HISTORICAL BACKGROUND AND THE

DEVELOPMENT OF THE PHILIPPINE

LITERATURE DURING
PRE-SPANISH COLONIAL ERA
PHILIPPINE ARCHIPELAGO

The Philippines, officially the

Republic of the Philippines, is an
archipelagic country in Southeast
Asia. Situated in the western
Pacific Ocean, it consists of about
7,641 islands that are categorized
broadly under three main
geographical divisions from north
to south: Luzon, Visayas, and
Mindanao.
FIRST INHABITANTS OF
PHILIPPINES

• The first inhabitants of the islands was negritos,

indones and malays

• The civilization starts within the malays which they

already had government, writing system, music, arts
and early science
 FIRST INHABITANTS OF
PHILIPPINES

They travel through large boats known

as “balangay” in which the word
barangay came from.
FIRST FORM OF PHILIPPINE
LITERATURE

PETROGLYPHS
FIRST FORM OF PHILIPPINE
LITERATURE

BAYBAYIN

Baybayin is an ancient script used primarily

by the Tagalog people. Baybayin is an
indigenous Indic script that has been widely
used in traditional Tagalog domains. It is
one of many suyat scripts in the Philippines.
ORAL TRADITION

Oral tradition is information

passed down through the
generations by word of
mouth that is not written
down. This includes
historical and
cultural traditions, literature
and law.
PHILIPPINE LITERATURE THAT AROSE BEFORE THE SPANIARDS ARRIVE.
• FORM OF PROSE

• THEME IS ORIGIN OF A THING, LOCATION OR

NAME

• IMAGINARY, DEVOID OF TRUTH AND

UNBELIEVABLE.
• MADE OF STORIES ABOUT LIFE, ADVENTURE,
HORROR, AND HUMOR

• ONE CAN DERRIVE LESSONS ABOUT LIFE

• HELPS APPRECIATE OUR ENVIRONMENT

• MADE OF STORIES ABOUTHEROES OR HEROIC
DEEDS

• FORM OF NARRATIVE POETRY

• EMBODIES BELIEFS AND TRADITIONAL

CUSTOMS
EXAMPLES:
• Agyu : The Ilianon Epic of Mindanao (of the Manobos of North Cotabato)
• Hudhud hi Aliguyon (An Ifugao Harvest Song)
• Kudaman (of Palawan)
• Lumalindaw (Ga’dang Epic)
• The Epic of Labaw Donggon (of the Sulod people of Central Panay)
• The Epic of Nalandangan: Matabagka Searches for the Deity of the Wind (of the Talaandig
people of Central Bukidnon)
• The Guman of Dumalinao (of the Suban-on tribe of Northwestern Mindanao)
• The Ibalon (from the Bikol region)
• The Kingdom of Keboklagan (of the Suban-on tribe of Northwestern Mindanao)
• The Life of Lam-ang (An Ilokano Epic)
• The Maiden of the Buhong Sky (an epic of Manuvu hero, "Tuwaang")
• Tulalang Slays the Dragon (of the Ilianen Manobo of North Central Cotabato)
• Tuwaang Attends a Wedding (the second song of the Manuvu Ethnoepic Tuwaang cycle)
• Ulahingan: The Visit of Lagaba’an to Nelendangan (of the Manobos of North Cotabato)
• SHOWS HOW THE WORLD BEGAN

• ALSO SHOWS ORIGIN OF SOMETHING

• MYTHIC NARRATIVES
 HOW THE WORLD WAS CREATED

LUZON
-THE STORY OF BATHALA

VISAYAS
-TUNGKUNG LANGIT AND ALUNSINA
-THE STORY OF LICALIBUTAN, LIADLAO, LIBULAN
AND LISUGA.

MINDANAO
-THE TALE OF MALU
• OLDEST FORM OF FILIPINO LITERATURE

• MIRRORS THE CULTURE OF EVERY FILIPINO

• EXPRESSES HOPE AND ASPIRATIONS, LIFESTYLES

AND LOVE AS WELL
EXAMPLES

• KUNDIMAN
• KUMINTANG
• ANG DALIT O IMNO
• OYAYI O HELE
• SOLIRANIN
• TALINDAW
OTHER FORMS OF PRE-SPANISH POETRY
OTHER FORMS OF PRE-SPANISH POETRY

EPIGRAMS

THEY SERVES AS LAWS OR RULES IN GOOD

BEHAVIOR BY OUR ANCESTORS
OTHER FORMS OF PRE-SPANISH POETRY

RIDDLES

MADE UP OF ONE OR MORE MEASURED LINE

WITH RHYME WHICH CONSIST OF 4-12
SYLLABLES. IT IS AN EXAMPLE OF ORAL
LITERATURE.
OTHER FORMS OF PRE-SPANISH POETRY

CHANT

THIS IS USED IN WITCHCRAFT OR

ENCHANTMENT
OTHER FORMS OF PRE-SPANISH POETRY

MAXIMS

VERSES WITH RYTHMIC COUPLETS 5,6 OR 8

SYLLABLES, EACH LINE HAS THE SAME
NUMBER OF SYLLABLES
OTHER FORMS OF PRE-SPANISH POETRY

SAYINGS

THESE ARE USED IN TEASING OR GIVING

REMARKS OR COMMENTS ON A PERSON’S
ACTUATIONS.
OTHER FORMS OF PRE-SPANISH POETRY

SAWIKAIN

THESE SAYINGS DO NOT HAVE HIDDEN

MEANING
PRE-SPANISH LITERATURE

FASHION SHOW “FEATURING PRE SPANISH LIT CHARACTER”

Ars Longa, Vita Brevis