Unit 1: PRE-COLONIAL TO AMERICAN PERIOD

LESSON 1: Pre-Spanish Literature of the Philippines

Conotation:

1. Learn about different riddles from indigenous tribes like

the Gaddang, Pangasinan, Tagalog, Bisaya, and
Pampanga.
2. Learn about Tanaga and Dalit as short forms of poem
identified in pre-colonized Philippines.
3. Write modern days riddle ala Tanaga and Dalit.

 The early literature is oral tradition.

 Filipino riddles are considered canon in the Philippines.
 Tanaga and Dalit are shorts form of poetry identified in
pre-Spanish native communities.
 Poetic forms and riddles served to give moral and
ethical lessons, and also function as entertainment.
 Over years, the retelling of riddles and stories had also
been modernized and contain symbols and images of
Spanish and American influences.

RIDDLES

Gaddang Ilokano Tagalog

Nu mat-tut-lud ay Nagcapa dimet Manoc cong pute,

atanang udde; nu nagpadi; nag talon sa
mat-tadag ay Nagcorona dimet pusale.
ibaffa. nigari.
“My white chicken

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 “If he sits down he “Gown but not jumped into the
is high; if he priest, crown but puddle”
stands up he is not king”
low”

Bisaya Pampanga Pangasinan

Nagapanilog Magdala ya Tepac cac tan

apang basa laman mete, tepac
mamita yang agnereguel na
“He is under the laman mabie. ybac.
shed but always
wet” “He carries the “Clapping and
flesh of the dead, clapping but my
but seek the flesh companions
of the living” cannot hear me”

INDIGENOUS PEOPLE IN THE PHILIPPINES

The Philippines consist of numerous upland and lowland

ethnolinguistic (Tagalog people) groups living in the country,
with Austronesians (Malay race) making up the overwhelming
majority while full partial negritos scaterred throughout the
archipelago.
Tribes of IP in the Philippine settings:

 Mangyan - T’boli People - Tagalog

 Palawan People - Bontoc People - Bisaya
 Lumad - Higaonon - Pampanga

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  Mandaya - Mansaka - Gaddang

 Subanon - Tagakaulo
 Bukidnon - Pangasinan

Indigenous people roughly constitute 10-15% of the total

population of the Philippines and are present in 65 of the
country’s 78 provinces. The majority of indigenous people
(61%) are found in Mindanao, 33% are found in Luzon, and 6%
are in Visayas (NCIP, 2009).

Self-identification by others as members of distinct cultural

group; an indigenous language, often different from the national
language; presence of customary social and political
institutions; primarily subsistence-oriented production.

PRE-HISPANIC PERIOD

Long before the Spaniards and other foreigners landed

or set foot on the Philippine shores, our forefathers had their
own literature stamped in the history of our race.

Our ancient literatures show our customs and traditions

in everyday life as traced in our folk stories, old plays, and short
stories.

Our ancestor had their own alphabet which was different

from that brought by the Spaniards. The first alphabet used by
our ancestor was similar to that of Malay-Polenesians alphabet.

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Whatever records our ancestor left were either burned by
Spaniards friars in the belief they were work of evil.

Pre-Spanish Literature is characterized by:

LEGENDS
As forms of prose, the common theme of which is about
the origin of the place, location or name. The events are
imaginary, devoid of truth and unbelievable. Its aim is to
entertain.

FOLKTALES
Is made up of stories about life, adventure, love, horror,
and humor where one can drive lessons about life. These are
useful to us because they help us appreciate our environment,
evaluate our personalities and improve our perspectives in life.

EPIC
Are long narrative poems in which a series of heroic
achievements or events usually of a hero, are dealt with at
length.

Example:
 Bidasari – Moro epic
 Biag ni Lam-Ang – Ilokano epic
 Haraya- Visayan epic

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  Hari sa Bukid – Visayan epic
 Kumintang – Tagalog epic
 Lagda – Visayan epic
FOLK SONG
One of the oldest forms of Philippine literature that
emerged in the Pre-Spanish period. These songs mirrored the
early form of culture. Many of these have 12 syllables.

