What is Philippine Literature?

Philippine Literature is a diverse and rich group of works that has evolved side-byside with the countrys history. Literature had started with fables and legends made
by the ancient Filipinos long before the arrival of Spanish influence. The main
themes of Philippine literature focus on the countrys pre-colonial cultural traditions
and the socio-political histories of its colonial and contemporary traditions.
It is not a secret that many Filipinos are unfamiliar with much of the country's
literary heritage, especially those that were written long before the Spaniards
arrived in our country. This is due to the fact that the stories of ancient time were
not written, but rather passed on from generation to generation through word of
mouth. Only during 1521 did the early Filipinos became acquainted with literature
due to the influence of the Spaniards on us. But the literature that the Filipinos
became acquainted with are not Philippine-made, rather, they were works of
Spanish authors.
So successful were the efforts of colonists to blot out the memory of the country's
largely oral past that present-day Filipino writers, artists and journalists are trying to
correct this inequity by recognizing the country's wealth of ethnic traditions and
disseminating them in schools through mass media.
The rise of nationalistic pride in the 1960s and 1970s also helped bring about this
change of attitude among a new breed of Filipinos concerned about the "Filipino
identity."
Philippine literature is written in Spanish, English, Tagalog, and/or other native
Philippine Languages.
Source: Janine Mabilangan, PHILIPPINE LITERATURE
philippineliteraryworks.blogspot.com. 24, September 2012. Web. 31, August 2016.
Retrieved from,
http://jm92-philippineliteraryworks.blogspot.com/2012/09/introduction-philippineliterature_24.html

Why study Philippine Literature?

While most Philippine literature was written under the significant influence of the
occupying Spanish powers during the 1800s, there is also a viable body of work
written in the 20th and 21st centuries that makes an important contribution to
world literature, which makes it a worthwhile culture to analyze. Philippine literature
includes poetry, metrical romances, educational and religious prose, religious and
secular drama and modern nationalist literature.
While the indigenous language of the Philippines is Tagalog, it was not until the
Spanish government brought free public education to the archipelago in 1863 that
literacy became widespread and literature became a possible area of emphasis in

the Philippine culture. Early Philippine poems included corridos and awit, two types
of poems meant to provide entertainment and edification.
"The Panunuluyan" was written in Tagalog and is the dramatization of Mary and
Joseph's quest to reach Bethlehem. "Cenaculo" dramatizes the final day of the life of
Jesus Christ, while "Salubong" puts the meeting of the risen Jesus and Mary on the
stage.
Secular dramas included "The Karagatan," which is a play about the courage of men
trying to win the hand of a young woman.
Modern writers of note include Claro Mayo Recto and Wenceslao Retana in essay
and drama, as well as Guillermo Gomez Wyndham and Antonio M. Abad in fiction.
Source: Reference.com, Why do we need to study Philippine literature? Web. 31,
August 2016. Retrieved from,
https://www.reference.com/art-literature/need-study-philippine-literature7663ad42a59bbc74#

Why do we need to study Philippine Literature?

Whatever nationality you are it is always very important to study the literature of
your country. In doing so you are not only learning about the historical aspects of
your land, but you are also keeping alive the thoughts, beliefs and cultural
variations of your ancestors that differentiate your country from the rest of the
world.
A country's literature also tells us about its civilization in a form other than straight
fact. Literature is usually one person's description of a situation told through their
own personal feelings; eyewitness testimony to historical events that we were not
present at. Writers have a talent for bringing the past back to life with emotive
language and metaphor, helping us to imagine scenarios that may have happened
decades, or even centuries, ago.
Source: Janine Mabilangan, PHILIPPINE LITERATURE
philippineliteraryworks.blogspot.com. 24, September 2012. Web. 31, August 2016.
Retrieved from,
http://jm92-philippineliteraryworks.blogspot.com/2012/09/introduction-philippineliterature_24.html

Give and discuss the history of Philippine Literature?

