21st Century Literature from the Philippines and the World ...

21st Century Literature from the Philippines and the World Unit 5:

Philippine Literature during the Precolonial Period

Table of Contents

Introduction and Unit Objectives 3

Lesson 1: The Precolonial Period 4 Warm-up! 4 Learn About It! 5 Check Your Understanding 7 Let’s Step Up! 8

Lesson 2: Philippine Folk Narratives 9 Warm-up! 9 Learn About It! 10 Check Your Understanding 15 Let’s Step Up! 16

Lesson 3: Philippine Mythology and Philippine Folk Lyric and Speech 17 Warm-up! 17 Learn About It! 18 Check Your Understanding 21 Let’s Step Up! 22

Lesson 4: Reading Selections and Analyses 23 Warm-up! 23 Learn About It! 23 Check Your Understanding 30 Let’s Step Up! 31

Performance Task 32

Self-Check: How Well Did I Learn? 34

Wrap Up 35

Bibliography 36

2 Copyright © 2018 Quipper Limited

GRADE 11/12 | English

UNIT 5

Philippine Literature during the Precolonial Period As a student learning about Philippine literature, you are fortunate to have samples of precolonial literature that have survived despite the Spanish colonization that influenced much of the literature we have today.

The pieces of Philippine precolonial literature that survive until this day are reflections of our ancestors’ culture and society. These pieces are ones that were restored as most of them are oral lores that were shared by early Filipinos in areas beyond the Spanish colonial administrators.

Unit Objectives

In this unit, you should be able to: ● describe the earliest literary period; ● identify the various literary forms of the precolonial period and their common features;

and ● analyze the literary works that characterize the precolonial period.


Lesson 1: The Precolonial Period

One of the defining features of the Philippine culture is our rich literature. Although we have been colonized by a number of countries, we are fortunate enough to have these traditions and stories handed down to us.

Warm-up!

Oral Tradition Divide the class into groups with at least four members. Assign a member to be a “storyteller,” a “listener or recounter,” and a “recorder.”

Show an English version of a Filipino short story (of about one to two paragraphs long) to the storyteller and have him or her 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. 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. 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?


Learn About It!

Most literary works during the precolonial period were passed down by word of mouth. This form of transmission is called oral tradition. But in some cases, our ancestors were able to make use of a writing system to pen down some works of literature.

The following are the 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

However, the early literary written forms of precolonial Filipinos were destroyed by the Spanish friars. The literary forms we know now that survived to this day were restored because of resistance and geographical isolation.

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

This is the period when our ancestors told stories about the creation of human beings and the world, natural phenomena, and deities and spirits.

Heroic Age

In this period, the characters in stories evolved. Ordinary mortals and cultural heroes became the chief subject matter in this period. Epics became a popular genre. They were chanted during important events in the community to inspire people. These were also performed to


remind the community of their ideals and values.

Folktales

Philippine folktales are traditional stories that had humans, animals, and even plants as characters. These are fictional tales that have been modified through successive retellings before they were finally recorded and written down.

The writing system used by Filipinos during the precolonial period is the baybayin. This was derived from Kavi, a Javanese (Indonesian) script.

To write, the early Filipinos used palm leaves or bamboo, which they wrote on 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. The vowels were a, e/i, and o/u. The consonants were ba, ka, da/ra, ga, ha, la, ma, na, nga, pa, sa, ta, wa, and ya.

The symbols used could be modified to present different vowel sounds. This could be done with the use of the kudlit, which may be a short line, a dot, or even an arrowhead placed at the top or the bottom of the symbol being modified.


Check Your Understanding

A. Fill in the blanks with the correct term being described.

Description

1. This is the writing system used by Filipinos during the precolonial period.

2. These are traditional stories that were modified through successive retellings.

3. These were chanted during special events in the community to inspire people.

4. This is the period when our ancestors told stories about the creation of human beings in the world.

5. This is the form of transmission of literature during the precolonial period.

B. Write True if the statement given is correct and False if it is wrong.

Description

1. The precolonial Filipino writing was derived from a Javanese script.

2. The kudlit is used to modify the present consonant sounds.

3. A convention of oral literature is its singular authorship.

4. The ancient Tagalog script had sixteen basic syllables.


5. There are four known categories of Philippine folk literature according to E. Arsenio Manuel.

Let’s Step Up!


