21st CENTURY LITERATURE FROM THE PHILIPPINES AND THE WORLD

GRADE 11
FIRST QUARTER
Prepare by Benedicto L. Mirabueno
SY 2021-2022
Handout No. 3

PRE-COLONIAL LITERATURE
1. The two major forms of literature during the PRE-COLONIAL PERIOD are Prose and Poetry.
The PROSE is mostly attributed to be composed freely or known as a free flow sentence,
while POETRY is normally written in verses or lines.

2. Genres and examples of precolonial literature:

Prose
A. MYTHS. These are stories make use of gods, goddesses, and other fantastical creatures as
characters. Our ancestors would explain the occurrence of supernatural events, the
beginning of cultural traditions, and the existence of mysteries through these types of stories.
Example: Creation stories in Tagalog

B. LEGENDS. Traditional stories about a particular person or place. Example: How the Angels
Build Lake Lanao

C. FOLKTALES. Stories passed down verbally from generation to generation. Each storyteller
added something new to the stories, making them more interesting and fascinating as
the ages passed. Different folktales bear the characteristics of the culture, folklore, and
customs of the people from which they originated. These narratives are usually told to
amuse or entertain. Example: The Monkey and the Turtle

Poetry
A. EPICS. These are long narrative poems that show the adventures of a hero, God or a king.
These are influenced by traditions, culture, beliefs, moral code, and attitudes of the people
who created it. Examples: Biag ni Lam-ang, Hudhud, Indarapatra and Sulayman, and Ibalong

B. FOLKSONGS. These are repetitive and sonorous and have a playful melody. They may be
about love and courtship, a long day’s work, or may be sung at the funeral. EXAMPLES;
Doon po sa Amin and Leron Leron Sinta.

C. PROVERBS. These contain words of wisdom and handed down from generation to another.
It pertains to prescribe forms of conducts and statements concerning accepted behavior.
Example: Kung walang tiyaga, walang nilaga.

D. RIDDLES. Statements or questions that proposes a puzzle to be solved. Example: Nandyan

na si Kaka, bubuka-buka.
TAGALOG DEITIES OF PHILIPPINES MYTHOLOGY

1.The stories of ancient Philippine mythology include deities, creation stories, mythical
creatures, and beliefs. Ancient Philippine mythology varies among the many indigenous tribes
of the Philippines.

2. Some groups during the pre-Spanish conquest era believed in a single Supreme Being who
created the world and everything in it, while others chose to worship a multitude of tree and
forest deities (diwatas). Diwatas came from the Sanskrit word devata which means “deity“,
one of the several significant Hindu influences in the Pre-Hispanic religion of the ancient
Filipinos.

3. The TAGALOG people are a major ethnic group in the Philippines. They form a majority in
Manila, Marinduque and southern Luzon, and a plurality in Central Luzon and the islands of
Mindoro, Palawan, and Romblon.

4. TAGALOG DEITIES IN PHILIPPINE MYTHOLOGY

First Generation Gods

A. Bathala. Supreme god and creator deity, also known as Bathala, Maykapal, Lumilikha, and
Abba. An enormous being with control over thunder, lightning, flood, fire, thunder, and
Earthquakes. He presides over lesser deities and uses spirits to intercede between divinities
and mortals.

B. AMANIKABLE – Originally this god was worshipped as the god of Hunters. In more modern
stories he has become associated as the ill-tempered god of the sea, replacing Aman Sinaya
among of the first generation gods (aside from Bathala). He was never married after his love
was spurned by a beautiful mortal maiden, Maganda. In frustration, he swore vengeance
against the humans by sending turbulent waves and horrible tempests to wreck boats and to
drown men.

C. IDIYANALE. The goddess of labor and good deeds. Natives used to call for her guidance in
order to make their works successful. She is married to DIMANGAN and had two offspring.
DIMANGAN is the God of good harvest.

D. IKAPATI/ LAKAPATI The goddess of cultivated land. She was the most understanding and
kind among the deities of Bathala. Her gift to man was agriculture. As the benevolent giver of
food and prosperity, she was respected and loved by the people. From her came fertility of
fields and health of flocks and herds. Represented by a hermaphrodite image with both male
and female parts, was worshiped in the fields at planting time.

LAKAPATI was said to have married MAPULON, God of seasons. They had a daughter
named ANAGOLAY, who became the Goddess of lost things. When ANAGOLAY attained
maidenhood, she married DUMAKULEM, son of IDIYANALE and DUMANGAN, by whom
she had two children. APOLAKE, who became God of the sun and Patron of warriors, and
DIA MANANSALA, who became the Goddess of lovers.

F. MAPULON. The god of seasons and husband of LAKAPATI of whom they had a daughter.
Second Generation Gods

A. MAYARI. The Goddess of the moon and one of the three daughters of BATHALA by a mortal
woman. She was the most charming of all the Goddesses. She had two sisters, TALA and
HANAN.

B. TALA. The Goddess of the stars; sister of MAYARI and HANAN and one of the three
daughters of BATHALA by a mortal woman.

C. HANAN. The Goddess of morning; sister of MAYARI and TALA and one of the three
daughters of BATHALA by a mortal woman.

D. DUMAKULEM. The strong, agile Guardian of mountains and the son of IDINIYALE and
DUMANGAN. His sister was ANITUN TABU. He later married ANAGOLAY.

E. ANITUN TABU. The fickle-minded goddess of wind and rain. She was the daughter of
IDIYANALE and DUMANGAN. She is also the sister of DUMAKULEM.

F. ANAGOLAY. The goddess of lost things and the only offspring of IKAPATI and MAPULON.
She was married to DUMAKULEM.

Third Generation Gods

A. APOLAKI. The god of sun and the chief patron of warriors. He was the son of ANAGOLAY
and DUMAKULEM.

B. DIYAN MASALANTA. The Goddess of love, conception and childbirth and the protector of
lovers. She was the daughter of ANAGOLAY and DUMAKULEM and youngest of all the
deities.

