21st Century Literature from

the Philippines and the WorldSpanish Colonial Texts and Pre-colonial Texts

PRE-COLONIAL TEXTS

Literature

Some of the pre-colonial literary

pieces showcased in traditional

narratives, speeches and songs are

tigmo in Cebuano, bugtong in Tagalog,

patototdon is Bicol and paktakon in

Ilongo. Philippine epics and folk tales

are varied and filled with magical

characters. They are either narratives of

mostly mythical objects, persons or

certain places, or epics telling

supernatural events and bravery of

heroes, customs and ideologies of a

community.

Poetry

Dalawang Balon

Hindi Malingon

Sa araw ay Bunbong

Sa gabi ay dahon

Sang dalagang marikit

Nakaupo sa tinik

Kung bayaa’y nabubuhay

Kung himasi’y namamatay

Ethno-epics

Biag ni Lam-ang (Life of Lam-ang) of

the Ilocanos narrates the adventures of

the prodigious epic hero, Lam-ang who

exhibits extraordinary powers at an

early age. At nine months he is able to

go to war to look for his father’s killers.

Then while in search of lady love, Ines

Kannoyan, he is swallowed by a big

fish, but his rooster and his friends bring

him back to life.

The Agyu or Olahing of the Manobos is a three part epic that starts with the pahmara (invocation) then the kepu’unpuun ( a narration of the past) and the sengedurog (an episode complete in itself). All three parts narrate the exploits of the hero as he leads his people who have been driven out of their land to Nalandangan, a land of utopia where there are no landgrabbers and oppressors.

Sandayo, of the Subanon tells of the

story of the hero with the same name,

who is born through extraordinary

circumstances as he fell out of the hair

of his mother while she was combing it

on the ninth stroke. Thence, he leads

his people in the fight against invaders

of their land and waterways.

Aliguyon or the Hudhud of the Ifugaos

tells of the adventures of Aliguyon as he

battles his arch enemy, Pambukhayon

among rice fields and terraces and

instructs his people to be steadfast and

learn the wisdom of warfare and of

peacemaking during harvest seasons.

Labaw Donggon is about the passionate exploits of the son of a goddess Alunsina, by a mortal, DatuPaubari. The polygamous hero battles the huge monster Manaluntad for the hand of Abyang Ginbitinan; then he fights Sikay Padalogdog, the giant with a hundred arms to win AbyangDoronoon and confronts the lord of darkness, Saragnayan, to win Nagmalitong Yawa Sinagmaling Diwata.

Myths

IlokoThe Gods and the Goddesses

Cabalangegan was a formerly a jungle at the edge of the river Abra. On the far side of the river

were mountains, high and steep. On these mountains lived an old man named Abra, the father of

Caburayan. The old man controlled the weather. It is said that the river Abra was covered by a gathering of

water vapor at night, and during the days, it was always bright with sunlight.

At that time, Anianihan, god of harvests, was in love with Caburayan, goddess of healing. Her

mother, Lady Makiling, knew about their mutual attraction, but Abra did not know it because the three were

afraid to tell him since he might punish them as he disapproved of Anianihan. Abra wanted his daughter to

marry either Saguday, god of the wind, or Revenador, god of thunder and lightning. This being so,

Anianihan took Caburayan from her home. Abra wept a great deal. He sent Lady Makiling away after

beating her.

When Abra was alone, he wept day and night till Bulan, god of peace and calm, came. Though Bulan was

there to brighten Abra's spirits, Abra did not stop weeping. He could not express his anger. He begged the

other gods to bring back his daughter.

One day the sun, eye of Amman, shone so brightly that the water of the river Abra was

excessively heated. Smoke rose from the river. Soon, thick, black clouds began to darken the sky. Then

Saguday sent the strongest wind until the crowns of the trees brushed the ground. The god Revenador sent

down the largest strings of fire. The heaviest rains fell. All these frightful events lasted seven days. The river

Abra then rose and covered the trees. There rose a vast body of water until only the highest part of the

mountain could be seen. It looked like a back of a turtle from a distance. This was the spot where Abra

lived.

On the seventh day, Abra heard a cry. He also heard a most sorrowful song. Abra dried his

tears and looked around, but he saw no one. He was determined to find Maria Makiling, his grandchild. He

did not find her, for the cries of the baby stopped.

The search for the baby lasted three full moons but to no avail, and the poor old man returned

to his home very sad. He lost all hope; his wits were gone. At that time Maria Makiling was under the care

of the fierce dog, Lobo, who was under a god of the Underworld. He had been punished by the other gods,

and that is why he looked like a fierce dog. He was sent down to do charity.

IbanagWhy There is High Tide during a Full Moon

Long, long ago only gods lived in this world, the earth, seas, and sky were ruled by three

different powerful gods.The sun god, who ruled the sky, had a very beautiful daughter, Luna, the moon.

Luna enjoyed going around the heavens in her golden chariot. One day she found herself taking another

path which led her outside her kingdom. She wandered on until she reached the place where the sky met

the sea. Beautiful and unusual sights greeted her eyes. As she was admiring the beautiful things around, a

voice startled her. It asked, "Where has thou come from, most beautiful one?"

Turning around she saw a young man who looked much like her father though fairer. She

wanted to run away, but when she looked at him again, she saw that he was smiling at her. Taking courage

she answered, "I am Luna, daughter of the sun god."

The young man smiled at her and answered, "I am Mar, the son of the sea god. Welcome to

our kingdom." Soon the two became good friends. They had many interesting stories to tell each other.

When it was time for Luna to go, they promised to see each other as often as they could, for they have

many more tales to tell. They continued meeting at the same spot until they realized that they were in love

with each other.

One day after one of their secret meetings, Luna went back to the heavens full of joy. She was

so happy that she told her secret to one of her cousins. The cousin, jealous of her beauty and her

happiness, reported the affair to the sun god. The sun god was angered at his daughter's disobedience to

the immortal laws. He shut her in their garden and did not allow her to get out. Then he sent a messenger

to the sea god informing him that his son Mar disobeyed the immortal law. The sea god, who was also

angered by his son's disobedience, imprisoned him in one of his sea caves.