Lesson 2: Philippine Folk Narratives

Narratives such as folktales and legends were created to explain natural phenomena and the origin of things long before science came to be known.

Warm-up!

Brainstorming Using a cluster chart, map out the different literary genres (that are narrative) that you are familiar with. Guide questions: Why do you think these genres are narrative? Can you give some examples of these genres? How about some examples from the Philippines?


Learn About It!

Myths

These are stories that make use of gods, goddesses, and other fantastical creatures as characters. These became a means for our ancestors to explain the occurrence of supernatural events, the beginning of cultural traditions, and the existence of mysteries. A myth may also attempt to explain the origin of the world and of the people.

There are many versions of the creation of the world, one of which is “The Creation Story” of the Tagalogs.

The Creation Story

When the world first began, there was no land—there were only the sea and the sky, and between them is a crow. One day, the bird, which had nowhere to land, grew tired of flying around, so she stirred up the seas until it threw its waters against the sky. The sky, in order to restrain the sea, showered upon it many rocks, forming islands until the sea could no longer rise but instead flow back and forth, making tides. Then the sky ordered the crow to land on one of the islands to build her nest and to leave the sea and sky in peace.

Now at this time, the land breeze and the sea breeze were married, and they had a child, which was a bamboo plant. One day when the bamboo was floating about on the water, it struck the feet of the crow, who was on the beach. The bird, angry that anything should strike her, pecked at the bamboo, and out of one section came a man and from the other a woman.

Then the earthquake called on all the birds and fish to see what should be done with the man and woman, and it was decided that they should marry. Many children were born to


the couple, and from them came all the different races of people.

After a while, the parents grew very tired of having so many idle, useless children around. They wished to get rid of them, but they knew of no place to send them. Time went on, and the children became so numerous that the parents enjoyed no peace. One day, in desperation, the father seized a stick and began beating them.

The children became frightened and began to hide. Now it happened that those who went into the hidden rooms of the house later became the chiefs of the islands, and those who concealed themselves in the walls became slaves, while those who ran outside were free men. Those who hid in the stove became dark-skinned people. Those who fled to the sea were gone many years, and when their children came back, their skins were white.

Legends

Believed to be historical but cannot be verified as true, legends are stories handed down through generations. These stories are often about famous persons or events. These may tell of an encounter with marvelous creatures, which the folks still believe in: fairies, ghosts, water spirits, the devil, and the like.

Below is the legend “How the Angels Built Lake Lanao” of the Maranaws. This version is narrated by Gregorio F. Zaide and Mamitua Saber.

How the Angels Built Lake Lanao

Long ago, on the place where Lake Lanao is currently situated, was the powerful sultanate of Mantapoli. The sultanate’s fame, under the reign of Sultan Abdara Radawi, was vast and wide because of the expansion of its realm through military conquests and dynastic marriages.

The world, then, was divided into Sedpan (West) and Sebangan (East), where the sultanate of Mantapoli belonged to. With its expansion came its increase in population and power. Hence, the balance between the east and the west was broken.

This unbalance soon caught the attention of Archangel Diabarail (Gabriel to the Christians), who flew to Eighth heaven and reported to Allah, “My Lord, why did you let Sebangan become larger and more powerful than Sedpan? Why did you let the earth be


unbalanced?”

“Why, Diabarail,” replied the Sohara (Allah’s voice), “what is wrong with that?”

“My Lord, Mantapoli’s population is as countless as the particles of sand. If we allow this unbalanced sultanate to remain, the world might turn upside down.”

“Ah, Diabarail, you show great wisdom with your words, ” commented the Sohara.

“What must we do to prevent this forthcoming catastrophe, my Lord?”

Sohara replied, “Gather all the angels from the Seven-Regions-Beneath-the-Earth and to the Seven-Regions-in-the-Sky. I will cause a barahana (solar eclipse) and during the darkness, your angels must move Mantapoli to the center of the earth.”

On Allah’s command, Diabarail rallied all the angels and presented his army to Allah, “My Lord, we are ready to follow your command.”

The Sohara spoke, “Go and lift the land of Mantapoli from Sebangan.” Diabarail then lead his army of angels and flew to the east.

In the twinkle of an eye, terrible darkness struck the universe as the sun disappeared. The angels flew and swooped Mantapoli, lifted it in the air, carrying with it the people, houses, crops, and its animals. Following the command of Allah, they brought the whole sultanate at the center of the earth.

