Literatures of the Visayas

One of the longest known epics in the world is the ethno-epic Hinilawod of the ancient people of
Sulod in Central Panay, the only epic recorded in the Visayas. Recorded in the 1950s by anthropologist F.
Landa Jocano who hails from the province of Iloilo, Hinilawod is more than 53,000 lines long and takes
thirty hours to recite. Segments of this epic have been adapted at festivals (the Hirinugyaw-Suguidanonay
in Calinog, Central Panay) and for the stage (e.g., Nicanor Tiongson’s Labaw Donggon: Ang Banog ng
Sanlibutan).

Western Visayas Literatures:

It was proven that Western Visayas has a very rich literature. It is still existed and being practiced
by old folks. Most of these literatures were written, collected and stored in the libraries of schools and
universities in the region. Some of these are collected and published by private individuals who have
passion in writing local literatures.

The collected literatures are categorized according to form. These are

 Bulong,
 Hurubaton,
 Hururaon/Ududayon,
 Hurubaton/Daragilon,
 Huding,
 Likayo,
 Hakol,
 Hangkat,
 Garay-garay and other old shorter verses; Ambahanon, Daigon, Komposo (Folk songs); Dayaw/
Dalit and Pasyon (verses/songs of praise); and Lowa,
 Paktakon/Palagatu (riddles), and
 Sugilanon (folk tales).

Additional (optional) Info/Descriptions:

The Bulong which is being called by the Panayanon’s as Hururaon or Ududayon were composed
of Himalay, Panabi-tabi, Burubugayon, Batak-dungan, Araw-aw and some other old shorter verses are
usually the chants used by the folks in performing different rituals. The purpose of offering rituals is to
give remedy to any member of the family who is suffering from any sickness, to throw out or release evil
spirits, to give thanks for the good health and blessings received from the good spirits and to ask for
protection and safety of members of the family. The Hurubaton of Western Visayas sets some standards
and serves as a reminder for everyone especially the young ones to value proper decorum about good
moral and right conduct.The old verses like Huding, Likayo, Hakol, Hangkat, Garay-garay reflects on the
creativity and passion of the folks in writing poems and short verses.
The compiled Ambahanon, Daigon, and Komposo depicts the Panayanon’s way of life,
courtship, love for parents and even for the country. The Komposo (ballad) describes the real situation of
the society and the Daigon were the Christmas carols rendered by the folks during the whole season of
Christmas. The Collection of Dayaw and Pasyon showed that there were two kinds of Dayaw. First is the
Dayaw or Dalit kay Birhen Maria (Virgin Mary) and the Dayaw sa Reyna/ Musa (Muse/Queen). Dayaw
or Dalit is a song in a poetry form widely known as Flores de Mayo and celebrated during the month of
May. The children offer flowers, songs of praise and thanksgiving for Mary. Some other folks also offer
Dayaw as part of their devotion and love for Mary. On the other hand Dayaw sa Musa (Muse) is a long
poetry rendered by a poet/composer and usually being done during the celebration of a religious fiesta in
a barrio or town.The poem being rendered to the Musa/Reyna. The Compilation of Bugtong/ Paktakon/
Palagato (Riddles), represents varied materials the Ilonggos used in their daily lives. It even describes
the different body parts of a human, the use and value of plants and animals around them. The Lowa
express the idea about love and courtship; victory and defeat; admiration and even discrimination as well.
Almost of the legends gathered narrates on how a certain town, barrio or province derive its name. Some
legends describe the origin of plants, animals and things.
Rich and varied Hiligaynon literatures manifested different beliefs, traditions, customs, everyday
life, human relationships and occupation of the Western Visayan people.Collected literatures had
something to do with the different aspects of Panayanons’ way of life. It is also concluded that the people
of Western Visayas had the gift of writing.