Luna stayed in the garden for some time. She was very sad at not being able to see Mar. She

longed to be with him again. Feeling very restless one day, she escaped from the garden. She took her

golden chariot and rushed to their meeting place. Mar, who was imprisoned in the sea cave, saw her

reflection on the water. He wanted to get out to meet her. He tried hard to get out of his cave causing unrest

in the sea. Luna waited for Mar to appear, but he did not come. Then she went back home very sad. Each

time she remembered Mar, she would rush out in the golden chariot to the meeting place in hopes of seeing

him again.

The fishermen out in the sea believe that each time Luna, the moon, appears, the sea gets troubled. "It is

Mar trying to escape from his cave," they say.

IfugaoWhy the Dead Come Back No More

A very long time ago, there lived a very kind woman with her three little children. She loved her children so much that she worked hard to be able to feed them.

One day she fell ill, and in a short time she died. Her spirit went to Kadungayan, of course, as she lived a good life, but one night she thought of her poor little children whom she left on earth. She imagined that no one cared for them and that they must be hungry and cold. She pitied them so much that she decided to go back to earth.

When she reached their house, she called her eldest child to open the door for her. The children recognized their mother's voice and opened the door at once. She went in and spoke to them, but they could not see her because it was so very dark and their fire had gone out. The children had not built a fire since their mother died. The children were too small, and they did not know how to build one.

So the woman sent her eldest child to beg for fire from the neighbors as she felt very cold. The poor child went to the first house, but when she told them that she wanted fire for her mother who had come back home, the people just laughed at her. They did not give her fire. She went to the next house, but the same thing happened. Thus, she went to the next house, from house to house, but no one believed that her mother had come back. They thought the poor child had gone out of her mind. So the poor child went home without fire. The woman was very angry with all the unkind people. She said, "Am I to die a second death because men are so selfish? Come, my children, let us all go to that better place where I came from - Kandungayan. There are no selfish people there."

She took a jar of water and went outside in the yard. She shouted to all the people, "Ah, what selfish people you all are. From this time on all people will follow my example. No man will ever come back again to earth after death." With these words she smashed the jar on a big stone. This made a horrible sound. All the people became silent with fear.

The next morning the people came out to see what had caused the great voice. They saw the bits of broken jar and they found the three children dead. They now knew that the woman had really come back home that night and that in her anger at their selfishness had taken her three children with her. The people were so sorry for not having given fire to the little girl.Since then no dead person has ever come back to earth.

TagalogMag-asawang Tubig

In the olden days, there was a small town in which few farmers' families lived. Among them was the couple known as Ba Imo and Ba Sinta. They were well liked and respected in that place, for although they were well off, they were humble and generous.

One day Bathala put them to the test. A beggar in tattered clothes came to their house and asked for lodgings. The couple very hospitably welcomed their guest and even joined him for a meal at their table. To the great amazement of the couple, although they had been eating for some time, the food at the table did not decrease. Realizing that their guest was God, the couple knelt before him and prayed. The old man blessed them. In their prayer, the couple asked that they may die at the same time, so that neither of them would experience grief and loneliness which would surely happen if one of them died first.

God granted the wish of the couple. They died at the same time and were buried in adjoining graves. Not long afterwards, a brook sprang from their graves. This later grew and grew until it became a river, which was named Mag-asawang Tubig in memory of the loving couple.

Bukidnon (Mindanao)

How the Moon and the Stars Came to Be

One day in the times when the sky was close to the ground a spinster went out to pound rice. Before she began her work, she took off the beads from around her neck and the comb from her hair, and hung them on the sky, which at that time looked like coral rock.

Then she began working, and each time that she raised her pestle into the air it struck the sky. For some time she pounded the rice, and then she raised the pestle so high that it struck the sky very hard.

Immediately the sky began to rise, and it went up so far that she lost her ornaments. Never did they come down, for the comb became the moon and the beads are the stars that are scattered about.

Legend

KalingaThe Legend of the Sleeping Beauty

In those days, tribes were not in good terms with each other. Tribal wars were common.

There was a man in Tinglayan called Banna, who had extraordinary bravery and strength. He

had an unusual charm so people look up to him for leadership. He was also a very good "ullalim" singer.

One day Banna realized that he needed a life time partner, someone to share his life with, so

he went in search for a wife. Since there were no eligible women in his barrio he decided to ascend Mount

Patukan, a mountain east of Tinglayan and go to the sitio of Dacalan, Tanudan.

While it was still daylight, he stopped and rested under a big tree at a distance away from the

village so that no one could see him. This is because he might provoke trouble by his presence.

When night came, Banna slowly went down nearer to the village and searched for a place to

observe. After some time, he heard a soft, melodious female voice singing the ullalim. He was drawn to the

voice and moved closer to the hut. Peeping, he saw the most beautiful woman he had ever set eyes on.

Long, wavy hair, dark, fringed eyes, and a voice that grew sweeter and sweeter as he drew closer to the

hut. Banna was mesmerized...captivated by the lyrical voice. The leaves of the trees around him seemed to

be dancing in unison with the woman's ululations.

He knew it was extremely dangerous for him to reveal himself inside the village territory, but his burning

desire to meet the woman, was stronger than his sense of survival.

He knocked boldly at the "sawali" (bamboo made) walls of the hut.

" Anna tago," (Someone's here.)

" Umma sanat?" (Who is it?), the singing stopped, but the spoken words were the most

appealing sound Banna had ever heard.

" This is Banna" from Tinglayan.

He heard hurried movements from the house, then a male voice spoke harshly, "What do you

need?"

The natives were very protective of their women and properties, and Banna knew that he could

get killed by his boldness.

"I don't mean any harm, I come in peace. I would like to meet the woman who sings the ullalim

with passion."

The family was so nervous of letting a stranger in the house and had urged him to go home

instead. But Banna was persistent and had refused to go.