From where the sultanate was lifted came a huge basin of deep blue water. This is what we now call the Lanao Lake.

But the waters deep from the earth kept on flowing, making the water levels rise higher and higher. The rising tides alarmed Archangel Diabarail, who reported it to Allah.

"My Lord, we have restored balance to the earth, but I fear that the rising tide from where we moved Mantapoli may drown and swallow Sebangan and your people." Archangel Diabarail said.

"Summon the Four Winds of the World: Angin Taupan, Angin Besar, Angin Darat, and Angin Sarsar, command them, in my name, to blow the overflowing waters and make an outlet."

The Four Winds of the world obeyed Allah's wishes and blew a storm like wind that swept


Sebangan. For two days and two nights, the Four Winds blew in different directions, towards different cities but failed to create an outlet.

On the third day, the Four Winds blew their hardest in a different direction. The waves rolled to Marawi. The Winds blew day in and day out in Marawi until an outlet was successfully made. This was how the Agus River was made. The water of Lake Lanao now passes through this river, preventing it from flooding.

Through time, a high cliff from the outlet came about and arose a beautiful waterfall that came to be known as Maria Cristina. The name that was derived from a famous queen of Spain.

Folktales

Folktales are prose narratives usually told to amuse or entertain. These are also instructional in nature, dealing with events set in an indefinite time and space.

Examples of folktales are animal tales or fables and magical tales such as “The Monkey and the Turtle” (Bilaan) and “The Story of the Orphan Girl” (Subanon).

Epics

An epic is a long narrative poem that describes the adventures of a hero, warrior, god, or king. It is influenced by the traditions, culture, beliefs, moral code, and attitudes of the people who created it. The characteristics of a classical epic include the following:

● The main character or protagonist of the story is considered a hero. ● The hero’s actions are presented without bias; the epic presents both the character’s

faults and virtues. ● Epics often involve battles, which reveal the extraordinary strength of the protagonist

as he engages in acts of bravery. ● The setting may span several countries, involve the whole world, or even be set in the

universe. ● Gods and other divine beings are portrayed as having a role in the outcome of events.


Examples of these epics include:

1. Hinilawod

This is considered as the oldest and longest among the epics of Panay. It narrates the adventures of three brothers: Humadapnon, Dumalapdap, and Labaw Denggan.

Below is an excerpt of the epic:

With care we shall tell, accurately we shall relate The story of the three princes who were born To goddess Alunsina of the Eastern Skies! Strangely, before the mother could open her eyes The first boy born became a mature man to her surprise And she called him Labaw Denggan, radiant as the sunrise! Absoy-y-y-y-y-y-y-y— Then followed the birth of Prince Humadapnon Who immediately became a man, a handsome prince A mighty warrior, the kingdom has ever seen! And before the marvelous mother could have a sigh Came the third son, Dumalapdap, who likewise Became a man, stately in mien-like a cloudless sky!

2. Ibalon

Somehow similar to Hinilawod, this epic is about three brothers: Baltog, Bantiong, and Handiong. This epic originated from the Bicol region.

3. Hudhud

This epic tells about the lives of native Ifugao heroes, the most notable of which is Aliguyon of the village Gonhandan. Aliguyon was endowed with supernatural powers and boundless energy. He has the ability to travel long distances without needing food and rest. Upon arriving at his destination, he still has the same energy as he did when he started his journey. Aliguyon was invincible in battle; he could catch spears in mid-flight and could fight against many combatants.


4. Darangan

This epic is about the sentimental and romantic adventures of noble Maranao warriors; the most famous is about a warrior or prince named Bantugan. Prince Bantugan was the brother of the chieftain of a village called Bumbaran. Bantugan owned a magic shield, was protected by divine spirits, and was capable of rising from the dead.

5. Biag ni Lam-Ang

This is an epic that tells the story of Lam-Ang, who exhibits extraordinary abilities even in his early years. This epic originated from the Ilocos region.


A. Categorize the following statements as pertaining to a folktale, legend, myth, or epic.

Description

1. These are believed to be historical but cannot be verified as true.

2. This narrative may also attempt to explain the origin of the world and of the people.

3. These stories are often about famous persons or events.

4. This is a long narrative poem that describes the adventures of a hero, warrior, god, or king.

5. These are prose narratives usually told to amuse or entertain.


B. Classify the following titles of Filipino precolonial literature as folktale, legend,

myth, or epic.

