This document provides an overview of precolonial Philippine literature. It begins by outlining the learning objectives, which are to define and describe precolonial literature and explain its development. The document then discusses several key aspects of precolonial Philippine literature, including that it was primarily transmitted orally and drew from common community experiences. Literature from this era is divided into the mythological, heroic, and folktales ages. Examples of precolonial works are also provided, including a creation myth excerpt and a Bagobo folk tale. Students are assigned an analysis of the folk tale and questions to help understand the themes and purposes of precolonial Philippine literature.

1. Lesson 1
The Precolonial Period

2. Learning
Competencies
Identify the geographic,
linguistic, and ethnic dimensions
of Philippine literary history from
pre-colonial to the contemporary.
(EN12Lit-Ia-21)
1
Explain the relationship of
context with the text’s meaning.
(EN12Lit-Ie-30)
2

3. Objectives
● define and describe precolonial literature; and
● explain the development of precolonial literature.

4. Essential Question
What are the different qualities of Philippine
precolonial literature?

5. Warm Up
Form groups with four members each. Assign a member to be a
“storyteller,” a “listener or recounter,” and a “recorder.”
The storyteller will be shown an English version of a Filipino short
story (of about one to two paragraphs long) and he/she will read
and memorize as much as he or she can of it. Without reading
from the paper, the storyteller will retell the story to the listener or
recounter only. The listener can have the story repeated to him or
her as many times as needed.

6. Warm Up
The listener then heads to the recorder to again retell the story.
The recorder can also listen to the story multiple times.
Lastly, the recorder heads to the board and writes the story that
he or she has listened to but in Filipino.

7. Warm Up
Guide Questions
● What was challenging about your role as storyteller, listener, or
recorder?
● How similar is the recorded story to that of the original? What
made it so? What made it different?

8. communal (adjective) - of or relating to a community
Public, communal baths are common in Japan.
deities (noun) - beings exalted or revered as supremely good or powerful
Ancient civilizations worshipped various deities.
1
2
3
Vocabulary Words
epic (noun) - a long narrative poem in elevated style recounting the deeds of a legendary or
historical hero
The epic of Beowulf is a well-known classic.

9. stereotyping (noun) - an often unfair or untrue belief that many people have about all people or
things with a particular characteristic
Minorities are often subject to stereotyping by the dominant classes.
transmission (noun) - the act or process by which something is spread or passed from one
person or thing to another
The government is scrambling to stop the widespread transmission of diseases that should have
been eradicated already.
4
5
Vocabulary Words

10. Learn about It!
● Most literary works during the precolonial period were
transmitted through oral tradition
● In some cases, our ancestors made use of a writing system to
pen down some works of literature
● Early literary written forms of pre-colonial Filipinos were
destroyed by the Spanish friars
● Surviving texts were restored because of resistance and
geographical isolation

11. Learn about It!
Conventions of Oral Literature
1. Common experiences of the community as subject matter
2. Communal authorship
3. Formulaic repetitions
4. Stereotyping of characters
5. Regular rhythmic and musical devices

12. Learn about It!
E. Arsenio Manuel, a literary scholar notable for his studies
on Philippine folk literature, divided Philippine precolonial
literature into three, namely the Mythological Age, Heroic
Age, and Folktales from all ages.
Mythological Age
● the period when our ancestors told stories about the
creation of human beings and the world, natural
phenomena, and deities and spirits

13. Learn about It!
Heroic Age
● Ordinary mortals and cultural heroes became the chief
subject matter in this period
● Epics became a popular genre
● chanted during important events in the community to inspire
people
● also performed to remind the community of their ideals and
values

14. Learn about It!
Folktales
● traditional stories that had humans, animals, and even plants
as characters
● Fictional tales that have been modified through successive
retellings before they were finally recorded and written down

15. Baybayin writing system - derived from Kavi, a
Javanese (Indonesian) script

16. Learn about It!
● Early Filipinos wrote on palm leaves or bamboo using knives as
pens and sap from plants and trees as ink
● The ancient Tagalog script had seventeen basic syllables
composed of three vowels and fourteen consonants
○ Vowels: a, e/i, o/u
○ Consonants: ba, ka, da/ra, ga, ha, la, ma, na, nga, pa, sa, ta,
wa, ya
● Symbols used could be modified to present different vowel
sounds.

17. Learn about It!
The Monkey and the Crocodile
(Tale from Zambales)

18. Learn about It!
Guide Questions
1. How would you classify the story? What characteristics of
the story make you think so?
2. How would you describe the characters in the story?
3. What is the main source of conflict?
4. How is the conflict resolved?
5. What message does the story seem to convey?

19. Analysis
Read and analyze the selection below, then answer the following
questions comprehensively. Responses must be at least one
paragraph long.
Bagobo Tradition (excerpt)

20. Analysis
Short Response Questions
1. In what era would you classify the selection? Why do you
say so?
2. What are the characters like?
3. What source(s) of tension can you find in the selection?
4. What kind of story is it? What is its purpose?
5. What theme does the selection seem to convey?

21. Analysis
Criteria Score
Content
(Focus on details are clearly evident; it is clearly related to the topic.)
6 pts
Organization
(Logical progression of details; clear transitions between ideas.) 6 pts
Language
(spelling, mechanics, grammar and usage) 3 pts
Score: /15

22. Values Integration
How can knowledge of our earliest traditions help
you to better understand our present culture and
attitudes?

23. Synthesis
1. Form groups of three. Research on other precolonial creation
myths.
2. Each group’s task is to come up with your own creation myth,
drawing inspiration from your research. The creation myth must
feature characteristics of Philippine precolonial literature, and
follow the standard conventions of a story.
3. Present your myth in a makeshift storybook. You may
supplement your text with illustrations. Each group may be called
to present their work in class. Your classmates may comment or
ask questions.

24. Assignment
Read and analyze the selection below, then answer the
following questions comprehensively. Responses must be at
least one paragraph long.
Story of Lumabat and Wari
(Bagobo Tradition)

25. Short Response Questions
1. In what era would you classify the selection? Why do you
say so?
2. What are the characters like?
3. What source(s) of tension can you find in the selection?
4. What kind of story is it? What is its purpose?
5. What theme does the selection seem to convey?

26. Assignment
Criteria Score
Content
(Focus on details are clearly evident; it is clearly related to the topic.)
6 pts
Organization
(Logical progression of details; clear transitions between ideas.) 6 pts
Language
(spelling, mechanics, grammar and usage) 3 pts
Score: /15