Other Tagalog Deities in Philippine Mythology

A. AMAN SINAYA. She is the primordial goddess of the ocean and protector of fishermen.

B. HAIK. The god of the sea who protects travelers from tempests and storms.

C. LAKAMBAKOD. The protector of the growing crops.

D. LAKAMBINI. Known as the “pure maiden” for his incomparable beauty, ironic that he is a
male diwata. He was originally known as the god of “kapurihan”(purity) and is also the god of
food, festivity and anti-gluttony. worshiped mainly by men: they pray to Lakambini to let them
find a beautiful maiden to wed.

E. LINGGA. Deity invoked by the sick.

5. In Outline of Philippine Mythology, F. Landa Jocano wrote, “The ancient Tagalogs also
believed in the final judgment of men—that is, the punishing of the evil and the rewarding of
the good. The souls of good men were said to be taken to a village of rest called MACA,
which resembled the Christian Paradise, where they enjoyed eternal peace and happiness.
 However, those who deserved punishment were brought to KASANAAN, the village of grief
and affliction where they were tortured forever. These souls were kept there by the chief deity
named SITAN.” There may not have ever been a Tagalog deity named SITAN, but instead a
class of demons that embodied evil and punishment, called SITAN.

6. Jocano presents that SITAN was assisted by many mortal agents:

A. MANGAGAUAY. The most wicked among them.  She was the one responsible for the
occurrence of disease. She was said to possess a necklace of skulls, and her girdle was
made up of several severed human hands and feet. Sometimes, she would change herself
into a human being and roam about the countryside as a healer. She could induce maladies
with her charms. If she wished to kill someone, she did so by her magic wand. She could
also prolong death, even for several months, by simply binding to the waist of her patient a
live serpent which was believed to be her real self or at least her substance.

B. MANISILAT. The second agent of SITAN. She was sometimes known as the goddess of
broken homes. She was said to be restless and mad whenever there was a happy home
within sight. And when she was determined to destroy every such happy home, she would
disguise as a woman healer or an old beggar, enter the dwelling of her unsuspecting
victims, and then proceed with her diabolical aims. With the aid of her charms and magic
powers, she would turn the husband and wife against each other. She was most happy
when the couple quarreled, and she would dance in glee when one of them would leave the
conjugal home.

C. MANKUKULAM. The third agent of SITAN whose duty was to emit fire at night, especially
when the night was dark and the weather was not good. Like his fellow agents, he often
assumed human form and went around the villages pretending to be a priest-doctor. Then
he would wallow in the filth beneath the house of his victim and emit fire. If the fire was
extinguished immediately, the victim would die.

D. HUKLOBAN. The fourth such agent. She had the power to change herself into any form she
desired. In fact, some people said that she had greater power than MANGAGAUAY. She
could kill anyone by simply raising her hand. However, if she wanted to heal those whom
she had made ill by her charms, she could do so without any difficulty. It was also said of
her that she could destroy a house by merely saying that she would do so.

7. Filipino Mythical Creatures

The Filipinos share various beliefs in the supernatural. Even in such modern times, many still
believe that mythical creatures live among us. This may be attributed to the old folktales they
were told in their childhood or to the creative minds and storytelling abilities of Filipinos.

A. ASWANG. The most known local mythical creatures. They are believed to be evil beings
who feed on the blood and flesh of their victims. They appear as ordinary humans,
transforming at night into an animal, usually a dog, while possessing superhuman strength
and speed.

B. DIWATA. Venerated as gods and guardians of nature, the DIWATA is a type of fairy who aid
those who are deserving and severely punish those who exploit them or cause destruction of
their land. The most popular diwata would be MARIA MAKILING, guardian of Mt. Makiling in
Laguna. Even now, many locals believe in her presence that hikers are advised to always be
respectful so as not to anger the diwata.
C. TIYANAK. A creature who disguises as an infant crying. When picked up, it transforms into a
small hideous creature with sharp teeth and incredible strength who mauls and eats its
victim.

D. KAPRE is a mythical creature characterized as a tree giant because of it’s huge, black, and
hairy built that usually stays at a branch of a tree smoking. The elders said that a KAPRE
may contact people to offer friendship and can be attracted to a beautiful woman.
They are not considered as evil creatures but can be vengeful to those who try to cut down
the tree it is inhabiting.

E. TIKBALANG. A giant creature with the head of a horse and body of a man. The mythical
creature is often playful and would cause travelers to get lost in the wild. Some pranks,
however, turn severe and cause people to lose their minds. The stories of this creature are
used by parents to frighten children from going out at night. It is said that, when you feel
disoriented or off-track when hiking, you are getting pranked by a TIKBALANG and you have
to turn your shirt inside out to ward it off.

F. Another playful Filipino mythical creature is the duwende. They appear as little old men who
only show themselves to people they like. It is said that if a friendly duwende lives in your
home, you will enjoy a good and prosperous life. The duwende, however, is easy to offend
and would often curse people with illnesses or misfortune. To avoid this, Filipinos would often
say “tabi-tabi po,” (Excuse me) to ask for permission before doing anything, which may anger
a duwende. Tabi-tabi po is also a very common expression used by hikers to express respect
to any supernatural beings lingering in the forests and mountains.

G. The Filipino version of the doppelganger is the TAMBAL, a creature able to change their
appearance to their human victims. They cause their victims to get lost for days and take
their place in their home mingling with family and acquaintances. There are stories of the
TAMBAL killing their victims before taking their place. The TAMBAL later fakes its death but
the “corpse” it leaves would be a small tree trunk.