The Story of the Orphan Girl Ibalon The Creation Story How the Angels Built Lake Lanao

Why Does a Pineapple Have Many Eyes? Biag ni Lam-Ang The Monkey and the Turtle Si Bathala

legend myth epic folktale

C. Choose a region or province of your liking or linked to your family lineage and

retell a common folktale, legend, myth, or epic originating from that region or province.

Let’s Step Up!


Lesson 3: Philippine Mythology and Philippine Folk Lyric and Speech

It is interesting to note that even though our country was colonized, there is a vast collection of precolonial literature present. These stories, narratives, and lyrics have become a testament of our undying FIlipino culture.

Warm-up!

Hum that Song Five students should come to the front of the class. One by one, pick a piece of paper on which is written the title of any of the following Filipino folk songs:

● Leron Leron Sinta ● Magtanim ay ‘Di Biro ● Tong Tong Tong Pakitong Kitong ● Bahay Kubo ● Paru-parung Bukid

Sing the song whose title is written on the piece of paper you have picked out. If you are not among the volunteers, listen carefully to each of the songs. Take note of the lyrics.

● What do you notice about them? ● Do you think that the lyrics have underlying meanings and can be taken

metaphorically? Discuss your thoughts and insights with a partner.


Learn About It!

The base form of Philippine folk lyric and speech is poetry.

Poetry is a form of literature that emphasizes rhythm, metrical structure, and the use of imagery and sound patterns.

This literary form is organized in stanzas, which are groups of consecutive lines in a poem, with each stanza forming a single unit.

Ancient Tagalog Deities

Filipinos practiced worshipping gods and goddesses during the precolonial period. This practice is known as animism, which is a belief that souls or spirits exist in plants, animals, or objects.

Animism comes from the Latin word anima, which, according to psychologist Carl Jung, means a person’s inner self or soul.

In the Philippines, deities vary in different regions.

Kaluwalhatian is the term used to refer to the home of ancient Philippine gods and goddesses.

● Bathala or Bathalang Maykapal is the king of the gods in Tagalog myths. He married a mortal, with which he had three children: Apolaki (god of war and guardian of the sun), Mayari (goddess of the moon), and Tala (goddess of the stars).

● Apolaki and Mayari (or Adlaw and Bulan in Visayan) ruled the earth at different times. This is because of a conflict between them when Bathala died and he did not pass the title to any of his children.

● Tala is the goddess who warns Mayari that the sun god is gone and that it is safe for her to come out along with the stars.


● Amihan is believed to be a bird, which is said to be the first creature that inhabited the

earth. It is linked to the story of creation of the Tagalogs. ● Bacunawa, or the “moon eater,” is the god of the underworld. Believed to have an

image of a serpent or dragon, he is the one responsible for eclipses.

Folk Songs

Folk songs are repetitive and sonorous and have a playful melody. They may be about love and courtship, a long day’s work, or may be songs sung at a funeral.

“Doon Po Sa Amin” is a song about struggle or hardship, while “Leron Leron Sinta” is a popular Tagalog folk song about courtship.

Doon Po Sa Amin I

Doon po sa amin Bayan ng San Roque May nagkatuwaang

Apat na pulubi Nagsayaw ang pilay

Umawit ang pipi Nanood ang bulag Nakinig ang bingi

II Doon po sa amin Maralitang bayan

Nagkatay ng hayop Niknik ang pangalan

Ang taba po nito Nang maipatunaw

Ang nakuhang langis Apat na tapayan

III Doon po sa amin

Bayan ng Malabon

Leron Leron Sinta

Leron, Leron, sinta Buko ng papaya Dala dala’y buslo Sisidlan ng sinta

Pagdating sa dulo’y Nabali ang sanga, Kapos kapalaran Humanap ng iba.

Gumising ka Neneng, tayo’y

manampalok Dalhin mo ang buslo, sisidlan ng hinog

Pagdating sa dulo’y uunda-undayog Kumapit ka Neneng, baka ka mahulog. Halika na Neneng at tayo’y magsimba

At iyong isuot ang baro mo’t saya Ang baro mo’t sayang pagkaganda-ganda Kay ganda ng kulay — berde, puti, pula.

Ako’y ibigin mo, lalaking matapang

Ang baril ko’y pito, ang sundang ko’y


May isang matandang Nagsaing ng apoy Palayok ay papel

Papel pati tungtong Tubig na malamig Ang iginagatong.

siyam Ang lalakarin ko’y parte ng dinulang

Isang pinggang pansit ang aking kalaban.

