ARELLANO UNIVERSITY

3058 Taft Avenue, Pasay City

LESSON 4
GCAS 13- PHILIPPINE LITERATURE

PHILIPPINE POETRY

Centuries before the Spaniards came; the Filipinos already had their own cultural traditions, folklore,
mythologies and epics. There were substantial writings by early natives that Jesuit historian Fr. Pedro
Chirino noted: “All of the islanders are much given to reading and writing. And there is hardly a man,
much less a woman who did not read and write.” (Relacion de las isles Filipinas-1604)

Stories of epics, done in poetry displayed tremendous vitality, color and imagination. Tales of love and
adventures about native heroes, endowed with powers from the gods, battle monsters, and triumphs
over formidable armies, rode the wind, traveled in flying shields and protect the earliest communities of
the islands.

Established epic poems of notable quality and length blossomed. And early historians like Padre
Colin, Joaquin Martinez de Zuniga and Antonio Pigafetta have all attested to the existence of these epics.
There were even reports of a dramatic play given by natives at the arrival of Don Miguel Lopez de
Legaspi in 1565.

Epic poems and songs about the exploits of enchanted folk heroes were performed during festivities and
proper occasions. Most often, these epic poems (folk epics or ethno-epics) were titled after the names
of the hero involved, except for some which carry traditional titles like the Kalinga Ullalim; the Sulod
Hinilawod; the Maranao Darangan; or the Bicol Ibalon.

Stories about folk heroes of long ago were described as “Old Time History” because; they can be used to
study the lifestyle and beliefs of the people who produced them. They were also referred to as “Lost”,
because they were soon forgotten by natives influenced heavily by Spanish and “western” colonization.
The famed orientalist, Chauncey Starkweather, stressed that : “These epic romances are charming poem
in the Malayan literature.”

But there are those who perpetuated myths that in the early days of Spanish intrusion, priests in their
zealous rage against paganism destroyed all existing records, as well as all forms of writing and art
works, regarding ancient Philippine folk heroes. But this is not true. The colorful and fascinating
literature of pre-Hispanic Filipinos are still here. Giving the new generation an over view of a heritage
that is an unusual and invaluable source of joy and information. Regarding the life style, love and
aspirations of early Filipinos. It is from these, wonderful epics, where a Filipino can find his or her
national identity.

The history of Philippine poetry can be described in four major literary periods: precolonial (before
1521), Spanish colonial (1521–1898), U.S. colonial (1898–1946), and contemporary (1946–present). A
strong indigenous oral tradition is interwoven with the Spanish and U.S. colonial influences of culture
and language. Poetry has been written in Tagalog (the national language) and in the eighty-seven
regional dialects, as well as in the Castilian Spanish of Miguel de Cervantes and Lope de Vega and the
American English of Walt Whitman and Mark Twain.

Pre-colonial Poetry

An indigenous oral tradition of bugtong (riddles) and sawikain (proverbs) played a central part of
community life in villages of precolonial Philippines. Short four-line poems called tanaga evolved from
this oral tradition. Each line contained seven or eight syllables, and at the heart of the poem was a
cryptic metaphor called a talinghaga. Popular folk musical verse was divided into several categories:
the diona, talindao, and auit (songs sung at home); indolanin and dolayanin (street songs); hila,
soliranin, and manigpasin (rowing songs); holohorlo and oyayi (cradle songs); ombayi (songs of
sadness); omiguing (songs of tenderness); tagumpay (triumphant songs); dopayanin (boat
songs); hiliriao (drinking songs); and diona (wedding songs). Through these verses the local history,
politics, and culture were passed from generation to generation. The most skilled poets would memorize
epic cycles that took two to four days to recite during all-night dramatic performances. Two examples of
precolonial epics that survive today are Biag ni Lam-ang (Legend of Lamang) in Ilocano (a northern
Luzon dialect) and Ibalon in Bicol (a southern Luzon dialect).