Dongdongan - the father of the woman - slowly opened the door and saw a young, handsome

man standing like a sentinel at the door. He repeated his plea for Banna to leave but the stance of the

Banna indicated, he would not be budged from where he stood. So, he reluctantly let him in.

"I am Banna from Tinglayan"

Once inside the house, as dictated by tradition, Dongdongan handed Banna a bowl of water. It

was an old tradition that once a stranger is accepted into a house, it is also understood that he will be

protected and kept safe by the host family. As a symbol of this unwritten agreement, the stranger would be

given a drink of water. This is called "paniyao". If a stranger is not given one, then it denotes an existing

hostility which may result to a deadly fight if the stranger does not leave immediately.

The second phase of the ritual continued. Dongdongan offered Banna the "buyo" - a bland,

powder which when chewed with certain leaves would produce red tinged saliva. This concoction is called

"moma".

Ullalim was the official means of communication then so they sang as they talked. Banna too had a strong,

masculine voice and it was apparent he could sing well.

In his ullalim Banna revealed his search for a wife. Dongdongan introduced him to her

daughter, Edonsan, who readily accepted Banna's handshake.

Banna, then and there proposed to Edonsan. Edonsan in turn, accepted the proposal and

there was a flurry of activity, as all the village folk were invited to a meeting and then a "canao" (festivities

with dancing and singing). Banna and Edonsan dance the "salidsid" (courtship dance) to the tempo of the

gongs, while the community participated in the "tadok" (dance for all). The celebration lasted the whole day,

with everyone in the village participating. No one had gone to the fields and to the kaingin as people usually

did. The village people were the witnesses to the exchange of vows between the two. There were no

officiating priests or Judges, no official documents to sign, but the vows were always kept and were

considered sacred by everyone in the village.

Tradition also dictated that Banna had to stay with Edonsan's family for 7 days to prove his sincerity and

purity of intention. Banna and Edonsan had their honeymoon along the slope of the Patokan Mountain

picking guavas and wild strawberries, making love and dropping by the river to catch fish for supper.

In the evening of each day for the seven days that Banna was there, Edonsan took Banna to

each of her relative's house. It is considered good luck to do so, as it is believed that the blessings and

approval of relatives are vital to the happiness of the couple.

At the end of the 7th day, the couple prepared to leave for Banna's village where they will

establish residence. The parents of Edonsan and the village people prepared native cakes and tobacco as

gifts for the departure of the newly married couple.

As dawn broke, the village people came together to see them off. The two left happily, with

their hands entwined against each other. The trail was adorned with guavas and strawberries and they had

a handful as they trek towards the summit of Patokan. It took them 8 arduous hours to get to the top.

As soon as they reached the top, they heard unusual noises coming from Banna's village which was a few

miles below them.

Banna had a premonition that it was something dangerous so he instructed Edonsan to stay

put and wait for him. He was going down to his village to investigate the cause of the ruckus.

Banna ran all the way down to the village. As soon as he was seen by the village people, a

cheer reverberated in the air. He was informed hastily that their village was under siege and that his

leadership was needed to drive the trespassers away.

The bloody, face to face encounter of the two warring tribes went on for hours, spears and

bolos clashed against each other as more bodies piled up in between the cluster of the nipa huts. The great

number of the invading tribe slowly weakened Banna's men. One by one they fell, bloodied, to the ground.

He could not possibly go back to Edonsan, Banna thought. He would fight up to his very last breath - but he

had to make sure Edonsan does not come down to the village.

Hastily, he instructed one of his men to warn Edonsan, but the man never made it far. He and

Banna were simultaneously wounded and fell bleeding to the ground. Banna died with his spear in his hand

and his last vision was the face of Edonsan .

Edonsan, on the other hand, waited and waited...and waited. But there was no Banna to take

her home. She was weak from weariness and heartache. She had no desire to live without her Banna.

When it was evident, Banna was not coming for her, she slowly crumpled to the grassy- matted forest and

wept uncontrollably. Tears flowed down from her cheeks as she grew weaker and weaker and the tears

flowed more and more copiously.

Night came and Banna had not returned yet...and Edonsan had grown

weak with grief and fatigue, her breath slowly coming out in gasps... until she closed

her eyes and breathed her last.

On the spot where her body was laid to rest, sprang two waterfalls which

are believed to be the tears of Edonsan.

In Tinglayan, one can clearly see from a distance, the beautifully, shaped

body of a reclining woman.

And that is the legend of "The Sleeping Beauty" folks, as handed down

orally, from one generation to another.

As the story is passed on, additions and omissions are done by each set of

generation. What is important is that the undying love of Banna and Edonsan will

always be remembered by the people of Kalinga.

Legend of the Dama de Noche

A thousand years ago, there was a rich maharlika, or nobleman, who spent his early bachelor

days recklessly, wining and dining in the company of nobility. He drank the finest wines, ate the most

delectable food and enjoyed the company of the loveliest, perfumed and bejewelled women of the noble

class.

After years of this kind of life, the maharlika finally felt it was time to settle down and marry the

woman of his choice. "But who is the woman to choose?" he asked himself as he sat in the rich splendour

of his home, "All the women I know are beautiful and charming, but I am tired of the glitter of their jewels

and the richness of their clothes!" He wanted a woman different from all the women he saw day and night,

and found this in simple village lass. She was charming in her own unaffected ways, and her name was

Dama.

They married and lived contentedly. She loved him and took care of him. She pampered him

with the most delicious dishes, and kept his home and his clothes in order. But soon, the newness wore off

for the maharlika. He started to long for the company of his friends. He took a good look at his wife and

thought, she is not beautiful and she does not have the air of nobility abouther, she does not talk with

wisdom. And so the maharlika returned to his own world of glitter and splendor. He spent his evenings

sitting around with his friends in their noble homes , drank and talked till the first rays of the sun peeped

from the iron grills of their ornate windows.