Proverbs

Proverbs or salawikain are short sayings enveloped in rhymed verse that are meant to give advice to the young, offering words of wisdom or stating how one should live.

Below are some of the sayings that reflect Filipino values and ideologies.

● Huwag magbilang ng sisiw hanggang di pa napipisa ang itlog.

(Don’t count chicks until the eggs are hatched.)

● Matibay ang walis, palibhasa’y magkabigkis.

(A broom is sturdy because its strands are tightly bound.)

● Hangga’t makitid ang kumot, matutong mamaluktot.

(While the blanket is short, learn how to bend.)

Riddles

Riddles, locally called bugtong, are perplexing questions meant to be guessed or solved. These are used for entertainment, and they require one to observe, analyze, and imagine to provide the right answer.

Examples: Answers:

Nagtago si Pedro, nakalitaw ang ulo. (Pedro hides, but you can still see his head.)

pako (nail)

Ako ay may kaibigan, kasama ko kahit saan. anino (shadow)


(I have a friend who is with me everywhere I go.)

Heto na si Kaka, bubuka-bukaka. (Here comes Kaka, walking with his legs wide apart.)

gunting (scissors)


A. Give the correct mythological creature being described.

Description

1. She is the goddess who warns Mayari that the sun god is gone and that it is safe for her to come out along with the stars.

2. He is believed to have an image of a serpent or dragon.

3. She is believed to be the first creature that inhabited the earth.

4. He is the sun god and son of Bathala.

5. He is the king of the gods in Tagalog myths.

B. Give the correct answer to the following riddles.

Bugtong Bugtong

1. Dalawang batong itim, malayo ang nararating.

2. Isa ang pasukan, tatlo ang labasan.


3. Ako ay may kaibigan, kasama ko kahit saan.

4. Naligo ang kapitan, hindi nabasa ang tiyan.

5. Isang hukbong sundalo, dikit-dikit ang mga ulo.

C. Research a common Filipino folk song and find out its origins and meaning.

Let’s Step Up!


Lesson 4: Reading Selections and Analyses

When you read literature, you should do more than just comprehend the plot and characters. This lesson provides a brief discussion on the analysis of Philippine narratives, riddles, myths, and epics.

Warm-up!

Review: Story Map It is important to understand and recall some of the important story elements and parts of a story plot before going deeper by doing story analysis. Use the story of “How the Angels Built Lake Lanao” in the previous lesson. Review its story elements and plot.

Learn About It!

Decoding Riddles

Analyzing or answering riddles requires one to decode images from it.

Below is a riddle which originates from the Aetas:

Wearing a crown but not a queen, wearing scales but not a fish.

Riddle Analysis


The answer to this riddle is pineapple. The visual images in this riddle are “crown” and “scales.”

The first step is to picture a thing with these elements. Then, look at other clues such as “not a queen” and “not a fish.” Here, the riddle hints that the answer may not be a person or an animal. The fruit, pineapple, is the closest to the description as it appears with a crown (of scale leaves on top of the fruit) and scales (or ovaries covering the fruit).

Analyzing Myths

In reading a myth, it is important to understand it in the context of its place of origin while discussing elements of fiction.

The myth below comes from Panay in Visayas Region.

Here are guide questions that you may use in analyzing the myth “Tungkung Langit and Alunsina.”

1. What is the subject matter of the myth? 2. Who are the main characters in the myth? Characterize

them using a Venn Diagram to note similarities and differences.

3. Compare this myth with another that has the same subject. How are these myths similar and different?

4. How does this myth reflect the culture of the people in Panay?

5. What is the theme of this myth?

Tungkung Langit and Alunsina

This story of creation from the old people in Panay, living near the mountains, has been retold countless times. It said that in the beginning, there was only confusion. Even before the creation of the earth and sky, only darkness existed -- a bottomless world of mist; shapeless and formless. From the depths of this void, came two gods, Tungkung Langit (“Pillar of the Sky”) and


Alunsina (“The Unmarried One”). Their origins were unknown, but what was known was Tungkung Langit’s love for Alunsina. The two deities got married after years of courtship. They situated their abode in the highest realm. This ethereal space always had warm waters and a cool breeze. This was the place where order and regularity first took form.

