UsePHILIPPINE LITERARY 1.

Riddles
2. Proverbs/Maxims/Epigrams
HISTORY 3. Tanaga
PRE-COLONIAL PERIOD
4. Chants
BC - 1564
5. Sayings
BC - 1564
The pre-colonial period
1. Riddles
Historical Background
 Known as Bugtong in Filipino
 It happened before Spaniards claimed the  Known as Tigmo in Cebuano
Philippines in 1565.
 A battle of wits among participants
 The pre-colonial Philippine archipelago was
 Involves reference to one or two images that
home to numerous kingdoms and sultanates.
symbolize the characteristics of an unknown
 The society was organized in strict social
objects that is to be guessed
classes, such as Datu, Maginoo, Maharlika,
 Made up of one or more measured lines with
Timawa, and Alipin.
 The items much prized in the islands included rhymes and may consist of 4 to 12 syllables
jars, which were a symbol of wealth Example in Cebuano
throughout South Asia, and later metal, salt Baboy sa lasang, A wild pig of the forest,
and tobacco. In exchange, the people would
Ang tunok puro lansang. Is covered with spikes.
trade feathers, rhino horns, horn bill beaks,
beeswax, bird's-nests, resin, and rattan. Tubag: nangka Answer: jackfruit
 Works of literature were oral in nature— Purpose of riddles
literature that has been passed on by word of
Riddles during pre-canonical Philippines were
mouth.
composed of five purposes (Pre Colonial Philippine
 Subjects of literary works were about life, its
Literature, 2011):
blessings, and its consequences; contained
ideas from birth to the grave. 1. To entertain: Before the advent of electricity,
 Its oral characteristic have the possibility for families would sit around the fire and the elders
many alterations. would quiz the younger generation with riddles.
 Many Filipinos still admired pre-colonial 2. To educate: Riddles serve the function of passing
literature despite of its many alterations. down knowledge from one generation to the next.
 The living sources of pre-colonial literature They require thinking in order to solve them.
were the local native town folk. 3. To titillate: Many old Filipino riddles contain
 Baybayin was the oldest writing system. “double entendre’ that were intended to amuse the
Indosphere men and surprise the women.
Sinosphere https://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/double-
Characteristics, forms, examples entendre.html

A. ORAL LITERATURE 4. To curse implicitly. A riddle could be made up

against an enemy, rival town, or suitor.
Forms:
5. To preserve the culture. Riddles communicate the
old ways from one generation to the next.
2. Proverbs, epigrams, maxims

 Known as Salawikain or Sawikain in Filipino

 Known as Panultihon in Cebuano
  Short poems that have been customarily been
used and served as laws or rules on good
behavior by our ancestors.
• The focus is to express insights and
lessons in life and is more emotionally
charged than the proverb, thus, has
 Allegories or parables that impart lessons for affinities with folk lyric.
the young
 Often expressing a single idea, that is usually Example
satirical and had a witty ending
 Maxims – rhyming couplets (5,6,8 syllables) Original Version (Filipino) Translation (English)
Tumatawag sa langit; To the heavens, I call out;
Salawikain Hiling sana’y makamit… And I wish to ease my doubt
Filipino on Friendship Na tadhana’y makita — T’was my place I want to find
—
Ang matapat na kaibigan, tunay na maasahan.
Malimot pagdududa. While leaving all fears behind.
(You will know a true friend in time of need.)
Mandaya on Virginity (Mandaya is the largest tribal 4. Chants
unit in southeastern Mindanao.)
• Used in witchcraft or enchantments
Yang ataog aw madugdug, di da mamauli.
• Known as Bulong Filipino
(An egg once broken, will never be the same.) • Used by our ancestors to ask for
Tausug on Secret Affairs (Tausug is an ethnic group permission from spirits or supernatural
that mainly lives in Jolo, Sulu.) beings so as not to have bad things
happen to them
In lasa iban uba, di hikatapuk.
(Love and cough, cannot be hidden.) Example,
Ilocano on Guilt (Ilocano or Iloko people mainly
inhabit in northwestern Luzon.) Tabi, tabi po, Ingkong
Makikiraan po lamang.
Ti agutak, isut nagitlog.
(He who cackles, laid the egg.) Witchcraft
Sawikain
Filipino version English translation
Sawikain
Expressions Word-for-word translation Meaning Ikaw ang magnanakaw ng Bigas ko, You stole my
Kumukulo ang dugo Blood is boiling Is very angry rice,
Isulat sa tubig Write on water Forget about it Lumuwa sana ang mga mata mo, May your eye
bulge,
Maxims
Mamaga sana ang katawan mo, And your body swell,
Expression Patayin ka ng mga Anito. Be killed by the Anitos
Pag hindi ukol, hindi bubukol. (gods).