Poor Dama felt that she was losing her husband. She wept in the silence of their bedroom. "I

cannot give my husband anything but the delights of my kitchen and the warmth of my bed. He is tired of

me." She looked to the heavens. "Oh, friendly spirits! Help me. Give me a magic charm. Just one little

magic charm to make my husband come home again, that he will never want to leave my side, forever!"

It was midnight when the maharlika came home. He opened the door of their bedroom and

called for Dama to tell her to prepare his nightclothes. "Dama! Dama, where are you?" he called. He

shouted all around the bedroom. He sarched the whole house. Still the nobleman could not find his simple

wife. Finally the nobleman returned to their bedroom, tired and cross. But, as he opened the door, he

stopped.

He smelled a very sweet and fragrant scent. It was a scent he had never smelled before. He

entered the room and crossed to the window where the scent seemed to be floating from. A strange bush

was growing outside the window. Some of its thin branches had aleady reached the iron grills and were

twisting around. And all over the bush were thousands of tiny starlike, white flowers, from which burst forth

a heavenly, enchanting scent!

He stood there, completely enraptured by the glorious smell. "Dama..." he

whispered softly, onderingly, could this be Dama? The rich maharlika sat by the

window, and waited for the return of his loving simple wife. But she did not come

back. She never returned to him again. Only the fragrance of the flowers stayed with

him, casting a spell over his whole being.

In the moonlight, Dama of the night, or Dama de Noche would be in full

bloom, capturing the rich maharlika, making him never want to leave her side, forever.

The End.

Legend of the Banana Plant

In the early days when the world was new, spirits and ghosts lurked everywhere.

They lived in gloomy caves, they hid in anthills and tree trunks they frolicked in nooks and

corners under the houses. In the dark, sometimes their tiny voices could be heard dimly, or

their ghostly presence be felt. But they were never seen.

It was during these days of phantoms and unseen spirits that a young and

beautiful girl lived. Her name was Raya, and she was a girl bold and daring. She was never

afraid of spirits. She would walk in the shadowy forests, bringing along a lighted candle.

Then she would tiptoe into dark and dirty caves, searching the place for spirits.

Raya only felt or heard them never having seen them. But Raya always felt the presence of

one kind spirit, whenever she walked in the forest the spirit was with her at all times.

One day she heard someone call her name, and she looked up to see a young

handsome man. She asked him who he was, and he replied that his name was Sag-in, and

he was the spirit who followed her around, and even confessed that he had fallen in love

with a mortal.

They married had a child and lived happily, but Sag-in knew that his time on earth

was short for he was a spirit-man, and would have to return to the spirit world soon. When

he knew his time had come, he called Raya and explained why he had to leave. As he was

slowly vanishing, he told Raya that he would leave her a part of him. Raya looked down and

saw a bleeding heart on the ground. She took the heart and planted it. She watched it night

and day. A plant with long green leaves sprouted from the grave.

One day, the tree bore fruit shaped like a heart. She touched the fruit and caressed it.

Thinking could this be Sag-in's heart? Slowly the fruit opened , Long golden fruits sprouted

from it. Raya picked one, peeled it and bit into it. Then, she heard Sag-in's voice floating in

the air:

"Yes, Raya, it is my heart. I have reappeared to show you that I will never forsake

you and our child. Take care of this plant, and it will take care of you in return. It's trunk and

leaves will give you shelter and clothing. The heart and fruits will be your food. And when

you sleep at night, I will stand and watch by your window. I will stay by your side forever!"

The End.

Legend of the Firefly

Fireflies!

Lovely little creatures, glittering, sparkling, throwing fragments of light in the dark night skies.

How did the fireflies or alitaptap come about?

Once, along time ago, in the valley of Pinak in Central Luzon, one of the islands in the

Philippines. There was a deep large lake rich with fish. There, the people of Pinak fished for their food, and

always, there was plenty for all. Then suddenly, the big river dried up. In the shallow mud, there wasn't a

fish to catch. For months, there were no rains. Out in the fields, the land turned dry. The rice-stalks slowly

withered. Everywhere in Pinak, there was hunger. Night after night, the people of Pinak prayed hard.

"Dear Bathala," they would recite together in their small and poorly-built chapel, “send us rains,

give us food to eat. For the people are starving, and there is want among us!"

Then one black and starless night, the good Bathala answered the prayers of the faithful

people of Pinak. For suddenly up in the dark skies appeared a blaze of gold! A beautiful chariot of gold was

zooming thru the sky. The people started to panic but a big booming voice came from the chariot soothing

them with words.

" I am Bula-hari, and I have come with my wife, Bitu-in. We are sent to the heavens to rule

Pinak from now on. We have come to give you good life!" As Bulan-hari spoke, the black skies burst open.

The rain fell in torrents. Soon the dry fields bloomed again. The large lake rose and once again was filled

with fish. The people were happy once more under the rulership of Bulan-hari.

Soon Bulan-hari and Bitu-in had a daughter. She grew up to be a beautiful maiden. Such long

dark hair! Such lovely eyes under long curling lashes! Her nose was chiselled fine. Her lips like rosebuds.

Her skin was soft and fair like cream. They named her Alitaptap for on her forehead was a bright sparkling

star.

All the young, brave handsome men of Pinak fell in love with Alitaptap. They worshipped her

beauty. They sang songs of love beneath her windows. They all sought to win her heart.

But alas! The heart of Alitaptap wasn't human. She was the daughter of Bulan-hari and Bitu-in,

who burst from the sky and were not of the earth. She had a heart of stone, as cold and as hard as the

sparkling star on her forehead. Alitaptap would never know love.

Then one day, an old woman arrived at the palace. Her hair long and dirty. Her clothing tattered and soiled. Before the king Bulan-hari, Balo-na, the old, wise woman whined in her sharp voice... that she had come from her dwelling in the mountains to bear the king sad news. The news being that she saw the future in a dream and it betold of their fate... the warriors of La-ut are coming with their mighty swords to conquer the land, the only solution is to have a marriage between Alitaptap and one of the young men, so as to have a heir to win the war.

