon
went to seek the hand of the goddess in marriage. Along the way he
encountered Buyong Makabagting, son of the mighty Datu Balahidyong of
Paling Bukid who was also travelling with the same purpose in mind.
 Upon learning of Humadapnon's intent, Buyong Makabagting
challenged him to a duel. They fought and Buyong Makabagting was no match
to Humadapnon's strength and skill. The fight ended when Buyong
Makabagting surrendered and even promised to aid Humadapnon in his quest.
Humadapnon married the goddess and brought her home.
 Meanwhile, right after Humadapnon left to seek Saragnayan's followers
and relatives, his brother Dumalapdap left for Burutlakan-ka-adlaw where the
maiden Lubay-Lubyok Hanginun si Mahuyokhuyokon lived. For the trip, he
brought along Dumasig, the most powerful wrestler in Madya-as.
 Several months later they came to a place called Tarambuan-ka-banwa
where they encountered the two-headed monster Balanakon who guarded a
narrow ridge leading to the place where the maiden lived. With the aid of
Dumasig, Dumalapdap killed Balanakon. However, upon approaching the gate
of the palace where the maiden lived he was confronted by Uyutang, a batlike
monster with sharp poisonous claws. There ensued a bloody battle between the
Humadapnon and the monster.
 Humadapnon and Uyutang fought for seven months and their skill and
prowess seemed to be equal. But on the seventh month, he was able to grab on
to Uyutang's ankle and broke it. Then he took his iwang daniwan (magic
dagger) and stabbed Uyutang under the armpit. Uyutang cried out so loud that
the ridge where they were fighting broke into two and there was an
earthquake. Half of the ridge became the island of Buglas (Negros) and the
other became the island of Panay.

So that’s how it happened..

 Dumalapdap married Lubay-Lubyok Hanginun si Mahuyokhuyokan
and then took her home. Datu Paubari was very happy when he was reunited
with his three sons and he prepared a feast in their honor. After the celebration,
the three brothers left for different parts of the world. Labaw Donggon went to
the north, Humadapnon went south, Dumalapdap to the west and Datu
Paubari remained in the east. - The End
 Think of life’s lessons and values
that are suggested in the story, Hinilawod.

Create an infographic about this life’s lesson and values

at the same time promoting the story of Hinilawod.

Criteria and points given:

Creativity 5pts.
Organization 5pts.
Content 5pts.
Use of images and graphics 5pts.

You may want to see some samples of infographics

you can find in the internet.