21st Century Literature from the Philippines and the World

Literature- The total number of preserved writings from a particular language or people.

The class or total of writings from a given country or period that are notable for literary form or
expression, as distinguished from works.

Pre-Colonial Period

● - Philippine Pre-Colonial literary is the longest period (BC-1564).

● Filipinos have the misconception that Philippine Literary history began with the coming of the
Spaniards in 1521.

● With the discovery of the Tabon Man in 1962, we learned that the history of the Filipinos dates
to as far back as 50,000 years ago, suggesting also the possible length of existence of Philippine
Literature.

● Indigenous Philippine literature was based on traditions and customs of a particular area of the
country.

● Ancient literatures were written on the perishable materials like dried leaves,bamboo cylinder,
and bark of the trees.

THESE ARE THE FORMS OF PRE-COLONIAL PERIOD LITERATURE

1. Oral Literature

a. Riddles

- Made up of one or more measured lines with rhymes and may consist of 4 to 12 syllables.

- This also involves reference to one or two images that symbolize the characteristics of an
unknown object that is to be guessed.

Example: Ate mo, Ate ko, Ate ng lahat ng tao. (Atis)

b. Proverbs
- Also called Sawikain or Salawikain, are short poems customarily used and served as
laws or rules on good behaviors by our forefathers.
- These are usually given by parents or elders of the community.
c. Tanaga
- The art exemplifies teachings, idioms, feelings, and ways of life.

- Filipino poem using four lines, each line having seven syllables.

- Same rhyme at the end of each line.

- 7-7-7-7 syllabic verse ; AA-BB rhyme scheme

b. Drinking Songs
- These are locally known as “Tagay” and are sung during drinking sessions.

c. Love Songs

- To many Filipinos, these are known as Harana. It can also be called courtship songs and are
used by young men to capture the heart of the girl that they love.

d. Songs of Death

- These are the passionate expression of grief or sorrow that contains the roll of good deeds that
the dead has usually done to immortalize his or her good deeds.

e. Ambahan (Mangyan)

- Ambahan is a traditional form of poetry by the Hanunó'o Mangyan people of Mindoro,

- The Ambahan has seven syllables and is inscribed onto bamboo segments, nodes, musical
instruments or other materials using the tip of a knife.

f. Kalusan (Ivatan)

- It is a rowing song sung collectively by the people of Batanes.

- A vachi (or song leader) starts the singing with the opening lines and workers follow with the
rest of the song.

3. Folk Tales
- These are the stories that have been passed down from ancestors of a particular
group of people to the younger generations. These are the stories of native Filipinos.
Folk Tales Themes:

● Ceremonies needs to appease deities.

● Life and Death

● Gods and Goddesses

● Heroes and Heroines

● Supernatural beings

● Animals
a.Myth

- This explain how the world was created, how certain animals possess certain characteristics, why
some places have waterfalls, volcanoes, mountains.

Example:

● Story of Bathala

● The Story of Maria Makiling

Mythical Creatures:

● Aswang

● Diwata

● Duwende

● Tikbalang

● Mankukulam

b. Legend or Alamat

- Explains how various objects, flowers, plants, and even places have come to be.

- This also explains the supernatural events, mysteries and cultural tradition.

Example:

● Legend of Pineapple

● Legend of Guava

c. Fables

- A narrative form, usually featuring animals that behave and speak as human beings, told in
order to highlight human foolishness and weaknesses.

Example:

● The Monkey and the Turtle

● Ang Langgam at Ang Tipaklong

d. Epics

- These are very lengthy narratives that are based on oral traditions.

- The plots of their stories revolve around supernatural events and heroic deeds.

Spanish Colonial Period (1565 – 1863)

- This European power contributed much in the shaping and recording of art literature.
- When the Spaniards came, there was an immediate shift on the focus of literature.

THESE ARE THE FORMS OF SPANISH COLONIAL PERIOD LITERATURE

1.Religious Literature

● The existing literature in the Philippine ethnic group at the time of conquest was mainly oral,
consisting of epics, legends, songs, riddles, etc.

● Written by ladino poets or those versed in both Spanish and Tagalog were included in early
catechism and were used to teach Filipinos the Spanish language.

a. Pasyon
- The story of Jesus Christ's arrest, trial and suffering. It ends with his execution by
crucifixion.
- Long epic narrative poem about the passion, death and resurrection of Christ.
Example: “Ang Mahal na Passion ni Jesu Cristong Panignoon Natin” byAguino de Belen

b. Cenaculo
- It is a staged re-enactment or dramatization of the of Christ's passion (Pasyon) and
death.
- It is a traditional part of Lent in several Christian denominations, particularly in
Catholic tradition.
Example: San Pedro Cutud Lenten Rites in San Fernando, Pampanga

c. Salubong
- Filipino Easter tradition that has been observed in the country for a long time.
- It is a Filipino word that translates to "meeting" because it is a ritual that reenacts the
meeting of Jesus Christ and His mother, Mary.
2. Secular (non-religious) Literature

● Secular literature is defined as literature that does not regard religion seriously or refers to
stories that deal with topics other than religion and the concept of religion.

