Introduction to Ancient Philippine Literature

1. Philippine
Literature

2. Early Philippine narratives reflect
our ancestors’ efforts to explain
the origin of things and show the
culture and beliefs of the society.
Long before the Spaniards came
to the Philippines, the Filipinos
already had their own culture.

3. Ancient Philippine literature
is a composite product of
the rich cultural heritage of
the Filipinos

4. Pre-Colonial Period (--BC to 1564)

5. Characteristics
•Based on oral
traditions
•Crude on ideology
and philosophy

6. •Oral Literature
•Folk Songs
•Folk Tales
•Epics

7. • Riddles
• Proverbs
• Tanaga
• Folktales
• Folk Songs
• Epics

8. It is a battle of wits among
participants
•Tigmo – Cebu
•Patotdon – Bicol
•Paktakon - Ilonggo

9. Mahaba ang bituka at ito’y
lumilipad
Kapag hindi mahangin, ito’y
tinatamad.
The entrails are long and they’re
able to fly
But then becomes lazy when no
wind goes by

10. May dila ngunit ayaw namang
magsalita
Kambal sila’t laging kasama
ang isa’t isa
Itali o igapos kahit higpitan mo
pa
Tiyak silang sa iya ay sasama.

11. They don’t have tongues but
don’t have speech
Always together, identical to
each
Tie them up, bind them right
They’ll still be faithful and leave
you not.

12. Lumuluha kahit walang mata
Lumalakad walang paa
It has no eyes, but it can cry
It has no feet but can walk by

13. •These are wise
sayings that contain a
metaphor used to
teach as food for
thought

14. •Minamahal
habang mayroon
Kung wala ay
patapun-tapon.

15. •Nasa Diyos ang
awa,
Nasa tao ang
gawa

16. •Train a child
in the way he
should go,
and when he
is old he will
not depart
from it.

17. • A mono-riming heptasyllabic
quatrain expressing insights
and lessons on life is “more
emotionally charged than the
terse proverb and thus has
affinities with the folk lyric.”

18. KURAKOT
Kinupit na salapi
Walang makapagsabi
Kahit na piping saksi
Naitago na kasi.

19. MATAAS PA
Itong dumapong langaw
Sa tuktok ng kalabaw
Ay tiyak masisilaw,
Sa sikat na tinanaw.

20. SIPAG
Magsikhay ng mabuti
Sa araw man o gabi
Hindi mamumulubi
Magbubuhay na hari

21. • It is a form of folk lyric which
expresses the hopes and
aspirations, the people’s
lifestyles as well as their loves.
These are often repetitive and
sonorous, didactic and naïve.

22. Ako’y Ibigin Mo
Lalaking
matapang

23. Ang baril ko’y
pito
Ang sundang
ko’y siyam

24. Ang lalakarin ko’y
parte ng dinulang
Isang pinggang
pansit ang aking
kalaban!

25. Ako’y ibigin mo
lalaking
matapang
Isang bilaong
ipa

26. Isang bakol na
kanin
Isang bilaong
sapsap

27. Pag di ko
naubos
Ako’y
nilalagnat!

28. Lullaby (hele or oyayi )
Ambahan (Mangyan) – 7-syllable
per line poem that are about
human relationships and social
entertainment
Kalusan (Ivatan) – work songs
that depict the livelihood of the
people

29. Tagay (Cebuano and
Waray) – drinking song
Kanogan (Cebuano) –
song of lamentation for
the dead

30. FolkTales
• Myths – explain how the world was
created, how certain animals possess
certain characteristics, why some
places have waterfalls, volcanoes,
mountains, flora or fauna
• Legends – explain the origin or things

31. •Fables – used animal
characters and allegory
•Fantastic stories – deal with
underworld characters
such as “tiyanak”,
“aswang”, “kapre” and
others

32. •Epics
These are “narratives of
sustained length based on oral
tradition revolving around
supernatural events or
heroic deeds” (Arsenio Manuel).

34. 2. Leron-leron sinta
3. Ang kasipagan ay
kapatid ng kayamanan;
Ang katamaran ay
kapatid ng kagutuman.

35. 4. Nag maliit ay mestizo,
nang lumaki ay negro.
5. Ang Alamat ng Saging
6. Hinilawod

36. 7. Tanim siyang matino
Nang humangi’y yumuko
Ngunit muling tumayo
At nagbunga ng ginto.

37. 8. A fruit so wonderful it
has seven holes.
9. Paruparong-bukid
10. Nuno sa punso