Eastern Visayas Literatures:

The literature of Eastern Visayas refers to the literature written in Waray and Cebuano by writers
from the region. Of the two, it is Waray literature that has been collected, recorded, and documented by
scholars and researchers, a movement largely spurred by the interest of German priests, managing a
university in Tacloban City, who saw the necessity of gathering and preserving the literary heritage of the
region. It is in this light that whenever East Visayan literature is written about, it is usually Waray
literature that is being described.
With three centuries of Spanish colonization and another period of American occupation, old
rituals, poetic forms and narratives had undergone reinvention. A case in point is the balac, a poetic love
joust between a man and a woman. According to Cabardo, the balac retained its form even as it took new
names and borrowed aspects of the languages of the colonizers. During the Spanish period, the balac was
called the amoral; during the American occupation, it was renamed ismayling, a term derived from the
English word “smile.” According to a literary investigator, in certain areas of Samar, the same balac form
or ismayling has been reinvented to express anti-imperialist sentiments where the woman represents the
motherland and the man, the patriot who professes his love of country.

 Modern East Visayan literature, particularly Waray, revolves around poetry and drama produced
between the 1900s and the present. The flourishing economy of the region and the appearance of
local publications starting in 1901 with the publication of An Kaadlawon, the first Waray
newspaper, saw the flourishing of poetry in Waray.

 In Samar, Eco de Samar y Leyte, a long running magazine in the 1900s, published articles and
literary works in Spanish, Waray and English. A noteworthy feature of this publication was its
poetry section, An Tadtaran, which presented a series of satirical poems that attacked the
changing values of the people at the time. Eco likewise published occasional and religious poems.
  In Leyte, An Lantawan, which has extant copies from 1931 to 1932, printed religious and
occasional poetry. It also published satirical poems of Bagong Katipunero, Luro, Datoy Anilod,
Marpahol, Vatchoo (Vicente I. de Veyra), Julio Carter (Iluminado Lucente), Ben Tamaka
(Eduardo Makabenta), and Kalantas (Casiano Trinchera). Under these pseudonyms, poets
criticized corrupt government officials, made fun of people’s vices, and attacked local women for
adopting modern ways of social behavior.

 With the organization of the Sanghiran San Binisaya in 1909, writers as well as the illustrados in
the community banded together for the purpose of cultivating the Waray language. Under the
leadership of Norberto Romualdez Sr, Sanghiran’s members had literary luminaries that included
Iluminado Lucente, Casiano Trinchera, Eduardo Makabenta, Francisco Alvarado, Juan Ricacho,
Francisco Infectana, Espiridion Brillo, and statesman Jaime C. de Veyra. For a time, Sanghiran
was responsible for the impetus it gave to new writing in the language.

 The hadi-hadi antedates the zarzuela in development. It used to be written and staged in many
communities of Leyte as part of town fiesta festivities held in honor of a Patron Saint. It generally
dealt with Christian and Muslim kingdoms at war. Today one hardly hears about hadi-hadi being
staged even in the Cebuano speech communities of the region.

References:

 https://www.elcomblus.com/visayas-hybrid-modes-in-local-color/
 https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1742-6596/1254/1/012038/pdf#:~:text=Region%20VI
%2DWestern%20Visayas%20has,of%20Guimaras%20and%20Negros%20Occidental.
 https://ncca.gov.ph/about-ncca-3/subcommissions/subcommission-on-the-arts-sca/literary-
arts/the-literature-of-eastern-visayas/

Languages of the Visayas

The densely populated Visayan Island group constitutes an ethnolinguistic region defined by the
dominance of the three major Visayan languages:

 Cebuano (which is the mother tongue of about one-fifth of the Philippines’ population),
 Hiligaynon, and
 Waray-Waray.
Cebuano speakers live mainly on Cebu, Bohol, eastern Negros, and western Leyte. The Hiligaynon are
concentrated on Panay, western Negros, and Masbate, while the Waray-Waray are found mainly on
Samar and eastern Leyte. The two major Visayan urban centres are Cebu City on Cebu and Iloilo City on
Panay. Area 22,289 square miles (57,728 square km). Pop. (2000) 15,872,692; (2010) 18,417,821.
 The Visayan languages are further divided into five subfamilies. The list below is by no means
exhaustive. Asi and Cebuano constitute their own subfamilies. For a complete listing and information on
all Bisayan languages, refer to http://www.ethnologue.com/show_family.asp?subid=1030