Poetry in the Spanish Colonial Period

With the arrival of the Spanish colonizers Ferdinand Magellan (1521) and Miguel Lopez de Legazpi
(1571) came priests and their tradition of European Catholicism. Satanas (Satan) first appeared in
Tagalog poetry, and the Christian themes of sin, guilt, and retribution became central concerns of the
native population. In 1610, Tomas Pinpin, a Filipino poet working for the Dominican printing press in
Bataan (a town outside Manila), wrote a book entitled Librong Pagaaralan nang manga Tagalog nang
Uicang Castila (A Book in Which Tagalogs May Study the Spanish Language). In this book Pinpin inserted
six auit that had alternating Spanish and Tagalog lines. This type of bilingual poetry was written by a
group called the Ladino Poets.

Metrical romances called awit or korido were also popular with the literary crowds. The most influential
Tagalog romance of the period was the politically cryptic Florante at Laura (Florante and Laura; 1838),
written by Francisco Baltazar, also known as Balagtas (1788–1862). The first book of poetry written in
Spanish by a Filipino was Sampaguitas y Poesias Varias (Sampaguitas and Other Poems; 1880) by Pedro
Paterno (1858–1911), which was printed in Spain. Paterno, Marcelo H. Del Pilar (1850–1896), Jose Rizal
(1861–1896), and Isabelo De Los Reyes (1864–1918) were literary and political figures
called Ilustrados (enlightened ones) who were living in Madrid and working to attain political freedom
for the natives back in the Philippines. The first Filipino female poet to attain outside recognition was
Leona Florentino (1849–1884), whose poems were exhibited in the Exposition Filipina in 1887 in Madrid
and in the 1889 Exposition Internationale in Paris.

Poetry in the U.S. Colonial Period

In 1898, the U.S. president William McKinley (1843–1901) announced that it was the United States’
moral duty to take possession of the Philippine Islands because the Filipinos had to be civilized,
educated, and Christianized. After U.S. soldiers “pacified” the native population during the Philippine-
American War (1899–1902), thousands of U.S. teachers were sent throughout the archipelago to teach
the Filipinos the English language. In just a few years, English became the privileged form of expression
for poets, prose writers, and dramatists.

The earliest Filipino poems written in English were published in 1905 in Berkeley, California, in The
Filipino Students’ Magazine, which was edited by pensionados (Philippine-American government
scholars). The first book of poetry written in English, Azucena (1925) by Marcelo De Gracia Concepcion
(1895–1954), was published in the United States by G. P. Putnam’s Sons. The most influential Filipino
poet, Jose Garcia Villa (1908–1997), lived most of his adult life in New York City. His books are Have
Come, Am Here (Viking Press, 1942), Volume Two (New Directions, 1949), and Selected Poems and
New (McDowell, Obolensky, 1958). Another early immigrant Filipino poet was Carlos Bulosan (1911–
1956), who published political poems in American magazines like The New Yorker, Poetry (edited by
Harriet Monroe) and Saturday Evening Post. In Manila in 1940, the Commonwealth Literary Prize in
English poetry was given to Rafael Zulueta Da Costa (1915–1990) for Like the Molave and Other
Poems. Native themes were well represented by such local poets as Fernando Ma Guerrero (1873–
1929), Lope K. Santos (1879–1965), Jose Corazon De Jesus (1896–1932), Amado V. Hernandez (1903–
1970), Alejandro G. Abadilla (1904–1969), Angela Manalang Gloria (1907–1999), and Trinidad Tarrosa
Subido (1912–1993).

Contemporary Poetry

The declaration of formal independence from the United States on 4 July 1946 brought a sense of a new
beginning to the people and poets of the Philippines. A generation of poets who studied at the famed
Iowa Writer’s Workshop at the University of Iowa in the 1950s—Bienvenido N. Santos (1911–1996),
Ricaredo Demetillo (1920–1998), Dominador I. Ilio (b. 1913), and Edith Tiempo (b. 1919)—came back to
the Philippines with the literary ideals of the American New Criticism. The 1970s and 1980s proved to be
a politically aware era for Filipino poets, who were writing under the censorship of the dictatorial regime
of Ferdinand Marcos (1965–1986). As a reaction to the 1983 assassination of Benigno Aquino, Jr., a
leading anti-Marcos politician, several poets formed a literary organization called PLAC (Philippine
Literary Arts Council) to protest the abuses of the government. One of its leading founders was Alfred A.
Yuson (b. 1945), whose neorealist books of poems are Dream of Knives (1986) and Trading in
Mermaids (1993). Current trends in Filipino poetry are best exemplified by the pyrotechnic imagination
of Eileen R. Tabios (b. 1960), whose book of poetry Beyond Life Sentences (1998) won the National Book
Award given by the Manila Book Critics Circle. Her poems incorporate the American precision of
Marianne Moore, the experimental joie de vivre of Paul Valery, and the imagistic intensity of Pablo
Neruda.