Tungkung Langit took charge over the regular movement of the cosmic; he made sure of the maintenance of the order of things. He was a kind, loving, and hardworking deity. Meanwhile, Alunsina was the opposite. She was selfish, lazy, and constantly jealous. She would idly sit by their heavenly home, delight herself with senseless thoughts, or sit by their pool to comb her long black hair

One day, Tungkung Langit decided to fix the chaos of the flow of time and the position of things. He bid his wife goodbye only to find out that his jealous wife had asked the breeze to spy on him. This upset Tungkung Langit.

Tungkung Langit confronted his wife, Alunsina. He pointed out that her jealousy was ungodly and pointless for there were no other living creature in the world except for the two of them. Alunsina resented Tungkung Langit for this and started to quarrel with him.

Tungkung Langit lost his temper. In his anger, he took away the powers of his wife and commanded her away. He did not know where Alunsina went.

Tungkung Langit felt lonely after a couple of days. He realized the gravity of what he had done. Their whole palace, once filled with Alunsina’s sweet and angelic voice, now feels cold and desolate.

He would find himself alone in the mornings; and would feel the same loneliness in the afternoons when he came home. He would constantly feel the same loneliness seeping in his heart. Alunsina was nowhere to meet him at the door or comfort his tired muscles.

Tungkung Langit’s loneliness lasted for months on end. He tried looking for Alunsina, but she was nowhere to be found. He knew he should act on overcoming his desolation.

While he was sailing across the regions of the clouds, he thought of creating the sea and the earth. As the earth and the sea suddenly appeared in his will, the dull and empty sea bothered him. He came down to earth and planted it with flowers and trees. He scattered his wife’s treasure jewels in the sky, hoping that it would catch Alunsina’s attention. These became the stars. Her comb became the moon, and her crown, the sun. But Alunsina


never returned.

The elders in Panay would often tell that up until now Tungkung Langit still lives alone in his palace in the skies. And that the rain are his sad tears, the loud thunders are his sobs calling for Alunsina to come back.

Analyzing Epics

Philippine “ethnoepics” can be understood through their common features as described by E. Arsenio Manuel.

These features are:

1. narratives of sustained length 2. based on oral tradition; 3. revolving around supernatural events or heroic deeds; 4. in the form of verse; 5. which is either chanted or sung; 6. with a certain seriousness of purpose, embodying or validating beliefs, customs, ideals or

life values of the people.

In analyzing folktales, like epics, you may use Vladimir Propp’s Morphology of the Folktale.

Propp’s 31 Dramatic Situations

1st Sphere: Introduction

2nd Sphere: The Body of the Story

3rd Sphere: The Donor Sequence

4th Sphere: The Hero’s Return

1. Absentation: Someone goes missing

8. Villainy and Lack: The need is identified

12. Testing: Hero is challenged to prove heroic qualities

20. Return: Hero sets out for home

2. Interdiction: Hero is warned

13. Reaction: Hero responds to test

21. Pursuit: Hero is chased

3. Violation of Interdiction

9. Mediation: Hero discovers

14. Acquisition: Hero gains

22. Rescue: Pursuit ends


the lack magical item

15.Guidance: Hero reaches destination

23. Arrival: Hero arrives unrecognized

4. Reconnaissance: Villain seeks something

10. Counteraction: Hero chooses positive action

16. Struggle: Hero and villain do battle

24. Claim: False hero makes unfounded claims

25. Task: Difficult task proposed to the hero

5. Delivery: The villain gains information

11. Departure: Hero leaves on mission

17. Branding: Hero is branded

26. Solution: Task is resolved

27. Recognition: Hero is recognized

6. Trickery: The villain attempts to deceive the victim

18. Victory: Villain is defeated

28. Exposure: False hero is exposed

29. Transfiguration: Hero is given a new appearance

7. Complicity: Unwitting helping of the enemy

19. Resolution: Initial misfortune or lack is resolved

30. Punishment: Villain is punished

31. Wedding: Hero marries and ascends the throne

Few narratives contain all these dramatic situations, and the sequence of events may change or repeat.


Below is a summarized epic of the Manuvus of Central Mindanao. This pagan epic is labeled according to the 31 dramatic functions.