At once Bulan-hari pleaded with his daughter to choose one of the young men in their village. But how could the beautiful maiden understand? Alitaptap's heart of stone merely stood in silence. Bulan-hari gripped his sword in despair... " Alitapatap!" he bellowed in the quiet palace, "You will follow me, or you will lay dead this very minute!"

But nothing could stir the lovely young woman's heart. Bulan-hari blind with anger and fear of the dark future finally drew his sword. Clang! the steel of his sword's blade rang in the silence of the big palace. It hit the star on Alitaptap's lovely forehead!

The star burst! Darkness was everywhere! Until a thousand chips of glitter and light flew around the hall. Only the shattered pieces of the star on Alitaptap's forehead lighted the great hall, flickering as though they were stars with tiny wings.

Alitaptap, the lovely daughter from the heavens lay dead.And soon, Balo-na's prediction had come true. Riding in stamping wild horses, the

warriors of La-ut came like the rumble and clashes of lightning and thunder. They killed the people of Pinak, ruined crops, and poisoned the lake. They spread sorrow and destruction everywhere.

When it all ended, the beautiful, peaceful valley of Pinak had turned into an empty and shallow swamp. At night, there was nothing but darkness. But soon, tiny sparkles of light would flicker and lend glimmers of brightness in the starless night.

And so, the fireflies came about. Once, a long time ago, they were fragments from the star on the forehead of Bulan-hari's daughter, the beautiful Alitaptap.

The End.

Riddles/ Bugtong

My sister, your sister, everyone’s

sister.

◦ (Atis) Sugar Apple

Epigrams/ Sawikain/

Salawikain You will know a true friend in time of

need.

Blood is boiling.

Write on water.

What is not intended for one will not

bear fruit.

Bulong/ Chants

Tabi, tabi po, Ingkong

Makikiraan po lamang.

Kasabihan/ Sayings

Nag-almusal mag-isa

Kaning lamig, tinapa;

Nahulog ang kutsara

Ikaw na sana, sinta

Tanaga

“Tahak ng tingin, tulak

ng sulyap, yakap, lapat

ng titig sa balikat.

hatak pa, kindat, hakat”

Ambahan

Isn’t this the truth with all:

If the wife is good and kind,

the husband reasonable,

you have always friends around,

like long hair drooping so nice.

Till the final burial mount,

you’ll be sleeping on one mat.

You don’t want to separate

Putting down my thoughts like this:

An example very clear,

being TWO, you’re only ONE.

Folk Songs

Uyayi – Lullaby

Komintang – War Song

Kundiman – Melancholic Love Song

Harana – Serenade

Tagay – Drinking Song

SPANISH COLONIAL TEXTS

Literature

The Spanish colonial strategy was to undermine the native oral tradition by substituting for it the story of the Passion of Christ (Lumbera, p. 14). Although Christ was by no means war-like or sexually attractive as many of the heroes of the oral epic tradition, the appeal of the Jesus myth inhered in the protagonist’s superior magic: by promising eternal life for everyone, he democratized the power to rise above death. It is to be emphasized, however, that the native tradition survived and even flourished in areas inaccessible to the colonial power. Moreover, the tardiness and the lack of assiduity of the colonial administration in making a public educational system work meant the survival of oral tradition, or what was left of it, among the conquered tribes.

Spain also brought to the country, though at a much later time, liberal ideas and an internationalism that influenced our own Filipino intellectuals and writers for them to understand the meanings of “liberty and freedom.”

Church Doctrines

Doctrina Christiana (1593)

Books

Nuestra Senora del Rosario

Libro de los Cuatro Postprimeras de

Hombre

Ang Barlaan at Josephat

The Pasion

Urbana at Felisa

Psalms for Mary

Literary Compositions Arte y Reglas de la Lengua Tagala

◦ Art and Rules of the Tagalog language

Compendio de la Lengua Tagala

◦ Understanding the Tagalog language

Vocabulario de la Lengua Tagala

◦ Tagalog vocabulary

Vocabulario de la Lengua Pampanga

◦ Pampango vocabulary

Vocabulario de la Lengua Bisaya

◦ Bisayan vocabulary

Poem

Mahal Na Pasion ni Jesu Christo

(1704)

Sampaguitas

Pag-Ibig Sa Tinubuang Lupa

Metrical Romances

Gonzalo de Cordoba (Gonzalo of

Cordoba)

Ibong Adarna (Adarna Bird)

Florante at Laura

Songs

Balayan – Wedding Song

Dalit

Pamulinawen (Iloko)

Dandansoy (Bisaya)

Sarong Banggi (Bicol)

Pasyon

Ang Mahal na Passion ni Jesu

Christong Panginoon natin na tola

(Holy Passion of Our Lord Jesus

Christ in Verse)

Novels

Ninay

“Noli Me Tangere”

The novel Noli Me Tangere contains 63 chapters and epilogue. It begins with a

reception given by Capitan Tiago (Santiago de los Santos) at his house in Calle Analogue (now

Juan Luna Street) on the last day of October. The reception or dinner is given in honor of

Crisostomo Ibarra, a young and rich Filipino who had just returned after seven years of study in

Europe. Ibarra was the only son of Don Rafael Ibarra, friend of Capitan Tiago, and a fiancé of

beautiful Maria Clara, supposed daughter of Capitan Tiago.

Among the guests during the reception were Padre Damaso, a fat Franciscan friar who

had been parish priest for 20 years of San Diego (Calamba), Ibarra’s native town; Padre Sybila, a

young Dominican parish priest of Binondo; Señor Guevara, as elderly and kind lieutenant of the

Guardia Civil; Don Tiburcio de Espadaña, a bogus Spanish physician, lame, and henpecked

husband of Doña Victorina; and several ladies.

Ibarra, upon his arrival, produced a favorable impression among the guests, except

Padre Damaso, who has rude to him. In accordance with a German custom, he introduced himself

to the ladies.

