PADRE VICENTE GARCIA MEMORIAL ACADEMY, INC.

“Your partner in education since 1946”

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Mapping the Features of

Philippines Literature
Geographic, Linguistic and Ethnic Dimensions of Philippine Literary
History from Pre-colonial to the Contemporary

21st Century Literature from the Philippines and the World

Subject Teacher: Renz Paulo B. Rodriguez
Email: renzpaulorodriguez@gmail.com
Contact Number: +639499666424
 PADRE VICENTE GARCIA MEMORIAL ACADEMY, INC.
“Your partner in education since 1946”
____________________________________________________

PHILIPPINE PRECOLONIAL LITERATURE

Precolonial - existing or occurring before an area (Philippines) undergoes colonization.

Literature - writings in prose or verse with excellence of form or expression and
expressing ideas of permanent or universal interest.
Merriam – Webster Dictionary, Inc. 2020

 The Precolonial Literature of the Philippines was marked by your ancestor’s daily
observations about life, explanations for natural phenomena, and beginnings of rituals.
These also function as an explanation for society and culture as they know it to be.

 Before the Philippines was colonized, it was already brimming with a rich tradition of oral
literature. Early Filipinos weaved together countless myths and legends to explain certain
phenomena in life. They had stories on how the world was created – why there is a sun in
the morning and the moon at night, how mountain was formed, why there are earthquakes,
and other life events.

 However, because paper was not invented yet, many of these tales were not preserved
and have vanished from local knowledge. Most of what have been transcribed now are
taken from oral literature, which means that these stories have been passed on from one
generation to another.

FORMS OF PHILIPPINE PRECOLONIAL LITERATURE

1. PROVERBS
These are practical observations and philosophy of everyday life that are written usually
in a rhyming scheme. It is obviously meant to entertain while teaching basic skills in surviving
local life. In Filipino, these are called “salawikain”
“Kung ano ang puno, siya ang bunga.”
(Whatever the tree, so is the fruit.)

2. RIDDLES

These demand an answer and are used to test wits of those who are listening to them.
Usually, riddles (bugtong) are used in a battle of wits, where locals young and old join and/or
watch to see who is the smartest.
“Heto na si Kaka, bubuka – bukaka.”
(Here comes Kaka, walking with an open leg.)

3. FOLKSONGS
These are beautiful songs that are informal expressions of our ancestors’ experiences in life.
These range from courtship, which they sing in a “harana” or a serenade for a girl, to lullabies,
harvests, funerals, and others.

21st Century Literature from the Philippines and the World

Subject Teacher: Renz Paulo B. Rodriguez
Email: renzpaulorodriguez@gmail.com
Contact Number: +639499666424
 PADRE VICENTE GARCIA MEMORIAL ACADEMY, INC.
“Your partner in education since 1946”
____________________________________________________
4. TALES

These are stories of origin for certain places, their names, and their creation. These are
also known as MYTHS and LEGENDS. They usually are used to explain certain events or
phenomena in our ancestors’ lives that cannot be explained by the limited practical kind of science
they knew back then.
“Mount Makiling” or “Mount Arayat”
“Bernardo Carpio” (Great Hero)
5. EPICS
These are long-winded poems about a hero and his adventures and misadventures. It
usually tells of a male hero who is born with all the pleasing qualities that your ancestors like in a
person and who also has superhuman capabilities. One of the best epics of the Philippines comes
from Negros, which is the…
“HINILAWOD”

REFERENCES:
DIWA Senior High School Series; 21ST Century Literature from the Philippines and the World
2019 Summer In-Service Training (INSET) for Senior High School Teachers; Teaching the
Essential Topics for 21ST Century Literature

21st Century Literature from the Philippines and the World

Subject Teacher: Renz Paulo B. Rodriguez
Email: renzpaulorodriguez@gmail.com
Contact Number: +639499666424