The different literary periods in Philippine literature include the pre-colonial period,
the Spanish colonial era, the American colonial era and the contemporary period.
Literature in the Philippines evolved as part of the country's changing history.

The first Philippine literary period was the pre-colonial era. During this time, folk
songs, epics, narratives and sung narratives were popular. Many of the folk songs
featured simple rhythms, while narrative songs were used to tell historical stories.
Philippine epics from the pre-colonial era told mythological stories, and often
reflected on community ethics.
During the Spanish colonial era, theater became popular. During this time, Spanish
explorers attempted to teach their language to indigenous people, which meant
religious songs and poetry found their place in society. The introduction of prose
took a similar approach by attempting to influence social behaviors. By the 19th
century, Philippine writers were using prose to their own benefit by writing about
the negative effects of colonization.
During the American colonial period, English was introduced to mainstream schools
throughout the country. This meant some American literary influences had an
impact on Philippine literature, including the introduction of free verse poetry. Short
story telling also became popular, and as romantic movie traditions intersected with
Philippine culture, so did romantic novels.
Following military rule in the 1960s, the contemporary period emerged. Poetry,
prose and short stories remain popular, but writing has become more competitive
and professional throughout the country. Writers are encouraged to attend
workshops, and literary awards ceremonies are held each year.
Source: Reference.com, What are the different literary periods in Philippine
literature? Web. 31, August 2016. Retrieved from,
https://www.reference.com/art-literature/different-literary-periods-philippineliterature-da3e44a475140478

Philippine literature had evolved much before colonization. It is full of legends and
tales of colonial legacy. Mexican and Spanish dominance over the land and the
people, over varying periods of time, witnessed the incorporation of English,
Spanish, Filipino and native languages, to express ideology and opinion. Literature
in the Philippines developed much later than in most other countries. Evidence
reveals the use of a script called "Baybayin" that flourished in 1521. "Baybayin" was
used to write about legends, in Luzon, during Spaniard domination.
Philippine Literature in Filipino
The literature of the Philippines before the advent of the Spaniards was
predominantly a reflection of the indigenous culture and traditions of the land. The
people of Manila and native groups within the Philippines used to write on bamboo
and the arecaceae palm. They used knives for inscribing the ancient Tagalog script.
The literature thus preserved was limited to the seventeen basic symbols of the
language. With just three vowels and consonantal symbols that had predetermined,
inherent sound, the literature handed down was in a 'raw' state and needed to be
developed.