During the dinner the conversation centered on Ibarra’s studies and travels abroad.

Padre Damaso was in bad mood because he got a bony neck and a hard wing of the chicken

tinola. He tried to discredit Ibarra’s remarks.

After dinner, Ibarra left Capitan Tiago’s house to return to his hotel. On the way, the

kind Lieutenant Guevara told him the sad story of his father’s death in San Diego. Don Rafael, his

father, was a rich and brave man. He defended a helpless boy from the brutality of an illiterate

Spanish tax collector, pushing the latter and accidentally killing him. Don Rafael was thrown in

prison, where he died unhappily. He was buried in consecrated ground, but his enemies, accusing

him being a heretic, had his body removed from the cemetery.

On hearing about his father’s sad story, Ibarra thanked the kind Spanish lieutenant and

vowed to find out the truth about his father’s death.

The following morning, he visited Maria Clara, his childhood sweetheart. Maria Clara

teasingly said that he had forgotten her because the girls in Germany were beautiful. Ibarra replied

that he had never forgotten her.

After the romantic reunion with Maria Clara, Ibarra went to San Diego to visit his

father’s grave. It was All Saint’s Day. At the cemetery, the grave digger told Ibarra that the corpse

of Don Rafael was removed by order of the parish priest to be, buried in the Chinese cemetery; but

the corpse was heavy and it was a dark and rainy night so that he (the grave-digger) simply threw

the corpse into the lake.

Ibarra was angered by the grave-digger’s story. He left the cemetery. On the way, he met

Padre Salvi, Franciscan parish priest of San Diego. In a flash, Ibarra pounced on the priest, demanding

redress for desecrating his father’s mortal remains. Padre told him that he had nothing to do with it, for he

was not the parish priest at the time of Don Rafael’s death. It was Padre Damaso, his predecessor, who

was responsible for it. Convinced for Padre Salvi’s innocence, Ibarra went away.

In his town Ibarra met several interesting people, such as the wise old man, Tasio the

philosopher, whose ideas were too advanced for his times so that the people, who could not understand

him, called him “Tasio the Lunatic;” the progressive school teacher, who complained to Ibarra that the

children were losing interest to their studies because of the lack proper school house and the discouraging

attitude of the parish friar towards both the teaching of Spanish and of the use of modern methods of

pedagogy; the spineless gobernadorcillo, who catered to the wishes of the Spanish parish friars; Don Filipo

Lino, the teniente-mayor and leader of the cuardrilleros (town police); and the former gobernadorcillos who

were prominent citizens Don Basilio and Don Valentin.

A most tragic story in the novel is the tale of Sisa, who was formerly a rich girl but became poor

because she married a gambler, and a wastrel at that. She became crazy because she lost her two boys,

Basilio and Crispin, the joy of her wretched life. These boys were sacristanes (sextons) in the church,

working for a small wage to support their poor mother. Crispin the younger of the two brothers was accused

by the brutal sacristan mayor (chief sexton) of stealing the money of the priest. He was tortured in the

convent and died. Basilio, with his brother’s dying cries ringing in his ears, escaped. When the two boys did

not return home, Sisa looked for them everywhere and, in her great sorrow, she became insane.

Capitan Tiago, Maria Clara, and Aunt Isabel (Capitan Tiago’s cousin who took care of Maria

Clara, after his mother’s death) arrived in San Diego. Ibarra and his friends give picnic at the lake. Among

those present in this picnic, were Maria Clara and her four girl friends the merry Siñang, the grave Victoria,

the beautiful Iday, and the thoughtful Neneng; Aunt Isabel, chaperon of Maria Clara; Capitana Tika, mother

of Siñang; Andeng, foster sister of Maria Clara; Albino, the ex-theological student who was in love with

Siñang; and Ibarra and his friends. One of the boatmen was a strong and silent peasant youth named Elias.

An incident of the picnic was the saving of Elias’ life by Ibarra. Elias bravely grappled with a

crocodile which was caught in the fish corral. But the crocodile struggled furiously so that Elias could not

subdue it. Ibarra jumped into the water and killed the crocodile, thereby saving Elias. After the crocodile

incident, was the rendering of a beautiful song by Maria Clara who had a sweet voice and they went

ashore. They made merry in the cool, wooded meadow. Padre Salvi, Capitan Basilio (former

gobernadorcillo and Siñang’s father) the alferez (lieutenant of the Guardia Civil) and the town officials were

present. The luncheon was served, and everybody enjoyed eating.

The meal over, Ibarra and Capitan Basilio played chess, while Maria Clara and her friends

played the “Wheel of Chance”, a game based on a fortune-telling book. As the girls were enjoying their

fortune-telling game, Padre Salvi came and tore to pieces the book, saying that it was a sin to play such

game. Shortly thereafter, a sergent and four soldiers of the Guardia Civil suddenly arrived, looking for Elias,

who was hunted for assaulting Padre Damaso and throwing the alferez into a mud hole. Fortunately Elias

had disappeared, and the Guardia Civil went away empty-handed. During the picnic also, Ibarra received a

telegram from the Spanish authorities notifying him the approval of his donation of a schoolhouse for the

children of San Diego.

The next day Ibarra visited old Tasio to consult him on his pet project about the schoolhouse.

He saw the old man’s writings were written in hieroglyphics. Tasio explained to him that he wrote in

hieroglyphics because he was writing for the future generations who would understand them and say, “Not

all were asleep in the night of our ancestors!”

Meanwhile San Diego was merrily preparing for its annual fiesta, in honor of its patron saint

San Diego de Alcala, whose feast day is the 11th of November. On the eve of the fiesta, hundreds of visitors

arrived from the nearby towns, and there were laughter, music, exploding bombs, feasting and moro-moro.

The music was furnished by five brass bands (including the famous Pagsanjan Band owned by the

escribano Miguel Guevara) and three orchestras.

In the morning of the fiesta there was a high mass in the church, officiated by Padre Salvi.