Samples of Philippine epic poetry

Igorot epic poetry

Don’t trust in hudhud, after a long journey without feeling tired. Aliguyon had never been beaten in any
fight or battle. He could catch and face any weapon from the air, and he could defeat his avenging foes.

This poetry its always true. In the beginning, Aliguyon only wanted to kill the enemies of his father. But
after learning that his father didn’t have enemies, Aliguyon was advised by his father to just use his
strength and power to win a female rightful to become his wife and companion in life.
One extraordinary event in Aliguyon’s life was his duel against Pumbakhayon, a warrior who had the
same fighting strength and skills as Aliguyon. Pumbakhayon was from a nearby tribe called Daligdigan.
Aliguyon and Pumbakhayon had a duel that lasted a year and a half. After a brief intermission, the two
resumed their fight which lasted for another year and a half. Eventually, both men realized that they will
not be able to beat each other. Therefore, they made a simple arrangement.

Aliguyon agreed to marry Bugan, a sister of Pumbakhayon. While Pumbakhayon married Aginaya, a
sister of Aliguyon. The arrangement unified the tribes of Gohandan and Daligdigan. Here ended the
story of the Hud-Hud epic.

Bicol epic poetry

From the Bicol province comes the Ibalon. The Ibalon relates the mystical origins of the first man and
the first woman of Aslon and Ibalon, which are current provinces of Camarines, Albay, Sorsogon,
Catanduanes and Masbate. Hiandong, one of the heroes of Ibalon (The others are Baltog and Bantong)
was a great leader of warriors. He fought against a giant Cyclops for ten months, defeated the winged
Tiburon and the fierce Sarimao and won over the seductive serpent Oriol before starting a village.

His Village prospered and soon, others invented the plough, harrow and other farming implements.
Events in this epic also had a flood story similar to that of the Biblical Genesis.

LIFE OF LAM-ANG

By:Pedro Bucaneg

Barely 9 months old, Lam-Ang fought against the headhunters who killed his father. He was also eaten
by a sea monster, but was reborn from his retrieved bones. He also journeyed to get the beautiful Ines
Kannoyan accompanied by his pets; a rooster and a dog. (This reminds us of an old Japanese tale titled
Momotaro the Peach boy.) Ines Kannoyan’s place was filled with suitors, Lam-Ang’s rooster flap its
wings and the long house toppled. This amazed everybody, especially Ines. Then, Lam-Ang’s dog barks
and the long house rose to its former. Lam-Ang gave Ines two golden ships filled with treasures, and
then he married her from noah.

Mindanao epic poetry

The people of Mindanao had rich literatures that exist only in their minds and memories. Only recently
that these epic poetries were put in writing, so these can be studied by the public. Locally called
“Darangan”, these epic poetries were similar to those of that Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey.

The Darangan tells of the sentimental and romantic adventures of noble warriors, one of them, is about
a warrior-prince called Bantugan.. Prince Bantugan was the brother of the chieftain of a village called
Bumbaran. Bantugan owned a magic shield, was protected by divine spirits called “Tonongs” and was
capable of rising from the dead. Once his enemies attacked Bembaran, thinking he was dead. In the nick
of time, Bantugan’s soul was recovered and he saved the village.

There is also an episode, where Prince Bantugan was on a quest and fought his enemies with his
magic Kampilan (Native sword). Soon, he got tired and fell on to the water. A crocodile delivered him to
his enemies, but he regained his strength, escaped his captors, and commands an oar less ship and won
the battle.
There were also “Darangan epic poetries that relates stories of wars about abducted princesses. Just like
the chronicles of the Trojan War.

