Other Names:

Hiligaynon- Paktakon
Tagalog- Bugtong
Cebuano- Tigmo

Talinghaga- a form of metaphor whose signification eventually conveys the meaning of the answer to the
riddle

Test of Wit- It serves as a form of a quiz. It tests observation of phenomenon, things, people, etc.
TO ENTERTAIN
Living in remote areas, before the advent of electricity, families would sit around the fire and the elders
would quiz the younger generation with riddles.

TO EDUCATE
Riddles serve the function of passing down knowledge from one generation to the next. They require
thinking in order to solve them.

TO TITILLATE
Many old Filipino riddles contain double entendres that were intended to amuse the men and shock the
women.

TO CURSE, WITHOUT EXPRESSLY CURSING

A riddle could be made up against an enemy, rival town, or suitor.

TO PRESERVE THE CULTURE

Riddles communicate the old ways from one generation to the next.
Other Names:
Hiligaynon- Hurubaton
Tagalog- Salawikain
Cebuano- Sanglitanan
GENERAL ATTITUDE
Leaves a lesson or message that people may use as their guiding principles.

ETHICAL PROVERBS
Proverbs recommending certain values and condemning certain vices.

SYSTEM OF VALUES
Proverbs associated with global topics such as religion, technology, war etc.

GENERAL TRUTHS
Proverbs that deal with human nature and life observations.

HUMUROUS PROVERBS
Proverbs that may cause people to smile, laugh, and make fun of things but will also leave important
lessons.

MISCELLANEOUS PROVERBS
Proverbs that express specific realities to a certain point.
DIONA
Wedding song

KUMINTANG
A war song

MALUWAY
A song for collective labor

PANAMBITAN
A courtship song

SOLIRANIN
A song for travelers

PAMANHIKAN
A song-ritual of the would-be bridegroom to his would-be bride as he asks permission to marry her

TALINDAW
A song for seafarers

DALIT
A song-ritual usually sung to the rhythm of dance

DUNG-AW
A wake Song
Fables- use animals as characters

Fantastic Stories- deal with underworld characters such as “tiyanak”,“aswang”, “kapre” and others
These are “narratives of sustained length based on oral tradition revolving aroundsupernatural events or
heroic deeds” (Arsenio Manuel).