PHILIPPINE LITERATURE DURING THE

PRECOLONIAL PERIOD
INCLUDES ALL LITERATURE PRODUCED
BEFORE THE SPANISH COLONIZATION LIKE
CHANTS, BARI-BARI APO, MAKIDALAN TI
TAO(ILOKO CHANT) PROVERBS, SALAWIKAIN,
BUGTONG (BURBURTIA/BURBURCHA IN ILOKO),
SONGS SUCH AS THE OYAYI OR HELE, IN ILOKO
ARE “MANANG BIDAY”, “PAMULINAWEN”, AND
“NARANIAG A BULAN” AND FOLK NARRATIVES.
FOLKTALE
 THIS IS A
CHARACTERISTICALLY
ANONYMOUS, TIMELESS, AND
PLACELESS TALE CIRCULATED
ORALLY AMONG PEOPLE.
 EXAMPLE:
1. JUAN GATHERS GUAVAS
(TAGALOG)
2. JUAN PUSONG AND HIS
FATHER’S COWS (VISAYAN)
2. FABLE
THIS FEATURES ANIMAL CHARACTERS OR
INANIMATE OBJECTS THAT BEHAVE LIKE
PEOPLE.
• THE MONKEY IS A COMMON ANIMAL
CHARACTER IN PHILIPPINE FABLES. IT IS
OFTEN DEPICTED AS A CUNNING ANIMAL
EXAMPLE: THE MONKEY AND THE
CROCODILE (TAGALOG)
3. LEGEND
THIS IS PRESENTED AS HISTORY BUT IS
UNLIKELY TO BE TRUE.
EXAMPLE:
1. THE FLOOD STORY (A LEGEND OF
BUKIDNON)
2. THE FLOOD STORY (A LEGEND OF THE
IGOROT)
4. MYTH – THIS IS TOLD TO EXPLAIN
A BELIEF, A PRACTICE, OR A NATURAL
PHENOMENON.
EXAMPLE:
1. THE CREATION (AN IGOROT MYTH)
2. THE CREATION (A TAGALOG MYTH)
5. EPIC
THIS NARRATIVE POEM CELEBRATES THE ADVENTURES
AND ACHIEVEMENTS OF A HERO.
THE PHILIPPINE EPICS ARE SUNG OR CHANTED IN
EPISODES.
THEY FEATURE SUPERNATURAL CHARACTERS AND
REFLECT THE SOCIETY WHERE THEY ORIGINATED.
ALSO, THERE ARE DIFFERENT VERSIONS OF A STORY.
EXAMPLE:
1. BIAG NI LAM-ANG (ILOCO)
2. HINILAWOD (PANAY)
3. DARANGAN