Padre Damaso gave the long sermon, in which he expatiated on the evils of the times that were caused by

certain men, who having tasted some education spread pernicious ideas among the people.

After Padre Damaso’s sermon, the mass was continued by Padre Salve. Elias quietly moved to

Ibarra, who was kneeling and praying by Maria Clara’s side, and warned him to be careful during the

ceremony of the laying of the cornerstone of the schoolhouse because there was a plot to kill him.

Elias suspected that the yellowish man, who built the derrick, was a paid stooge of Ibarra’s

enemies. True to his suspicion, later in the day, when Ibarra, in the presence of a big crowd, went down into

the trench to cement the cornerstone, the derrick collapsed. Elias, quick as a flash, pushed him aside,

thereby saving his life. The yellowish man was the one crushed to death by the shattered derrick.

At the sumptuous dinner that night under a decorated kiosk, a sad incident occurred. The

arrogant Padre Damaso, speaking in the presence of many guests, insulted the memory of Ibarra’s father.

Ibarra jumped to his seat, knocked down the fat friar with his fist, and then seized a sharp knife. He would

have killed the friar, were it not for the timely intervention of Maria Clara.

The fiesta over, Maria Clara became ill. She was treated by the quack Spanish physician,

Tiburcio de Espadaña, whose wife, a vain and vulgar native woman, was a frequent visitor in Capitan

Tiago’s house. This woman had hallucinations of being a superior Castillan, and, although a native herself,

she looked down on her own people as inferior beings. She added another “de” to her husband’s surname

in order to more Spanish. Thus she wanted to be called “Doctora Doña Victorina de los Reyes de De

Espadaña.” She introduced to Capitan Tiago’s young Spaniards, Don Alfonso Linares de Espadaña, cousin

of Don Tiburcio de Espadaña and godson of Padre Damaso’s brother in law. Linares was a penniless and

jobless, fortune hunter who came to the Philippines in search of a rich Filipino heiress. Both Doña Victorina

and Padre Damaso sponsored his wooing of Maria Clara, but the latter did not respond because she loved

Ibarra.

The story of Elias like that of Sisa, was a tale of pathos and tragedy. He related it to Ibarra.

Some 60 years ago, his grandfather, who was then a young bookkeeper in a Spanish commercial firm in

Manila, was wrongly accused of burning the firm’s warehouse. He was flogged in public and was left in the

street, crippled and almost died. His was pregnant, beg for alms and became a prostitute in order to

support her sick husband and their son. After giving birth to her second son and the death of her husband,

she fled, with her to sons to the mountains.

Years later the first boy became a dreaded tulisan named Balat. He terrorized the provinces.

One day he was caught by the authorities. His head was cut off and was hung from a tree branch in the

forest. On seeing this gory object, the poor mother (Elias’ grandmother) died.

Balat’s younger brother, who was by nature kindhearted, fled and became a trusted laborer in

the house of rich man in Tayabas. He fell in love with the master’s daughter. The girl’s father, enraged by

the romance, investigated his past and found out the truth. The unfortunate lover (Elias’ father) was sent to

jail, while the girl gave birth to twins, a boy (Elias) and a girl. Their rich grandfather took care of them,

keeping secret their scandalous origin, and reared them as rich children. Elias was educated in the

JesuitCollege in Manila, while his sister studied in La Concordia College. They lived happily, until one day,

owing to certain dispute over money matters, a distant relative exposed their shameful birth. They were

disgraced. An old male servant, whom they used to abuse, was forced to testify in court and the truth came

out that he was their real father.

Elias and his sister left Tayabas to hide their shame in another place. One day the sister

disappeared. Elias roamed from place to place, looking for her. He heard later that a girl answering to his

sister’s description, was found died on the beach of San Diego. Since then, Elias lived a vagabond life,

wandering from province to province – until he met Ibarra.

Elias, learning of Ibarra’s arrest, burned all the papers that might incriminate his friend and set

Ibarra’s house on fire. Then he went to prison and helped Ibarra escape. He and Ibarra jumped into a

banca loaded with sacate (grass). Ibarra stopped at the house of Capitan Tiago to say goodbye to Maria

Clara. In the tearful last scene between the two lovers, Ibarra forgave Maria Clara for giving up his letter to

her to the Spanish authorities who utilized them as evidence against him. On her part, Maria Clara revealed

that those letters were exchanged with a letter from her late mother, Pia Alba which Padre Salvi gave her.

From his letter, she learned that her real father was Padre Damaso.

After bidding Maria Clara farewell, Ibarra returned to the banca. He and Elias paddled up the

PasigRiver toward Laguna de Bay. A police boat, with the Guardia Civil on board, pursued them as their

banca reached the lake. Elias told Ibarra to hide under the zacate. As the police boat was overtaking the

banca, Elias jumped into the water and swam swiftly toward the shore. In this way, he diverted the attention

of the soldiers on his person, thereby giving Ibarra a chance to escape. The soldier fired at the swimming

Elias, who was hit and sank. The water turned red because of his blood. The soldiers, thinking that they

had killed the fleeing Ibarra returned to Manila. Thus Ibarra was able to escape.

Elias seriously wounded, reached the shore and staggered into the forest. He met a boy,

Basilio, who was weeping over his mother’s dead body. He told Basilio to make a pyre on which their

bodies (his and Sisa) were to be burned to ashes. It was Christmas eve, and the moon gleamed softly in

the sky. Basilio prepared the funeral pyre. As life’s breath slowly left his body. Elias looked toward the east

and murmured: “I die without seeing the dawn brighten over my native land.” You, who have it to see,

welcome it! And forget not those who have fallen during the night.

The novel has an epilogue which recounts what happened to the other characters. Maria Clara,

out of her loyalty to the memory of Ibarra, the man she truly loved, entered the Santa Clara nunnery. Padre

Salvi left the parish of San Diego and became a chaplain of the nunnery. Padre Damaso was transferred to

a remote province, but the next morning he was found dead in his bedroom. Capitan Tiago the former

genial host and generous patron of the church became an opium addict and a human wreck. Doña

Victorina, still henpecking poor Don Tiburcio, had taken to wearing eye-glasses because of weakening

eyesight. Linares, who failed to win Maria Clara’s affection, died of dysentery and was buried in Paco

cemetery.