EPIGRAMS, RIDDLES, CHANTS, MAXIMS, PROVERB OR

SAYINGS

Epigrams (Salawikain) – these have been customarily used

and served as laws or rules on good behavior by our ancestors.
To others, these are like allegories or parables that imparts
lesson for the young.

Riddles (Bugtong) or Palaisipan – these are made of one or

more measured lines with rhyme and many consist of four to 12
syllables.

Chant (Bulong) - used in witchcraft or enchantment.

Maxims - some are rhyming couplets with verse 5, 6, or 8

syllables each line being the same number of syllables.

Sayings (Kasabihan) – often used in teasing or to comment on

a person’s actuations.

Sawikain - sayings with no hidden meanings

ILOKANO IN PRE-SPANISH TIME

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 Ilocano, also spelled Ilokano, or Ilokan, are also called
Iloko, or Iloco, third lagerst ethnolinguistic group in the
Philippines. When discovered by Spanish in the 16th century,
they occupied the narrow coastal plain of northwestern Luzon,
known as Ilocos region.

Ancient Ilokano poets expressed themselves in folk and

war songs as well as dallot, an improvised, and versified and
at a times impromptu long poem delivered in a sing-song
manner. Generally, “Iloko” is the language and “Ilokano” refers
to the people.

The Ilokanos have a remarkable collection of stories

since pre-colonial times. Unfortunately, most of the earliest
Ilocano writings were not documented, save for certain literary
pieces such as the famous Biag ni Lam-ang.

The Ilokanos have their own pantheon of gods and

goddesses, the chief of them being Abra, the controller of
weather and skies, who was said to live in mountains.

During the Spanish regime, Iloko poetry was generally

patterned after Spanish models.

FRANCISCO LOPEZ – is an Augustin friar

 Translated the earliest written Iloko poems (romances)
from Spanish.
 Also translated the DOCTRINA CRISTIANA (Cardinal
Bellarmine) the first book to be printed in Iloko.

TAGALOG IN PRE-SPANISH TIME

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 Long before the arrival of the Spaniards, ancient
Filipinos were living scattered barangays and ruled by different
chieftains. Although, they were living separately, they were
similar in many ways, their religion, mode of dressing, houses,
system of government and marriage practices.

Nobles – who were composed of rulers

and their families, occupied the highest
class. They were usually addressed as
Gat, Lakan, Raja, or Datu.

Freemen – were the working class;

average people.

Slaves – were classified into two;

 Aliping Namamahay – were not
full pledge slaves.
 Aliping Sagigilid – were the real
slaves, they were homeless,
forbidden to form own families,
required to stay in their masters
dwelling and they could be used
as payment debt.

Before Roman Catholicism and Islam were introduced,

natives worshipped many gods and goddesses.

Bathala – supreme being

Idiyanale – god of agriculture

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Sidapa – god of death
Agni – god of fire
Balangaw – god of rainbow

 They also believed in immortality of the souls and life

after death.
 There were also sacred animals, which they venerate
like white monkeys (manual) and crocodiles.
 There were sacred places and sacred trees, which
nobody was allowed to cut down.
 They also worshipped the sun and moon.
 Regular sacrifices and prayers were offered to placate
deities and spirits. Reward and punishment after death
was dependent upon behavior in this life.

EDUCATION

To transmit knowledge, it was acquired through

observation, imitation, and practice. There was no formal
education during pre-Spanish period. Children were taught to
read and write by their parents, it was fair to say that they were
literate.

The purpose of education during their time for survival.

Their father teach them on hunting animals, taught males
fishing, agriculture, and other economic activities, while their
mother in managing the household taught females.

The early literature during pre-Spanish period was classified

into written and oral.

Examples of oral literature are;

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  Maxims (Sabi-sabi)
 Bugtong (Riddles)
 Boat song (Talindaw)
 Lullaby (Uyayi)
 Wedding song (ihiman)

Examples of Literature are;

 Handiong (Bicolanos)
 Biag ni Lam-Ang (Ilocano epic)
 Indarapatra at Sulayman (Muslim epic)

TANAGA

The TANAGA is an indigenous Filipino poem,

traditionally in the tagalog language. It consist of four lines with
seen syllables each with same rhyme at the end of each line ---
that is to say a 7-7-7-7 syllabic verse, with an AABB rhyme
scheme.

