REGION 1

JEFFREY A. LLANTADA
ALVIE MAE LABRO
ILOCOS
PROVINCES
ILOCOS NORTE
ILOCOS SUR
LA UNION
PANGASINAN

CAPITAL
LAOAG CITY
VIGAN
SAN FERNANDO
LINGAYEN
Ilocano literature or Iloko literature pertains to the literary works of writers of Ilocano ancestry regardless
of the language used - be it Ilocano, English, Spanish or other foreign and Philippine languages. In Ilocano
language, the terms "Iloko" and "Ilocano" are different. Generally, "Iloko" is the language while "Ilocano"
refers to the people or the ethnicity of the people who speak the Iloko language.

Ilocano literature in the Philippines is one of several regional Philippine literatures. It is one of the most
active tributaries to the general Philippine literature, next to Tagalog (Filipino) and Philippine Literature in
English.

History of Iloko literature

Ilocanos are descendants of Austronesian-speaking people from southern China via Taiwan. Families and clans arrived by viray or bilog,
meaning "boat". The term Ilokano originates from i-, "from", and looc, "cove or bay", thus "people of the bay." Ilokanos also refer to
themselves as Samtoy, a contraction from the Ilokano phrase sao mi ditoy, "our language here".

Precolonial times to the 19th century

Pre-colonial Iloko literature were composed of folk songs, riddles, proverbs, lamentations called dung-aw, and epic stories in written or
oral form. Ancient Ilokano poets expressed themselves in folk and war songs as well as the dallot, an improvised, versified and at times
impromptu long poem delivered in a sing-song manner.

During the Spanish regime, Iloko poetry was generally patterned after Spanish models. In fact, the earliest known written Iloko poems
were the romances translated from Spanish by Francisco Lopez, an Augustinian friar who, in 1621, published his own Iloko translation of
the Doctrina Cristiana by Cardinal Bellarmine, the first book to be printed in Iloko.

A study of Iloko poetry could be found in the Gramatica Ilokana, published in 1895, based on Lopez's Arte de la Lengua Iloca, earlier
published in 1627, but was probably written before 1606.
L
A
M
-
A
N
G
LEONA FLORENTINO
(1880)

She was born on 1884 in

Ilocos Sur.

“Unang Terministang
Makata ng Pilipinas”

Nalathala ang kanyang

mga gawa sa
Bibliotheque
International de Femmes
noong 1889.
 (original version:)
BLASTED HOPES (ca. 1880)
NALPAY A NAMNAMA
by Leona Florentino
translated by M. Foronda, Jr.
Amangan a ragsac ken talecda
dagiti adda caayanayatda
What gladness and what joy
ta adda piman mangricna
are endowed to one who is loved
cadagiti isuamin a asugda.
for truly there is one to share
all his sufferings and his pain
Ni Gasatco a nababa
aoanen ngatat capadana,
My fate is dim, my stars so low
ta cunac diac agduadua
perhaps nothing to it can compare,
ta agdama ngarud gna innac agsagaba.
for truly I do not doubt
for presently I suffer so.
Ta nupay no agayatac
iti maysa a imnas
For even I did love
aoan lat pangripripiripac
the beauty whom I desired
nga adda pacaibatugac.
never do I fully realize
that I am worthy of her.
Ilunodconto ti horas
nga innac pannacayanacta
Shall I curse the hour
mamenribo coma naseseat
when first I saw the light of day
no natayac idin ta nayanacac.
would it not have been better a thousand times
I had died when I was born.
Gayagayec coma a ipalaoag
ngem bumdeng met toy dilac,
Would I want to explain
a ta maquitac met a sibabatad
but my tongue remains powerless
nga ni paay ti calac-amac.
for now do I clearly see
to be spurned is my lot.
Ngem umanayento a liolioac
ti pannacaammon itoy a panagayat,
But would it be my greatest joy
ta icaric kenca ket isapatac
to know that it is you I love,
nga sica aoan sabli ti pacatayac.
for to you do I vow and a promise I make
it’s you alone for whom I would lay my life.
Ti Ayat Ti • Arranger:
• Performer:
Martin C. Mendoza
Philippine Brass Band and The Pandacan

Maysa nga Original Brass Band

• Album:
Ubing
Philippine Brass Band
• About the Song: "The text compares the sweet
love of a young maiden and the bitter love of an old
and foolish man." (From the CCP Encyclopedia of Art,
vol. 6, p. 276
 Ilocano
Folk Song

TI AYAT TI
MAYSA
NGA
UBING
• Pamulinawen - Ilocano; Philippines Folk Songs
• karagdagang Kaalaman tungkol sa Pamulinawen
• Ang Pamulinawen Festival sa Laoag City, Ilocos ay
ginaganap tuwing unang Linggo ng February. Ang
pistang ito ay naging isang mahalagang bahagi ng
relihiyon at kultural na pamana ng bawat bayan sa
Pilipinas. Ang pagdiriwang ay ginaganap sa araw ng
pyesta ng patron ng bayan na si Saint William the
Hermit.

• Sa pamamagitan ng kanyang pakikipag-ugnayan sa

Panginoon, ang Laoag City ay naging mapalad at ligtas
mula sa mga disaster at kalamidad. Ang Laoagueños ay
naghahanda at nagsasaya sa bawat pagdiriwang ng
pista ng lungsod, ginagawa itong isang extension ng
masaya at masaganang ng Pasko.
 Ilocano
Folk Song

PAMULINAWEN
I
L 1. No sibibiag may-ayat
O No matay maibibitin
C -- tabako
A
N 2. Adda imbitin ko nga uging
O Tangtangaden ti ubbing
--lumbay
R
3. No bigat lussok
I
D No rabii takop
D --bintana
L
E
S