LEMONCITO, ALBAO, DURANA, BERMEJO | 11-MOSELEY

tHE
PRE-SPANISH PERIOD
Before the arrival of the Spaniards and other
foreigners in the Philippines, our ancestors had their
own rich literary tradition, expressed through folk
stories, plays, and short stories. They used an
alphabet similar to the Malayo-Polynesian one, and
though much of their written works were destroyed
by the Spaniards, some survived, showcasing native
culture through folk songs and manuscripts.

The Spaniards acknowledged our ancestors' love for

poetry, songs, stories, riddles, and proverbs, which
continue to reflect the true culture of the Filipino
people.
 Legends

a form of prose the common theme of which is about

the origin of a thing, place, location or name. The
events are imaginary, devoid of truth and
unbelievable. Old Filipino customs are reflected in
these legends. Its aim is to entertain.
Alamat ng Bulkang Mayon
Type of Work: Legend
Origin: Philippines, particularly from the Bicol region

Synopsis: It tells the story of Daragang Magayon, a beautiful maiden

who fell in love with a warrior named Panganoron. However, their
love was forbidden due to tribal conflicts. Despite this, they
continued to meet in secret. When Magayon's father discovered
their relationship, a fierce battle ensued between him and
Panganoron. Tragically, during the chaos of the fight, Magayon was
accidentally struck and fatally wounded. In grief, Panganoron
also perished. Legend has it that where their bodies fell, the Mayon
Volcano rose, symbolizing the eternal love and tragic fate of
Daragang Magayon and Panganoron. The perfect cone shape of the
volcano is said to represent the beauty and purity of Magayon,
while its frequent eruptions are seen as her expression of longing
and sorrow for her lost love.
 Folk tales

made up of stories about life, adventure, love,

horror and humor where one can derive lessons
about life. These are useful to us because they help
us appreciate our environment, evaluate our
personalities and improve our perspectives in life.
the boy who bacame a stone
Type of Work: folktale
Origin: Tribe Tinguian from the mountain province of Abra in
northwestern Luzon

Synopsis: The folktale revolves around Elonen, who lives with his
grandmother and one day, while crafting a bird snare, encounters a
small bird challenging him to catch it. Elonen successfully traps
the bird but returns home to find his grandmother has consumed it.
Heartbroken, he left and encountered a magical stone, and begged it
to eat him. The stone complies, trapping Elonen within. Despite his
grandmother's desperate search, it's only when she passes by the
stone that she hears it reveal Elonen's fate. She pleads with the
stone, but Elonen remains trapped within forever.
 Epics

are long narrative poems in which a series of heroic

achievements or events, usually of a hero, are dealt with at
length. Nobody can determine which epics are the oldest
because in their translations from other languages, even in
English and Spanish. We can only determine their origins
from the time mentioned in the said epics.
biag ni lam-ang
Type of Work: epic
Origin: From the Ilocano people of the Ilocos Region in Luzon

Synopsis: Biag ni Lam-ang tells the story of Lam-ang, a legendary

hero endowed with supernatural abilities from birth. The epic
follows Lam-ang's journey to avenge his father's death, his
encounters with various mythical creatures, and his quest to win
the hand of his beloved Ines Kannoyan.
 Folk songs

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.
tagulalay
Type of Work: folksong
Origin: Bicol Region, Philippines

Synopsis: Is a funeral song or eulogies, it is for mourning

or a mournful song. It originated from the words
"taghoy" which means lament and "alalay" which means
sustained. It's grieving over such a tragic event.
During the Pre-Spanish period, most literature
was oral in nature and has been passed on by
word of mouth, known as oral literature. Thus, it
has resulted in many alterations of most
literature.

This literature often tackles the common

experience of the people as main subjects such as
village-food-gathering, creatures and objects of
nature, work in the home, field, forest or sea,
caring for children.
Almost all the important events in the
life of the ancient Filipinos were
connected with some religious
observance and the rites and ceremonies
always had 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.
Prose narratives in prehistoric Philippines consisted
largely of 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.