MODULE 2

PHILIPPINE LITERATURE in PRE-COLONIAL PERIOD

Learning Outcomes
1. Identify the different notable works of Philippine literature in pre-colonial period.
2. Appreciate the art of literature.

INTRODUCTION:
Philippine literature during the pre-colonial period was primarily oral in nature. It
consisted of myths, legends, epics, and folktales that were passed down from
generation to generation through oral tradition.
These stories often revolved around the beliefs, customs, and traditions of the various
indigenous groups in the Philippines.
Some notable examples of pre-colonial Philippine literature include the “Hinilawod” of
the Sulod people in Panay, the “Biag ni Lan-ang” of the Ilocanos, and the “Hudhud” and
“Alim” epics of the Ifugao and Kalinga tribes. These literary works served as a means of
preserving the cultural heritage and collective memory of the indigenous peoples of the
Philippines.
Many oral pieces became lost in the wave of the new literary influence brought about by
the Spanish colonization, however, according to the Philippine Literature. A History and
Anthology, English Edition (Lumbera, B. & Lumbera C), the pre-colonial period of
Philippine literature is considered the longest in the country’s history.
Literature in this period is based on tradition, reflecting daily life activities such as
housework, farming, fishing, hunting, and taking care of the children as well.
Oral pieces told stories which explained heroes and their adventures, they attempted to
explain certain natural phenomena, and, at the same time, served as entertainment
purposes.
Pre-colonial literature showed certain elements that linked the Filipino culture to other
Southeast Asian countries (e.g. oral pieces which were performed through a tribal
dance have certain similarities to the Malay dance)
This period in Philippine Literature history represented the ethos of the people before
the arrival of a huge cultural influence – literature as a cultural tradition, then a form of
art that had a particular set of decorum.
Pre-Colonial Literature
 Riddles – “Bugtong” in Filipino, is a statement or question that directly requires a
concrete answer or presents a puzzle whose hidden meaning has to be
deciphered.

In literature, riddle is a type of verbal play; a question or observation deliberately

worded in a puzzling manner and presented as a problem to be solved.

Examples:

1. A deep well full of knives

2. Nene is still a child, but she already knows how to weave.
3. Even if you throw it away, it still comes back.
4. Not a king nor a priest but wears assorted wardrobe.
5. I bought a slave that is higher than me.

 Proverb – is a traditional saying or phrase that expresses a perceived truth. It

often gives practical advice and is based on the shared human experience.
The word proverb corresponds to the Tagalog words salawikain, kasabihan
(saying) and sawikain (although the latter may also refer to mottos or idioms).
Proverbs originating from the Philippines are described as forceful and poetic
expressions and basic forms of euphemisms.
Stylistically set apart from regular speech, they are often metaphorical or
symbolic in nature. Speakers can use proverbs to impart knowledge, offer
advice, teach or reinforce morals, make an argument, relieve interpersonal
tensions, aid in understanding, or to console or inspire others.
Examples:
1. Life is like a wheel, sometimes you’re up sometimes you’re down.
2. Strike while the iron is hot.
3. Honesty is the best policy.
4. Don’t judge a book by its cover.
5. An apple a day keeps the doctor away.
 Myths and Legends

Myths are stories that are passed down about how or why something came to be.

Examples:

A black cat crossing the road in front of you brings bad luck. It is a myth, as it is
not based on any solid evidence.

The story of Echo. This myth tells about how echoes formed. According to the
myth, a nymph named Echo was cursed, only being able to repeat what others
say. She withered away to the point where she no longer had a body, as was
only her voice.

Legends are designed to teach a lesson about a real person in history, with a few
facts dramatically changed.

Example: Stories of heroes like Robin Hood and King Arthur are related to a
certain time period and hence they are legends.

 Epics – In Tagalog, “epic” is translated as “epiko”. The term typically refers to

poem, traditionally oral, which focuses on a hero who undertakes a dangerous
journey and performs feats of legendary proportions. Just like in English
counterpart, “epiko” can also denote a long, sweeping story or sequence of
events.

Epic, long narrative poem recounting heroic deeds, although the term has also
been loosely used to describe novels.
Example:
Darangen is a Maranao epic poem from the Lake Lanao region of Mindanao,
Philippines. It consists of 17 cycles with 72,000 lines in iambic tetrameter or
catalectic trochaic tetrameter. Each cycle pertains to a different self-contained
story. The most notable of which deals with the exploits of the hero Bantugan.

 Folktales – are stories that form part of the oral tradition in the Philippines. They
have been passed on generation to generation by word of mouth rather than by
writing, and thus the stories have been modified by successive retellings before
they were written down and recorded.
 Folktales are traditional fictional stories. “Traditional” means that the stories have
been transmitted from narrator to narrator sufficiently to have acquired the form
and style that is characteristics of traditional oral narratives the world ever.

Folktales in the Philippines serve as a means of preserving cultural heritage,

promoting collective knowledge, and engaging learners in the teaching and
learning process.

Examples:

1. Snow White
2. Cinderella
3. Molly Pitcher
4. Bear Lake Monster

 Folksongs – folk music, type of traditional and generally rural music that originally
was passed down through families and other small social groups. Typically, folk
music, like folk literature, lives in oral traditions; it is learned through hearing than
reading.
In many places folk songs are of great importance, serving as excitement to war
or love or as a part of religious or secular ritual. Through them the group
expresses its common emotions or lightens the burden of communal labor.
How do you identify folk songs?
Traditionally, a piece of folk music should have some or all of these
characteristics:
1. It's transmitted (passed from one user to the next) orally, rather than via a written
score.
2. The original composer is often unknown – instead the tune and/or words spread
organically.
3. The music is played on traditional instruments.
“Folk song” is an oral art that challenges the expectations of “literature”, which
implies something written down. Musical performance is essential to its full effect.
Like other forms more widely accepted as literary, such as drama, folk song is
thus aesthetically amphibious.