21

ST

CENTURY
LITERATURE
Introduction to Literature

(Pre-colonial period to
contemporary period)
The learners will be grouped into 3 and each group will
be given 2 minutes to act and guess a set of words from
pre-colonial literatures.

GROUP I GROUP II GROUP III

CHANTS RIDDLES EPIC
A few examples are the

lullabyes or Ili-ili (Ilongo);

love songs like the panawagon and balitao (Ilongo);
harana or serenade (Cebuano);
the bayok (Maranao);
the seven-syllable per line poem, ambahan of the Mangyans that are
about human relationships, social entertainment and also serve as a tool
for teaching the young;

work songs that depict the livelihood of the people often sung to go with
the movement of workers such as the kalusan (Ivatan),soliranin
(Tagalog rowing song) or the mambayu, a Kalinga rice-pounding
song; the verbal jousts/games like the duplo popular during wakes.
First period of the Philippine literary history is the longest

Certain events from the nation’s history had forced lowland Filipinos to
begin counting the years of history from 1521

First time written records by Westerners referred to the archipelago

later to be called “Las Islas Filipinas”.

However, the discovery of the “Tabon Man” in a cave in Palawan in

1962, has allowed us to stretch our prehistory as far as 50,000 years
back. (Tabon Man refers to remains discovered in the Tabon Caves in
Lipuun Point in Quezon, Palawan in the Philippines. )
Oral literature of the precolonial Filipinos bore the marks of the
community.
The subject was invariably the common experience of the people constituting the village-
food-gathering, creature and objects of nature, work in the home, field,
forest or sea, caring for children, etc.

This is evident in the most common forms of oral literature like the riddle, the
proverbs and the song, which always seem to assume that the audience is familiar
with the situations, activities and objects mentioned in the course of expressing a thought
or emotion.
Majority of these reclaimed from oblivion com from the Tagalos, Cebuano, and Ilocano
dialects. And the bulk are rhyming couplets with verses of five, six seven, or eight
syllables, each line of the couplet having the same number of syllables.

Classified with the maxims and proverbs are allegorical stanzas which abounded in all local
literature.

They contain homilies, didactic material, and expressions of homespun philosophy, making
them often quoted by elders and headmen in talking to inferiors.

They are rich in similes and metaphors. These one stanza poems were called Tanaga and
consisted usually of four lines with seven syllables, all lines rhyming.
The most appreciated riddles of ancient Philippines are those
that are rhymed and having equal number of syllables in each line,
making them classifiable under the early poetry of this country.

Riddles were existent in all languages and dialects of the

ancestors of the Filipinos and cover practically all of the
experiences of life in these times.
Almost all the important events in the life of the ancient peoples of this
country were connected with some religious observance and the
rites and ceremonies always some poetry recited, chanted, or
sung.

The lyrics of religious songs may of course be classified as poetry also,

although the rhythm and the rhyme may not be the same.
Drama as a literary had not yet begun to evolve among the
early Filipinos.

Philippine theater at this stage consisted largely in its

simplest form, of mimetic dances imitating natural cycles
and work activities.

At its most sophisticated, theater consisted of religious

rituals presided over by a priest or priestess and
participated in by the community.

The dances and ritual suggest that indigenous drama had

begun to evolve from attempts to control the environment.
Philippine drama would have taken the form of the dance-
drama found in other Asian countries.
Prose narratives in prehistoric Philippines consisted largely or myths,
hero tales, fables and legends.

Their function was to explain natural phenomena, past events, and

contemporary beliefs in order to make the environment less fearsome
by making it more comprehensible and, in more instances, to make
idle hours less tedious by filling them with humor and fantasy.

There is a great wealth of mythical and legendary lore that belongs to

this period, but preserved mostly by word of mouth, with few
written down by interested parties who happen upon them.
The most significant pieces of oral literature that may safely
be presumed to have originated in prehistoric times are folk
epics.

Epic poems of great proportions and lengths abounded in all

regions of the islands, each tribe usually having at least one
and some tribes possessing traditionally around five or six
popular ones with minor epics of unknown number.
Filipinos had a culture that linked them with the Malays in the
Southeast Asia, a culture with traces of Indian, Arabic, and,
possibly Chinese influences.

Their epics, songs, short poems, tales, dances and rituals gave
them a native Asian perspective which served as a filtering device
for the Western culture that the colonizers brought over from Europe.
Based on the sharing above discussion/activity/examples:


What are the differences between the life

during the pre-colonial period and the life
during the 21st century?
Baybayin - Ang Lumang Sulat ng Filipinas

Prehistoric people devised and used their own system of

writings from 300 BC, which derived from the Brahmic
family of scripts of Ancient India.

