Art and Culture
Literature
When the Spaniards came, The Country had two types of writings, the legendary and the epic. The legendary included legends, folk tales, incantations and religious poetry.
Two of the legends concern creation. In one of them the first man and woman come from bamboo plants. The second legend is more interesting. Like in the Genesis man is made from clay; in the Filipino legend, however, both man and woman are made from clay and then baked. The first baking was supposed to be overdone and therefore produced the blacks. The second batch was underdone and therefore produced the whites. The third batch was just right and resulted in the Filipinos.
Nine epics were recorded. These are "Biag ni Lamang" of the Ilocano, (an adventure tale) "Bidasari Indarapata" and "Sulayman" of the Maranao, "Ibalon" of the Bicolano, "Maragas" and "Haraya" of the Visayans, the "Hunhun" and "Alim" of the Ifugao, and the "Code of Kalantiao" of the Hiligaynon. The epics of the people of Luzon and the Visayas used the Malay alphabet called the Abakada. Those in Mindanao and Sulu were in Sanskrit.
Spanish colonization made significant changes in Filipino literature. The existing literature was partially altered to serve the religious and missionary aims of the Spaniards. When the Spaniards introduced the printing press in the archipelago, the effects of literature were multiplied.
In 1593, the first book was published in the Philippines entitled Doctrina Kristiana. In 1605, the work of an unknown Tagalog writer entitled "May Bagyo ma't may Rilim" (Despite Storm and Darkness) was printed. It marked the entry of personal experiences into Philippine literature.
Until 1863, few Filipino authors could write in Spanish as the highest education allowed to the natives was the catechismal school. The catechismal school dealt more with Catholicism than reading, writing and arithmetic. Very few natives were able to read the Roman alphabet, write in Spanish or understand it. Pedro Bukaneg, Tomas Pinpin and Hernando Bagongbanta were some of the earliest writers who were able to write in Spanish. Pinpin wrote "Arte de la Lengua Tagala" in 1610.
The first Filipino author to come up with a long work bearing signs of conscious design and careful composition was Gaspar Aquino de Belen. In 1704, he wrote the long Christian narrative poem "Ang Mahal na Pasyon" (The Beloved Passion) to replace the pagan epic poems.
The first half of the 19th century produced such poets as Francisco Baltazar a.k.a. Balagtas, the author of "Florante at Laura" in Tagalog, and "La India Elegante y al Negrito Almante" in Spanish, both epics. In 1864, the first Filipino prose appeared in print, "Urbana at Feliza" by Modesto Castro.
Beginning in 1863, full education was allowed to Filipinos. This marked the emergence of a greater number of Filipino writers who could write in Spanish. They included Dr. Jose Rizal, Pedro Paterno, and Marcelo del Pilar. Their writings were aimed to advance social changes in The Country .
Rizal's two most important books are Noli me tangere (Touch me not) and El Filibusterismo (Social Cancer), both of which tell the story of the main character Crisostomo Ibarra. "Noli me tangere", published in 1887, is mainly a love story, while "El Filibusterismo", published in 1891, is more a political, revolutionary novel. Both books are not only critical but even cynical about church institutions, particularly the friars who were corrupt and had amassed great wealth.
As he is the national hero of the Philippines, almost every city or town plaza in the archipelago has a statue of Rizal. In all colleges there is an obligatory course on his works and life. His books, originally written in Spanish are today readily available in English and Tagalog translations at low prices in most local book stores.
Some of Paterno's nationalistic works were "Sampaguita" in 1880, and "Ninay" in 1885. Marcelo del Pilar was noted for his "Duplohan" (Riddle Time) and "Ang Pasyong Dapat Ipagalab ng Taong Babasa - Kalupitan ng Fraile" (The Passion to Ignite the Reader - Cruelty of the Friars).
Before the end of the 19th century, writing shifted from Spanish to Tagalog. The authors focused on everyday life in the Philippines as they were addressing a new audience - the Filipino masses. Famed writers of this era were Vicente Sotto, Apolinario Mabini, Isabelo Reyes, Inigo Regalado and Lopez Jaena.
The entry of the US into the Philippines slowed production of literature in the vernacular due to censorship intended to stifle expression of national feelings. After the revolutionary period and upon the firm establishment of US rule, a number of novels and narratives written in local dialects were published centering on simplicity of living, concern for fellow workers and other labor related topics. They were written by workers like Arturo Gempison and Juan Arsenials.
Despite US censorship, Filipino poets using Tagalog wrote secretly on topics as a brutalized people who never lost hope and love of country. Tagalog poets like Lope K. Santos, Jose Corazon de Jesus, Florantino Collantes, Patricio Mariano, and Amado Hernandez adhered to the pattern set by Francisco Baltazar.
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