The Tagalog language script that was used initially to preserve and hand down
literature, was limited to a diacritical mark or "kudlit" that further modified
pronunciation and writing. The dot, line or arrow head was either placed above or
below the symbol. The literature thus preserved has played a very important role in
the public schooling arena and the rise of the educated class.
The colonization by Spain breathed a different kind of life into vernacular and
Filipino literature. Spain brought about liberal ideas and a sense of internationalism
to the people of Philippines, which was reflected in the popularity of chivalric heroic
poems called "awit" and religious poems called '"corridos"'. Religious literature,
biography of saints and folktales became the mainstay of vernacular literature
during the early period of colonization.
Philippine Literature in Spanish
Philippine literature in Spanish can be broadly categorized into three stages or
phases. The first phase was the time period when religious works as instructed by
the colonial masters were spread throughout the land. In the early 17th century
Tomas Pinpin published a book that attempted to translate Spanish to local Tagalog
language. Thus paving the way for Filipinos to learn and understand the ways of the
colonialists. This small event marked the beginning of increased learning and use of
Spanish by local writers and authors. By the early 1800s many writers began to
recognize the Philippines a separate entity from Spain and subsequently expressed
their views and ideas through their works. Some prominent works of the time were,
"El Paranaso Filipino", "Mare Magnum".
Literature in the Philippines was developed and preserved by native Filipino
intellectuals. Isidro Marfori, Enrique Fernandez Lumba, Cecilio Apostol, Fernando Ma.
Guerrero, Jess Balmori, Flavio Zaragoza Cano and Francisco Zaragoza played a
major role in the preservation of the stories handed down in time. Writers such as
Castrillo, Fernandez, Rivera, Licsi and Estrada also spent a major part of their lives
in the documentation of 'by-word-of-mouth' hand-downs. Columns and articles in
newspapers such as "El Renacimiento", "La Vanguardia", "El Pueblo de Iloilo", "La
Democracia" and "El Tiempo" kept the legacies alive in Spanish. In the later half of
the 19th century, strong nationalistic and patriotic ideas began to flow around all of
Philippines and an idea of a free Philippines, distinct from Spain was expressed by
many writers and publications of that time. It was ironic that nationalism was
propagated more through Spanish language instead of the local vernacular tongue.
This era (1870 to 1903) saw the rise of national heroes like Jose Rizal, Graciano
Lopez Jaena, Marcelo H. Del Pilar and Pedro Paterno who contributed to important
Spanish literary work in the Philippines by the way of various historical documents,
revolutionary propaganda and nationalist articles. Philippine literature in Spanish
was preserved well through private publications like '"Plaridel"' and the first Spanish
newspaper '"El Boletn de Ceb"' and '"Flora Sentino"', by Orlando Agnes.
At the start of the 20th century the American control introduced English to the
islands that brought about a significant change in the use of Spanish in Philippine
literature. Further more, Japanese occupation during World War II and

Commonwealth membership brought about a slow demise of Spanish and an

emergence of English in the country's literature.
Philippine Literature in English
The emergence of Philippine literature in English can be traced back to the early
1900s after the Philippine-American War as English became the medium of teaching
in educational institutions across the Philippines. The advent of missionaries and
English educators led to the establishing of English newspapers and magazines
which were short-lived. But the real impetus to English literature was provided by
the founding of the magazines "Philippines Herald" and "Manila Tribune". These
publications helped introduce authors like "Loreto Paras", "Jose Garcia Villa",
"Casiano Calalang" to the reading public. The first quarter of the twentieth century
proved to be the most favorable period for English literature in the Philippines and
some of the famous publications of those times were: "A Child's Sorrow", "Many
Voices", "The Wound and the Scar", "Literature and Society".
The advent of the Second World War and the subsequent Japanese occupation led
most writers and authors to either go underground or write in Tagalog. Writing in
English regained its earlier fervor and enthusiasm once the war was over and
produced some famous writers like "Carlos Bulosan", "Alejandro Roces", "Francisco
Arcellana", "Nick Joaquin". Later on in the 1960s the Philippine government also
recognized writers in the form of awards and felicitations which still continue today.
Literary work now available includes articles on Spanish conquest, native cultural
heritage, pre-colonial literature and traditional narratives. Another very interesting
segment of Philippine literature includes inspiring speeches and songs. This
segment has effectively maintained the mystifying characteristic of Philippine epics
and folk tales. The narratives and descriptions of various magical characters,
mythical objects and supernatural are surreal, distinctly adhering to the ideologies
and customs of the natives.

Ethno-epics such as "Biag ni Lam-ang" or the Life of Lam-ang, "Agyu" or "Olahing",

"Sandayo of Subanon", "Aliguyon, the Hudhud" and "Labaw Donggon" are great
examples of assimilated styles and language variations. Today, Philippine literature
reflects national issues through political prose, essay writing and novels. Novels by
Jose Rizal, El Filibusterismo and Noli Me Tangere patronize the revival of the rich folk
traditions. Philippine literature is a uniting element among its people that
encompasses a way of life and values cherished by the locals and will continue to
evolve as enriched by modern changes.
Gaynor Borade, A Quick Look at the Fascinating History of Philippine Literature
Buzzle.com. 14, August 2016. Web. 31, August 2016. Retrieved from,
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/history-of-philippine-literature.html