Baybayin became the most widespread of these derived scripts

by the 11th century.
The cultural achievements of pre-colonial Philippines include
those covered by the prehistory and the early
history (900–1521) of the Philippines archipelago's
inhabitants, the indigenous forebears of today's Filipino
people.
During Pre-Colonial Period:

1. Women enjoyed equal status with men.

2. Society was more tolerant in pre-colonial Philippines.
3. The people enjoyed a higher form of government.
4. We were self-sufficient.
5. We had smoother foreign relations.
6. Our forefathers in the pre-colonial Philippines already
possessed a working judicial and legislative system.
7. They had the know-how to make advanced weapons.
8. Several professions already existed.
9. The literacy rate was high.
10. We already had an advanced civilization
SENTENCE COMPLETION

Direction: Complete the statement to generalize what you have learned in this lesson.

The early Filipinos have high literacy rate. They had no foreign relations. They were not
self-sufficient. Several __________(profession) already existed. They already had
__________(advanced) civilization. Early Filipinos enjoyed a high ___________(standard) of
government. Our forefathers already possessed a working ___________ (judicial) and
_____________(legislative system.)
The learners will have a short essay on Pre-colonial
period to contemporary period.

1. Compare the type of living during the Philippine

Colonial Period and the 21st century.

2. Why is it important to study the literature?

Spanish Period &
Period of Enlightenment

a. Japanese Period f. 21st Century

b. Rebirth of Freedom c. PostEDSA g. Spanish
d. American Period h.Period of Enlightenment
i. Period of Activism & New Society j.Period of
e. Pre-SpanishPeriod
Literature in English
PRE-SPANISH LITERATURE

Folk tales.

These are made up of stories about life,

adventure, love, horror, and humor where one
can derive lessons.

Example of this is THE MOON AND THE SUN.

The Epic Age.

Epics are long narrative poems in which a

series of heroic achievements or events,
usually of a hero, are dealt with at length.
Folk Songs.

These are one of the oldest forms of

Philippine literature that emerged in the pre-
Spanish period. These songs mirrored the early
forms of culture. Many of these have 12
syllables.

Examples of which are Kundiman, Kumintang

o Tagumpay, Ang Dalit o Imno, Ang Oyayi o
Hele, Diana, Soliraning and Talindaw
Understanding Literary History

Literature in this period may be classified as

religious prose and poetry and secular
prose and poetry.
Spanish Influences On Philippine Literature.

The first Filipino alphabet, called ALIBATA, was

replaced by the Roman alphabet. Also, the
teaching of the Christian Doctrine became the basis
of religious practices.

European legends and traditions brought

here became assimilated in our songs, corridos,
and moro-moros.
Folk Songs
It manifests the artistic feelings of the Filipinos and shows their innate appreciation for and love of
beauty.

Leron-Leron Sinta, Pamulinawen, Dandansoy, Sarong

The examples are
Banggi, and Atin Cu Pung Sing-sing.

Recreational Plays
There were many recreational plays performed by Filipinos during the Spanish times. Almost all of
them were in a poetic form such Cenaculo, Panunuluyan, Salubong and Zarzuela.
PERIOD OF ENLIGHTENMENT (1972- 1898)

In 19th Century, Filipino intellectuals educated

in Europe called Ilustrados began to write about the
hitch of colonization.

The Propaganda Movement (1872-1896)

- This movement was spearheaded mostly by the

intellectual middle-class like Jose Rizal, Marcelo del
Pilar; Graciano Lopez Jaena, Antonio Luna, Mariano
Ponce, Jose Ma. Panganiban, and Pedro Paterno.
Some of Rizal’s writings: Noli Me Tangere, Mi Ultimo
Adios, Sobre La Indolencia Delos Filipinos and Filipinas
Dentro De Cien Aňos.

Some of Del Pilar’s writings: Pagibig sa Tinubuang

Lupa (Love of Country), Kaingat Kayo (Be Careful), and
Dasalan at Tocsohan (Prayers and Jokes).

Some of Jaena’s writings: Ang Fray Botod, La Hija Del

Fraile (The Child of the Friar), and Everything Is
Hambug (Everything is mere show), Sa Mga
Pilipino...1891), and Talumpating Pagunita Kay
Kolumbus (An Oration to Commemorate Columbus).
 Spanish period

Formal education was brought to the Philippines by the

Spaniards, which was conducted mostly by religious orders.

Upon learning the local languages and writing systems, they began
teaching Christianity, the Spanish language, and Spanish culture.

These religious orders opened the first schools and universities as

early as the 16th century. Spanish missionaries established schools
immediately after reaching the islands.
Schools for boys and for girls were then opened.

Colegios were opened for boys, ostensibly the equivalent

to present day senior high schools.

The Universidad de San Ignacio, founded in Manila by the

Jesuits in 1589 was the first colegio.

Eventually, it was incorporated into the University of

Santo Tomas, College of Medicine and Pharmacology
following the suppression of the Jesuits.
Girls had two types of schools - the beaterio, a school
meant to prepare them for the convent, and another,
meant to prepare them for secular womanhood.