 Asi - spoken in towns on Tablas Island as well as the islands of Banton, Simara, and Maestro de
Campo in Romblon province.
 Cebuano - includes Boholano.
 Southern Visayan - Tausug, Butuanon, and Surigaonon (including Jaun-Jaun).
 Central Visayan - includes Hiligaynon, Waray-Waray, Romblomanon, Capiznon, Masbatenyo,
Porohanon, the Bisakol languages of Sorsogon and Northern_Samar, and others.
 Western Visayan - includes Kinaray-a (the major language of Antique), Aklanon, Onhan,
Malaynon, Caluyanon, Cuyonon, Ratagnon, and others.

References:

 https://www.britannica.com/place/Visayan-Islands
 https://academickids.com/encyclopedia/index.php/Visayan_languages
Expressions in the Visayas
TOP Common Bisaya / Visayan Phrases & Expressions
1.) Puyra Buyag – ginagamit ang expression na eto para hindi matuloy ang masamang bagay kapag ikaw
ay pinupuri.
👉 To prevent bad things from happening.

Halimbawa (Example):
“Kagwapa ba nimo uy, nindot kaayo ka ug kutis.”

Puyra Buyag.
You are so pretty, you have a nice skin.

Purya Buyag.
You will say “puyrabuyag” in Bisaya so that your skin will not become ugly.

2.) Puyra Gaba – ginagamit ang expression na eto kapag nagpapaalis ng masamang karma.
👉 To prevent bad karma from happening because of telling not good things.

Halimbawa (Example):
Unsa man to ilang pansit uy walay lami, puyra gaba

3.) Mirisi – ginagamit eto kapag may masamang nangyari na tingin mo ay nararapat. Ang ibang
kahulugan nito ay “Buti nga sa iyo”.

Halimbawa (Example):
Nasamad na noon ka. Mirisi, kiat man gud ka.

4.) Ambot – ang ibig sabihin ng ambot ay “walang alam” o “walang pakialam”

Halimbawa (Example):
Unsaon man ni nato karon?
Ay ambot nimo.

5.) Pastilan – ginagamit eto kapag ikaw ay nainis o na sorpresa.

Halimbawa (Example):
Pastilan! Kadako ba sa akoang problema!

6.) Simbako – ang ibig sabihin ng simbako ay hindi sana magkatotoo o no bad luck.

Halimbawa (Example):
Simbako! Mahulog gani ka.
7.) Kanang Kuan – ginagamit eto kung may gustong sabihin pero hindi masabi ng diretso.

Halimbawa (Example):
Pwede ko manghiram ug kanang kuan nimo?

8.) Pag-sure uy – kadalasang ginagamit kapag gusto mong linawin ang sinabi sayo.

Halimbawa (Example):
Gihigugma teka.
Pag-sure uy!

9.) Puhon – Sa takdang panahon. Sana mangyari.

God’s perfect time.

Halimbawa (Example):
Magkita baya ta balik ha?
Puhon.

10.) Saba diha – Wag kang magsalita o shut-up. Minsan ginagamit din ang “saba diha” kung ayaw mo
ang sinasabi ng kausap mo.
Halimbawa (Example):
Nakita nako si kumpare naay lain kauban.
Saba diha uy.

11.) Porbida – Kadalasang sinasabi eto kapag galit, naiinis at nabigo.

Halimbawa (Example):
“Purbida! Dugaya ba nimo makasabot!”

12.) Pakals – Kain or kainan na.

Halimbawa (Example):
“Adto ta didto kay naay pakals.”

13.) Laysho – sosyal o mamahalin.

Halimbawa (Example):
“Ka laysho sa imong bag day uy.”

14.) Estoryahe / Istoryahe – Funny cheesy line o usap. Talking.

Halimbawa (Example):
“Kagwapa ba nimo uy. “
Estoryahe!

References:
https://davaoblog.com/top-common-bisaya-visayan-phrases-expressions/