Tuwaang Attends a Wedding

Tuwaang, after finishing some work, calls his aunt aside and informs her that the wind has brought him a message: he is to attend the wedding of the Maiden of Monawon. The aunt tries to dissuade him from going, for she forsees trouble. Tuwaang, however, is determined to go. He picks the

heart-shaped basket that can activate the lightning, puts on his headdress and costume made by goddesses, arms himself with a long blade and dagger, and takes his shield and spear. He rides on a flash of lightning and arrives at the Kawkawangan glassland. While resting there a while, he hears a gungutan bird, crowing. He decides to catch the fowl, but soon he sees the gungutan with a dagger like spur. The gungutan tells Tuwaang he came to know of his coming in a dream and that he wants to go with him to the wedding celebration. Tuwaang agrees to bring the gungutan along. The two shake their shoulders and carried into space.

Upon arriving at Monawon, Tuwaang is admitted into the hall. He sits on a golden stool while the gungutan perches on the crossbeam. Meantime, enchanting sounds from afar and flowering trees signals the arrival of the

Young Man of Panayangan. Other gallants – the Young Man of Liwanon and the Young Man of the Rising Sun – arrive. Finally, the groom, the Young Man of Sakadna, arrives with a hundred followers. He haughtily asks the house owner to clear the house “of dirt,” implying the people in the house who do not count. To this insult, Tuwaang answers there are “red leaves,” or heroes in the house.

At the start of the wedding ceremony, the savakan (bridewealth consisting of wrapped food, paid for by the groom’s kinsmen) are offered individually, until only the two most expensive ones remain. One of those

is given the value of an ancient gong with ten bosses and nine relief-rings, while the other is redeemable only by a golden guitar and a golden flute. The groom confesses his inability to redeem these articles. Tuwaang saves the groom from the embarrassing predicament by taking his place: through his magic breath he produces a more ancient gong, which was


accepted by the bride’s party. He also produces a golden flute and a golden guitar.

At this time, the bride was now asked to come out of her room to serve some betel chew to the guests. As she commands her betel box to serve

everyone, the betel box magically obeys and jumps into the mouths of the guests. Two betel chews leap into the groom’s mouth then the betel box moves on to Tuwaang. Much to the surprise of most guests, the betel box stops altogether. Tuwaang tries to brush it away, but the box does not move. Amazed by this, the bride then decides to sit beside Tuwaang.

The groom blushes; he is shamed. He decides to fight Tuwaang. He goes down the house and challenges Tuwaang to come down to the yard.

After the bride unrolls and combs Tuwaang’s hair, Tuwaang goes down to fight. The gungutan, meanwhile, has been fighting the groom’s men and

has slain a number of them until only six gallants remain. Tuwaang and the gungutan engage the six gallants.

After some time, only Tuwaang and the Young Man of Sakadna were left standing. As Tuwaang is thrown against a boulder, it turns into dust. Trees get bent and topple down when hit by Tuwaang. As Tuwaang gets a

hold of his foe, he throws him down hard that he sinks into the land. But the Young Man of Sakadna surfaces every time and continues to fight with Tuwaang once more. Ultimately, Tuwaang gets slammed down into the earth and eventually sinks into the Underworld.

There he talks to Tuwaha, god of the Underworld, who tells him the secret of overcoming his foe. Tuwaang surfaces and summons the golden flute where the Young Man of Sakadna keeps his life.

Accompanied by the gungutan, Tuwaang takes the bride home to Kuaman, where he rules forever.

(Synopsis and Translation by E. Arsenio Manuel in Lumbera & Lumbera, Philippine Literature: A History and Anthology)



A. Fill in the blanks with the correct dramatic situation described.

Description

1. The hero is chased.

2. The hero and villain do battle.

3. The villain attempts to deceive the victim.

4. The false hero makes unfounded claims.

5. The hero gains magical item.

B. Explain and draw the meaning and answers to given Filipino riddles.

Answer Bugtong Bugtong Picture and Explanation

1. Limang puno ng niyog, isa’y matayog.

2. Dalawang balon, hindi malingon.

3. Isang balong malalim, punong-puno ng patalim.

4. Mataas kung nakaupo, mababa kung nakatayo.


5. Malambot na parang ulap, kasama ko sa pangangarap.

C. Read the summary of Bantugan, a Maranaw epic, and analyze its plot using

Vladimir Propp’s 31 Dramatic Situations.

Let’s Step Up!


Performance Task

Philippine Precolonial Literary Anthology Goal:

● Your task is to research and collate, as a class, a Philippine precolonial literary anthology.