Meaning
5. Sayings
What is not intended for one will not bear fruit. • Known as Kasabihan in Filipino
3. Tanaga • Used in teasing or to comment on a
person’s actuations
 A short poetic form that is the Filipino Examples,
 equivalent of Japanese Haiku 1) Walang mahirap na gawa ‘pag
dinaan sa tiyaga.
 Consists of four lines with seven syllables Nothing’s hard to do if you pursue it through
each with the same rhyme at the end of each perseverance.
line (i.e., mono-rhyming heptasyllabic
quatrain, or 7-7-7-7 syllabic verse, with an 2) Ang kaginhawaan ay nasa
AABB rhyme scheme) kasiyahan, at wala sa
B. FOLK SONGS kasaganahan.
Well-being is in happiness and not in prosperity.
 A form of folk lyric that is usually chanted—
contain ideas on aspirations, hopes, everyday  Locally known as Tagulaylay
life and expressions of love for loved ones and
is bounded by learning of good morals  These are lamentations that contain the role
 Straightforward and not figurative in nature; of good deeds that the dead usually done to
often repetitive and sonorous, didactic and immortalize his/her good image
naïve
5. Religious songs
Sonorous: imposingly deep and full (“Sonorous,”
2020)  These are songs or chants that are usually
Forms given during exorcisms and thanksgiving
1. Lullabies during good harvest
 Exorcism was usually done by Babaylans, or
2. Drinking songs Philippine shamans (i.e. almost always women
3. Serenade or feminized men) were shamans of the
4. Songs of death various ethnic groups of the pre-colonial
Philippines, specialized in communicating,
5. Religious songs
appeasing, or harnessing the spirits of the
1. Lullabies dead and the spirits of nature.
 There were also various subtypes of Babaylan
 Locally known as Hele or Uyayi specializing in the arts of healing and
 Sung to put babies to sleep herbalism, divination, and sorcery.
 Content varies, but is usually sung by parents
with ideas on how hard life is and how they c. FOLK TALES
hope that their child will not experience the
hardships of life  Locally known as “Mga Kwentong Bayan”, pre-
canonical stories contained ideas about
Dungdungwen Kanto (Ilocano) dealing with the power of nature—personified,
For English translation of lyrics, visit this page: their submission to a deity—usually Bathala—
and how this deity is responsible for the
https://www.mamalisa.com/?t=es&p=481
blessings and calamities
Watch this video:
Ili-ili Tulog Anay (Ilonggo)  Pre-canonical Philippine folk tales also tackle
about irresponsibility, lust, stupidity,
Watch this video.
deception, and fallibility that eventually leads
2. Drinking Songs to the instilling of good morals

 Locally known as Tagay Themes of Pre-canonical phil. folk tales

  Sung during drinking sessions 1) Ceremonies to appease the deities
2) Pre-and-post apocalypse
3. serenade
3) Life and Death
 Locally known as Harana in Cebuano and in 4) Gods and Goddesses
Filipino 5) Heroes and Heroines
 These are Courtship Songs used by young
6) Supernatural beings
men to capture the heart of the girl they love
7) Animals
Visit these links to view an example of Harana and Forms
how and why it is done
1. Myths
4. Songs of death
2. Legends
1. Myths
3. Fables

 Tackle the natural to strange occurrences of 4. Epics

the earth and how things were created with 2. Legends
an aim to give an explanation to things.
 There are many creation myths in Philippine  Through legends, the natives understood
mythology, originating from various ethnic mysteries around them
groups; for example,  Stories usually come with lessons that give
1) the Story of Bathala credit to supernatural powers, supernatural
Click this link: occurrences, and other out-of-this-world
http://winners.virtualclassroom.org/0914/asia/phi02.h native imagination
tml  Examples,
2) the Visayan Creation Myth
Click this link : 1) The Legend of Maria Makiling
https://www.aswangproject.com/visayan-origin-myth/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1YGNnW8ykmU
3) Ang Pag-aaway ng Dagat at Langit 2) The Legend of Sampaguita
Deities and Paradise https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNBDi20Nkf0
3. Fables
 There is presence of different deities, for
example:  Employ animals, plants, inanimate objects, or
1. Bathala for the Tagalogs forces of nature as characters
2. Gueurang for the Bikolanos  Narrates fantastic stories that deal with
underworld characters, including but not
 Paradise is known as Maca, while Hell is limited to:
Kasanaaan
Mythical creatures a) tiyanak - babies who died before receiving
1) Aswang (vampire, ghouls) – appear at night to baptism rites and are believed to transform into evil
prey upon unwary travelers or sleeping people, with spirits and eat living victims;
particular liking for the taste of human liver b) aswang; and
2) Dila – drawn to those who are ill, this spirit passes c) kapre – or “Agta” in Cebuanos, they are filthy
through the bamboo flooring or provincial houses giants who like to smoke huge rolls of cigars
then licks the sick and dying to death Examples
3) Diwata (fairies or nymphs) – can be male or 1) Ang Kuneho at ang Pagong
female known for being astoundingly beautiful and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-mM8Oxagn8
ageless and believed to bring blessings upon those 2) Si Juan Tamad
who do good to the forests and mountains, and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xosv_OsOKKM
curses upon those who harm them 4. Epics
Mythical creatures (cont...) These are narratives of sustained length based on
4) Dewende (goblins, elves dwarves) – believed to oral tradition revolving around supernatural events
provide good fortune or foretell an ominous fate to or heroic deeds
people Ifugao
5) Tikbalang (demon horse) – a half-man and half- 1) Hudhud ni Aliguyon
horse creature believed to travel at night to rape - Tells a daring feat of Aliguyon as he battles his
female mortals arch-enemy, Pambukhayon
6) Mangkukulam (witch/wizard, sorcerers) – believed http://florizaacido.blogspot.com/2013/10/the-story-of-
to cast evil spells to humans hudhud-ni-aliguyon.html
To see the complete list of Philippine mythical Ilocos
creatures, visit this link: 2) Biag ni Lam-ang
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ - Tells the adventures of Lam-ang who exhibits
Philippine_mythical_creatures extraordinary power at a very young age
https://www.aswangproject.com/mythical-heroes-of-
philippines/