The Alferez, who successfully repulsed the abortive attack on the barracks, was promoted

major. He returned to Spain, leaving behind his shabby mistress, Doña Consolacion.

The novel ends with Maria Clara, an unhappy nun in Santa Clara nunnery – forever lost to the

world.

“El Filibusterismo”

This article is based from the book of Jose Rizal (blue covered book) which was

written by Zaide.

This novel is a sequel to the Noli. It has a little humor, less idealism, and less

romance than the Noli Me Tangere. It is more revolutionary and more tragic than the first

novel.

The hero of El Filibusterismo is a rich jeweler named Simoun. He was

Crisostomo Ibarra of the Noli, who, with Elias’ help, escaped from the pursuing soldiers at

Laguna de Bay, dug up his buried treasure, and fled to Cuba where he became rich and

befriended many Spanish officials. After many years he returned to the Philippines, where

he freely moved around. He is a powerful figure not only because he is a rich jeweler but

also because he is a good friend and adviser of the governor general.

Outwardly, Simoun is a friend of Spain. However deep in his heart, he is secretly

cherishing a terrible revenge against the Spanish authorities. His two magnificent

obsessions are to rescue Maria Clara from the nunnery of Santa Clara and to foment a

revolution against the hated Spanish masters.

The story of El Filibusterismo begins on board the clumsy, roundish shaped

steamer Tabo, so appropriately named. This steamer is sailing upstream the Pasig from

Manila to Laguna de Bay. Among the passengers are Simoun, the rich jeweler; Doña

Victorina, the ridiculously pro-Spanish native woman who is going to Laguna in search of

her henpecked husband, Tiburcio de Espadaña, who has deserted her; Paulita Gomez, her

beautiful niece; Ben-Zayb (anagram of Ibañez), a Spanish journalist who writes silly articles

about the Filipinos; Padre Sibyla, vice-rector of the University of Santo Tomas; Padre

Camorra, the parish priest of the town of Tiani; Don Custodio, a pro-spanish Filipino holding

a position in the government; Padre Salvi, thin Franciscan friar and former cura of San

Diego; Padre Irene, a kind friar who was a friend of the Filipino students; Padre Florentino, a

retired scholarly and patriotic Filipino priest; Isagani, a poet-nephew of Padre Florentino and

a lover of Paulita; and Basilio, son of Sisa and promising medical student, whose medical

education is financed by his patron, Capitan Tiago.

Simoun, a man of wealth and mystery, is a very close friend and confidante of the Spanish

governor general. Because of his great influence in Malacañang, he was called the “Brown Cardinal” or the

“Black Eminence”. By using his wealth and political influence, he encourages corruption in the government,

promotes the oppression of the masses, and hastens the moral degradation of the country so that the

people may become desperate and fight. He smuggles arms into the country with the help of a rich Chinese

merchant, Quiroga, who wants very much to be Chinese consul of Manila. His first attempt to begin the

armed uprising did not materialize because at the last hour he hears the sad news that Maria Clara died in

the nunnery. In his agonizing moment of bereavement, he did not give the signal for the outbreak of

hostilities.

After a long time of illness brought about by the bitter loss of Maria Clara, Simoun perfects his

plan to overthrow the government. On the occasion of the wedding of Paulita Gomez and Juanito Pelaez,

he gives a wedding gift to them a beautiful lamp. Only he and his confidential associates, Basilio (Sisa’s

son who joined his revolutionary cause), know that when the wick of his lamp burns lower the

nitroglycerine, hidden in its secret compartment, will explode, destroying the house where the wedding

feast is going to be held killing all the guests, including the governor general, the friars, and the government

officials. Simultaneously, all the government buildings in Manila will be blown by Simoun’s followers.

As the wedding feast begins, the poet Isagani, who has been rejected by Paulita because of

his liberal ideas, is standing outside the house, watching sorrowfully the merriment inside. Basilio, his

friend, warns him to go away because the lightened lamp will soon explode.

Upon hearing the horrible secret of the lamp, Isagani realizes that his beloved Paulita was in

grave danger. To save her life, he rushes into the house, seizes the lightened lamp, and hurls it into the

river, where it explodes.

The revolutionary plot was thus discovered. Simoun was cornered by the soldiers, but he

escaped. Mortally wounded, and carrying his treasure chest, he sought refuge in the home of Padre

Florentino by the sea.

The Spanish authorities, however, learns of his presence in the house of Padre Florentino.

Lieutenant Perez of the Guardia Civil informs the priest by letter that he would come at eight o’clock that

night to arrest Simoun.

Simoun eluded arrest by taking poison. As he is dying, he confesses to Padre Florentino,

revealing his true identity, his dastardly plan to use his wealth to avenge himself, and his sinister aim to

destroy his friends and enemies.

The confession of the dying Simoun is long and painful. It is already night

when Padre Florentino, wiping the sweat from his wrinkled brow, rises and begins to

meditate. He consoles the dying man saying: “God will forgive you Señor Simoun. He

knows that we are fallible. He has seen that you have suffered, and in ordaining that

the chastisement for your faults should come as death from the very ones you have

instigated to crime, we can see His infinite mercy. He has frustrated your plans one

by one, the best conceived, first by the death of Maria Clara, then by a lack of

preparation, then in some mysterious way. Let us bow to His will and render Him

thanks!”

Watching Simoun die peacefully with a clear conscience and at peace with

God. Padre Florentino falls upon his knees and prays for the dead jeweler. He takes

the treasure chest and throws it into the sea; as the waves close over the sinking

chest.

Poets

Salamat nang walang hanga/ gracias

de sin sempiternas

THANK YOU

Sean Cyril Tan

Julius Ceasar

Gomez

Louela Maglasang

Rez Dulangon