Like Japanese haiku Tanagas are untitled. Most are

handed down by oral history, and containing proverbial forms,
moral lessons, and ethics. Modern Tanaga uses the 7-7-7-7
syllable count, but the rhymes range from dual rhyme forms:
AABB, ABAB, ABBA; to freestle forms such as AAAB, BAAA, or
ABCD.

DALIT

It is the type of short Filipino poem, consisting of four

lines with eight syllables each usually following a rhyming
pattern (AAAA, where all endings rhyme/ AABB, rhyming

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couplets/ ABBA, where the first line rhymes with the fourth, and
the second with the third.)

It’s a former indigenous poem with a serious theme, but

later transformed into religious poetry.
THE TINGUIAN TRIBE

Tinguian, Tinggian, Tinggianes, Tingues, and Tingians

all mean “mountain dwellers” and refer to the people who, to
avoid the advancing Christian Ilocano, withdrew into the Abra
valley and the nearby highlands.

The Tinguian have always thought of themselves and

the other highland dwellers of the cordillera as Itneg, people of
interior uplands.

Two identifiable Tinguian groups are the valley

Tinguians and mountain Tinguian. Tinguian or Itneg also
refers to the language spoken within the province of Abra to a
lesser extent in nearby Kalinga and Apayao.

The Tinguian Culture

The Tinguians still practice their traditional ways,

including wet rice and swidden farming. Socio-cultural changes
started when the Spanish conquistadors ventured expand their
reach to the settlements of Abra. The Spaniards brought with
them their culture some of which the Tinguians borrowed. More
changes in their culture took place with the coming of the
Americans and the introduction of education and Catholic and
Protestant proselytization.

The Tinguian Social Organization

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 The traditional leadership in the Tinguian community is
held by panglakayen (old men), who composed council leaders
representing each purok or settlement. The panglakayen are
chosen for their wisdom and eagerness to protect the
community’s interest. Justice is governed by the custom
(kadawyan) and trial by ordeal.

The Tinguian Marriage

The Itneg’s marriage are arranged by the parents and

are usually between distant relatives in order to keep the family
close-knit and the family within the kinship group. A bride price
(palakon) is also paid to the bride’s family, with and initial
payment and the rest during the actual wedding.

The Tinguian Clothing

The women dress in a wrap-around skirt (tapis) that

reaches to the knees and fasted by an elaborately decorated
belt. They also wear short sleeved jacket on special occasion.
The men, on the other hand, wear a G-string (ba-al) made of
woven cloth (balibas). On special occasion, the men also wear
long-sleeved jacket (bado). They also wear a belt where they
fasten their knife and a bamboo hat with a low, dome shaped
top. Beads are the primary adornment of the Tingguians and a
sign of wealth.

The Tinguian Tattoos

Among the Itneg people, tattoos are known as burik.

Tattooing is commonly practiced by both men and women, who

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were among the most profusely tattooed ethnic groups of the
Philippines. Burik tradition are extinct today.

The Tinguian Religion

Itnegs believe in the existence of numerous supernatural

powerful beings. They believe in the spirits and dieties, the

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greatest of which they believe to be Kadaklan who lives up in
the sky and who created the earth, the moon, the stars and the
sun. they believe in life after death, which is in the place they
call maglawa. They take special care to prepare them for the
journey to maglawa. The corpse is placed in a death chair
(sangadel) during the wake.

THE MANDAYA TRIBE

 Man – “first”
 Daya – “upstream” or “upland”
 “Man-daya” or Mandaya – describes the first people
upstream.

Feature of Mandaya

 High foreheads
 Prominent cheekbones
 Broad noses
 Thick lips
 Angular feature
 Generally fair

Five Principal Groups of Mandaya

 Mansaka – those who live in the mountain clearings;

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  Manwaga – those who live in the forested mountain
areas;
 Pagsupan – those who make a living in the swampy
banks of Tagum and Hijo rivers;
 Managusan – those who live near the water;
 Divavaogan – those who are found on the southern and
western parts of Compostela.