● Choose a literary piece to write a literary analysis on. Role:

● Each student in the the class will be a researcher, writer, and editor for the class anthology.

Audience:

● The target audience are Grade 7, 10, and Senior High School students. Situation:

● You are tasked to produce, as a class, a literary anthology focusing on Philippine precolonial literature.

Product/Performance and Purpose:

1. Each student must have one literary piece in the anthology to critique or analyze. 2. All works will be compiled, printed, and bound into an anthology book. 3. The class will be divided into two big groups: the narrative group and the poetry group. 4. Weekly consultations will be done by the teacher to check on the progress of the

anthology. Standards and Criteria for Success: Your work will be judged based on the following rubric:


Criteria Beginning (0-12 points)

Developing (13-16 points)

Accomplished (17-20 points)

Score

Content

Three pieces or more are not works of Philippine precolonial literature.

One or two pieces are not works of Philippine precolonial literature.

All the pieces are works of Philippine precolonial literature.

Organization

The literary works and analyses are not logically arranged; ideas in the analyses are not clear and/or do not use proper transitions.

Some literary works and analyses are not logically arranged; some ideas in the analyses are not clear and/or do not use proper transitions.

The literary works and analyses are logically arranged; ideas in the analyses are clear and use proper transitions.

Language (spelling, mechanics, grammar, and word usage)

There are eight or more language errors in the anthology.

There are four to seven language errors in the anthology.

There are zero to three language errors in the anthology.


Literary Analysis

The anthology presented inaccurate critical analyses of the chosen literary works.

The anthology presented good critical analyses of the chosen literary works.

The anthology presented exceptional critical analyses of the chosen literary works.

Promptness

The anthology was submitted more than one day late.

The anthology was submitted one day late.

The anthology was properly submitted on time.

TOTAL SCORE:

Self-Check: How Well Did I Learn?

Do a self-check on how well you learned the lessons in this unit. Place a checkmark in the appropriate box.

Skills I think I need more

practice and assistance

I am familiar and can perform well

with minimal assistance

I am confident that I can perform this on

my own

I can describe the earliest literary period.

I can identify the various literary forms of the precolonial period and their common


features. I can analyze the literary works that characterize the period.

Wrap Up


Bibliography

Baritugo, Mercedita R., Reynaldo G. Caranguian, Angelita C. Punzalan, and Ernesto Thaddeus M. Solmerano. 2007. Philippine Literature: An Introduction to Poetry, Fiction, and Drama. Manila: FEU Publications.

Cordero-Fernando, Gilda. 2012. “Song hit kit from 1935 to 1943.” Philippine Daily Inquirer. Accessed Macrh 7, 2017. http://lifestyle.inquirer.net/78941/song-hit-kit-from-1935-to-1943/

“The Creation Story.” Accessed March 1, 2017. http://www.seasite.niu.edu/tagalog/folktales/ Tagalog/creation_story.htm.

Del Rosario, M. M. “55 Examples of Filipino Proverbs.” Last modified August 21, 2015. http://hubpages.com/education/examples-of-filipino-proverbs.

Del Rosario, M. M. “Filipino Riddles.” Last modified April 5, 2015. http://hubpages.com/gameshobbies/

Bugtong_Filipino_Riddles. Eugenio, Damiana. 1982. Philippine Folk Literature: An Anthology. Quezon City: University of the Philippines Press.

Kahayon, Alicia H., Magdalena P. Limdico, Erlinda M. Santiago. 2010. Panitikang Filipino: Kasaysayan at Pag-unlad. Mandaluyong City: National Book Store, Inc.

Lorenzo, Carmelita S., Rosario U. Mag-atas, Gloria P. San Juan, Corazon P. San Juan, Zenaida S. De Leon, Marianne C. Ortiz, and Randy D. Sagun. 2012. Literaturang Pilipino Tekstong Pangkolehiyo. Quezon City: National Book Store, Inc.

Lumbera, Bienvenido, and Cynthia Nograles Lumbera, eds. 2005. Philippine Literature: A History and Anthology. Mandaluyong City: Anvil Publishing, Inc.

Manuel, E. Arsenio. 2007. Filipino Myths and Folktales Treasury Stories. Pasig City: Anvil Publishing, Inc.

“Propp’s Morphology of the Folk Tale.” Accessed March 2, 2017. http://changingminds.org/disciplines/storytelling/plots/propp/propp.htm


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