The Darangan is one of the oldest and longest Philippine Epic poetries. Several nights were needed to
recite the twenty five beautiful chapters. The Darangan, sung in its original, possessed a sustained
beauty and dignity, it might be studied for its esthetic values alone.

Visayan epic poetry

The Maragtas Chronicles of Panay is a history of rulers of the island from the time of the Ten
Malay Datus (rulers) that settled from Borneo. The “Legend of the Ten Datus (chieftains)” narrates about
the forefathers of the Filipinos and the story of ten Bornean chieftains who escaped the cruel regime
of Sultan Makatunaw. Datu Puti along with other nine chieftains plans to leave Borneo. Riding their
native boats, they ventured into the night and across the wide ocean. At first, the ten rulers and their
families were afraid that they might perish in the middle of the sea. Soon, they have reached the islands
of Panay and befriended with the natives called Aetas. The Aetas are quite friendly and decides to sell a
piece of their land to the ten chieftains. The chieftains gave the Aetas leader, Marikudo a golden Salakot
(Native head piece) After this; the chieftains and Aetas lived in peace and harmony. The Haraya is
another epic poem from Panay. It is a collection of rules of conduct told in the form of heroic tales. The
“Hari sa Bukid” of Negros is a mythical epic of Kanlaon (Kan comes from a Persian word “Khan” meaning
“King” and “Laon” from a Malay word meaning “Ancient.”) and “Hinilawod” an epic poem made by the
early inhabitants of Iloilo, Aklan and Antique also from Panay. The hero of Hinilawod, “Humadapnon”
was of divine ancestry. He had super natural powers and guardian spirits to protect him. His most
exciting adventure was his search for Malitong Yawa Sinamagling Diwata: A beautiful maiden whom he
saw in his dream. He boarded his golden boat, sailed amidst dangerous seas, and was captured by an
enchantress/engkantada. Finally, he found and won the love of Malitong Yawa Sinamagling Diwata.

Other epics

Dr. Jose Pangaea, in his book on Philippine literature mentioned that “Old Folks” in the Batangas area
which anciently covered part of the Rizal province up to Morons, all of Laguna, Cavite, Quezon,
Marinduque and the Mindoro Province, mentioned an epic that their elders used to chant but can’t
remember. These are not definite stories. Only war songs and war dances accompanied with music on
the “kalatong”. The “kalatong”, it should be noted, is a native “Tom-Tom” consists of a bamboo reed
with “strings” raised up from its own fibers. Josue Soncuya mentions the epic that Dr. Jose Panganiban
calls “Kumintang”, in Chapter XIX of the Boletin dela Sociedad Historico-Geografica de Filipinas. There
was a tale around the 14th Century: King Soledan sent his sons Bagtas, Manduquit and Likyaw of the
house of Madjapahit to Mai and Lusong which were then, part of the kingdom of Lontok. The conquest
of the northern territories through singing and dancing of warriors form the integral part of the
“Kumintang.” Other epic poems being written and chanted are: The Sud-ansud of the Tagbanuas from
Palawan The Dagoy, also from Palawan The Parang Sabil of the Sulo Muslims The Ulagingen and Selch of
the Manobos The Panglima Munggona and Jikiri of the Tausog The kalinga Banna Bidian of the Ibaloys
The Sulod Labaw Donggon …and, Bagyu of Bukidnon. Eulogio B. Rodriguez, former director of the
Philippine National Library said that “Anonymous vernacular writers of past ages had no thought of
bringing glory to their own, but labored with the central idea of transmitting to prosperity in a concrete
and permanent form, the great mass of Philippine legends which was only preserved by word of
mouth…With their work as corner stone, later writers have been gradually adding block by block to the
literary edifice to approximate something similar to a national literature of our own.” When the late
American Nobel Prize winner William Faulkner visited the Philippines, he was impressed by our epic
poems. He stated that: ” The Filipinos have their own traditions of poetry in their folklore, in their
language and dialects. This must be recorded and that’s the job of the writers. In doing that, he gives a
pattern of hope and aspirations for the people to advance not merely as a nation of people but as a
member of a family of nations, the human family.”