The Geographic Location of Mandaya

Mandaya are scattered in some parts of Davao Del

Norte, Compostela Valley, and Surigao Del Sur. The
concentration of their settlement which still exists today, is at
the heart of Davao Oriental particularly Baganga, Caraga, and
Cateel.

The History of Mandaya

The Indonesians who came to the Philippines in a series

of immigration waves from 300 to 500 years ago, intermarried
with the native women and begot the Manobo of eastern
Mindanao.

The Malays who migrated to the Philippines between

300 to 200 years ago, through Palawan and Mindoro,
intermarried with Manobo and begot Mandaya.

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 The Chinese came in 13th century and through
intermarriage contributed further the racial development of
Mandaya.

Social Organization and customs of Mandaya

Two types of Kabanayan or Mandaya family:

 Nuclear Family – consisting of the parents and the

children.
 Polygynous Family – consisting of two or more wives
with their children. Occasionally, the grandparents from
either lineage may join the family.

Two concepts of ownership of Mandaya

1. Ownership of the land may be ascribed to the family that

actually occupies it.
2. Ownership may be lost when the family moves.

Mandaya social and economic stratification consisted the

following major positions:

 The bagani
 The sapianon who by his industry owned the biggest
clearing and produced the richest harvest.
 The sugaonon who elected to reside with his kin as
volunteer worker;
 The allang or one who became slave as an exchange
for money.

Strategies of Mandaya Marriage

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First stage: Pakasayod, which literally means “to learn” or “to
discover.”
Second stage: Pamuka or Kagon, when both familied met for
the second time.
Third stage: Pagtawas
Fourth stage: Kasamongan, when both families meet to set the
date of the marriage.
Final celebration: Matrimony. Pagtulod da, patulod or literally,
“it is goodbye now.”

The Mandaya practices polygyny. According to the

Mandaya law, the wife cannot have one more than the
husband, but the husband can have more than wife. Among
wives, the first is the most privileged in that she does the least
work.

Mandaya’s Distinct Practices in Death, Burial, and

Mourning

Before death, a Mandaya is given a sponge bath. Close

relatives keep vigil. The dead should lie straight with hands at
the side. The corpse is then covered with a dagmay (cloth
made from abaca fibers). No prayers are said before after
death. A Mandaya who is killed reclining on a tree to rot. A
Mandaya who dies in morning is buried in afternoon. The coffin
as a log cut into with a space in the center. Before burial,
chanting is done by a spouse. If the husband dies, the wife
sings the dawot; then she cannot sing until she remarries. The
dead is kept in caves or buried standing.

Religious Beliefs and Practices

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 The Christianity that Mandaya profess is a mix of
tradition of Catholicism with their own indigenous beliefs and
practices. According to the Spanish missionaries, the Mandaya
consented to be converted only if their beliefs and customs
would not be interfered. The Mandaya’s attachment to animism
was the problem of the missionaries.

The Mandaya have a high regard and respect for nature,

as if it is the umbilical cord of their tribal life. They perceive the
world based on their two-fold belief of nature as governed by
both good spirits (tagamaling) and evil spirits (busaw). They
perform rituals and give offerings and sacrifices.

The evil spirit can be modified if it were treated with

respect through rituals and amicable offerings. The Mandaya
idols called manuag are made of wood rituals from the bayog
tree; the eyes are taken from the fruit of the magobahay.

To make idols look more human, they painted from the

chest up with some kind of sap. These wooden figures have no
arms; the manuag is distinguished from the female in the latter
is adorned with a comb. These idols are set in canopied altars
in the Mandaya house.

Mandaya Gods

 Mansilatan and Baly (Father and Son) who are Gods.

 Pudaugnon and Malimbong (Husband and Wife) who
are evil gods.

The Mandaya interact with nature both on a daily and

occasional basis. On a daily basis, they rely on the ominous
hoots or called limocon (bird of omen) from which they based

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their decision whether to continue or postpone their respective
activities.

On occasional basis, they perform rituals (e.g. baliligto

– heal the sick, panawag – for safe journey, and kotufor –
abundant harvest) led by bailan (priestes) either to appease the
busaw (evil spirit) or to ask favor from the good spirits that live
in the forest or the rivers.

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