A. Awit
● Literally means song, 12 syllables, Colorful tales of chivalry made for singing and chanting.

Example: “Florante at Laura” by Francisco Baltazar

B. Korido
- It is an extended narrative of the life and adventures of a person.
- These were usually legends or stories from European countries like France,
Spain, Italy and Greece.
Example: “Ibong Adarna” by Jose Dela Cruz

C. Prose Narratives
- Aside from religious poetry, there were various kinds of prose narratives written to
prescribe proper decorum (KAGANDAHANG ASAL).
- To convince a person to convert.
Example:
 ● Dialogo (dialogue)

● Manual de Urbanidad (conduct book)

● Doctrina Cristiana (first book published in the Philippines written by Juan de Plasencia)

● Tratado (tratado).

3.NATIONALISTIC / PROPAGANDA AND REVOLUTIONARY PERIOD(1864 – 1896)

● Spain brought to the country liberal ideas and internationalism.

● In the 19th century, Filipino intellectuals educated in Europe called Illustrados began to write the
downside of Colonization.

a. PROPAGANDA LITERATURE
- These were in the forms of satires, editorials, and news articles that aimed to attack
the Spanish Rule.
The Propaganda Trinity is composed of: Marcelo H. Del Pilar, Graciano Lopez Jaena, José Protacio Rizal
Mercado y Alonso Realonda

b. REVOLUTIONARY LITERATURE
- These are exposes that sparked revolution and resistance in the hearts of Filipinos.

American Period

● Philippine independence on June 12, 1898.

● Philippines was colonized again in Emilio Aguinaldo’s Presidency.

● The Filipino’s start to write an revolutionary novels and poems and poetries as they are seeking
for the independence.

Three frames of Philippine Literature in English:

The Period of Re-Orientation (1898-1910)

● English as a literacy vehicle arrived with the American occupation on August 31, 1898, and as
they say, history bestowed it on us.

● By 1900, English came to used as a medium of instructions in the public schools.

➔ THE ARRIVAL OF THOMASITES- A group of 600 American teachers who traveled from the United
States to the newly occupied territory of the Philippines on the United States' territory.

The Period of Imitation (1910-1925)

● The UP College Folio published the first English-language literary works by Filipino writers in
1919. They were the forerunners of the short story.

● They were then stumbling their way towards copying British and American models, which led to
a stilted, manufactured, and unnatural style that lacked vitality and spontaneity.
 The Period of Self-Discovery (1925-1941)

● Filipino authors were now experts in English writing at this point. Although they continued to
write about the old standbys of love and youth, they did it with more assurance and
competence. They wrote in numerous genres, including the novel and the play.

THESE ARE THE FORMS OF LITERATURE IN AMERICAN ERA:

● Newspaper/Publications

● Novel

● Short Story

● Poetry

Writing Again: News reporting, Poetic, Stories, Essays, and Novel Characteristics:

➔ Nationalism

➔ Freedom of Speech

➔ Experience

➔ Search for and use medium

Japanese Period

● The development of Philippine literature was halted when Japan, another foreign power, retook
control of our country.

● The English language came to a standstill at this time,

● The Japanese empire occupied the Philippines from 1941 to 1945. English newspapers and press
freedom were outlawed by the Japanese.

● During the Japanese occupation, the common theme of most poems was nationalism, country,
love, and life in the barrios, faith, religion, and the arts.

Three Types of Poems in Japanese Era:

Haiku

● A free verse poem that the Japanese enjoy. There were three lines and 17 syllables in total.
There are five syllables in the first line, seven in the second, and five in the third. The Haiku is
short and has a broad range of meaning; it is allegorical in nature.

Tanaga

● It's brief but has a measure and rhyme, just like a haiku. There are 17 syllables in each line, and
they are all allegorical in nature.
Usual Form/ Karaniwang Anyo

● The usual common form of poetry.

Contemporary Period

● The blooming of Philippine literature in various languages continues, particularly with the
appearance of new publications following the Martial Law years and the resurgence of
committed literature in the 1960s and 1970s.

Themes of Contemporary Era:

➔ Political Issue, Gender Inequality, Feminism, Oppression, Poverty, Social Status, Religion, Love,
etc.

Writers of Contemporary Era:

● Joey Dalisay Jr.: At the University of the Philippines, Jose Dalisay teaches creative writing and
English. He is the author of more than 25 books, both fiction and nonfiction, as well as a sizable
number of plays and screenplays.

● Books he made during his time: Killing Time in a Warm Place (Anvil, 1992); Madilim ang Gabi sa
Laot

● Lualhati Bautista: Writing novels, short stories, and screenplays for nearly four decades,
including "Bulaklak sa City Jail," Bautista has had a significant influence on modern Filipino
literature. Her writing is renowned for its exploration of sociopolitical issues and feminist
themes.

● Books that Lualhati Bautista contribute in Philippine Literature: Bata, Bata... Pa'no Ka Ginawa?,
‘GAPÔ, Dekada '70, etc.

Theme of Martial Law Era of Literature:

 Protest Literature
● Proletarian Literature

● Prison Literature

● Circumvention Literature

● Katrina Tuvera: She was awarded the Philippine National Book Award for her first novel,
Testament and Other Stories, in 2007. She has also received writing fellowships from the
Ragdale Foundation and the MacDowell Colony.

● Jonah Mae Pacala: Is a Filipino author who goes by the pen name Jonaxx and was born in
Cagayan de Oro, Philippines, on January 23, 1991. She released approximately 150,000 copies of
her books in 2017 and was highlighted in Yes! magazine. Some of these titles made it to the local
fiction bestseller list at the National Book Store.