ILOKANO /ILOKO LITERATURE

Ilocano literature or Iloko literature pertains to the literary works of writers of Ilocano ancestry regardless of the
language used - be it Ilocano, English, Spanish or other foreign and Philippine languages. In Ilocano language, the terms
"Iloko" and "Ilocano" are different.

Generally, "Iloko" is the language while "Ilocano" refers to the people or the ethnicity of the people who speak
the Iloko language.

Ilocano literature in the Philippines is one of several regional Philippine literatures. It is one of the most active
tributaries to the general Philippine literature, next to Tagalog (Filipino) and Philippine Literature in English.

It is one of several regional literatures that include TAGALOG, CEBUANO, HILIGAYON, BIKOL, AND
PANGASINENSE literature.

Ilocanos are descendants of Austronesian-speaking people from southern China via Taiwan

Families and clans arrived by viray or bilog, meaning "boat". The term Ilokano originates from i-, "from", and
looc, "cove or bay", thus "people of the bay."

Ilokanos also refer to themselves as Samtoy, a contraction from the Ilokano phrase sao mi ditoy, "our language
here".

PRE COLONIAL TIMES TO THE 19TH CENTURY

Pre-colonial Iloko literature were composed of folk songs, riddles, proverbs, lamentations called dung-aw, and
epic stories in written or oral form.

Ancient Ilokano poets expressed themselves in folk and war songs as well as the dallot, an improvised, versified
and at times impromptu long poem delivered in a sing-song manner.

FRANCISCO LOPEZ(died 1627), Augustinian friar who translated the Doctrina Christiana in 1621 and started a
dictionary in Ilocano. During the Spanish regime, Iloko poetry was generally patterned after Spanish models. In fact,
the earliest known written Iloko poems were the romances translated from Spanish by Francisco Lopez.

HISTORY OF ILOKO LITERATURE

 DOCTRINA CRISTIANA- the first book to be printed in iloko

 GRAMATICA ILOKANA(1895)- a study of iloko poetry could be found. By Lopez,Francisco is a replication of a
book originally published before 1895.
 ARTE DE LA LENGUA ILOCA- published in 1627 where Gramatica Ilokano was based,but was probably written
before 1606

ILOKO WRITERS

 PEDRO BUCANEG- collaborated with Lopez in the translation of the Doctrina into Iloko, for having been the first
known Ilokano poet
- “Father of Ilokano Poetry and Literature”
- authored the popular epic known as “Biag ni Lam –Ang” written in the 17th century.
 FR. GERARDO BLANCO TO ISABELO DE LOS REYES
- published it in El Ilocano from December 1889 to February 1890,with
Spanish translation in prose
- he reprinted it in his El Folklore Filipino, under the title “Vida de Lam-Ang”

18TH CENTURY

the missionaries used religious as well as secular literatures among other means to advance their mission of
converting the Ilocano’s to Christianity.

There is publication of religious works includes:

1. Sumario de las Indulgencias-(Fr.Jacinto Rivera) in 1719

2. PASION (Fr. Antonio Mejia in 1845)- a translation of St. Vincent Ferrer’s sermons into Iloko.

19TH CENTURY

Appearance of LEONA FLORENTINO, who has since been considered by some as the “National Poetess of the
Philippines”.
FR. JUSTO CLAUDIO FOJAS- an Ilokano secular priest who wrote novenas, prayer books, catechism, metrical
romances, dramas, biographies, a Spanish grammar and an Iloko- Spanish dictionary, was Leona Florentino’s
contemporary.
The comedia otherwise known as the moro-moro, and the zarzuela were presented for the first time in the Ilocos
in the 19th century.
 Comedia - presentation of the wars between Christians and Muslims
 Zarzuela - depiction of what is at once melodrama, comic-opera, and the skit interminably
preoccupied with the eternal theme
 MARCELINO MENA CRISOLOGO helped popularize the zarzuela based on the culture and tradition of the
Ilokanos particularly those in Vigan, Ilocos Sur
ISABELO DE LOS REYES- Leona’s son, himself wrote poems, stories, folklore, studies, and seemingly
interminable religious as well as political articles.

20TH CENTURY

is comparatively more intense in literary activity.

Some of the literature in this period are:

 “Biag ti Maysa a Lakay,Wenno Nakaam-ames a Bales”(Life of an Old Man,or a Dreadful Revenge’)by Mariano
Gaerlan (1909)
 “Uray Narigat no Paguimbagam(Improvement Despite Obstacles)by Facunda Madriaga (1911);
 “Mining Wenno Ayat ti Cararua”(Mining or Spiritual Love)”by Marcelino Peña Crisologo (1914)
 "Nasam-it ken Narucbos nga Sabong dagiti Dardarepdep ti Agbaniaga" ("Sweet and Fresh Flower of a
Traveller's Dreams") by Marcos E. Millon (1921)
 "Sabsabong ken Lulua" ("Flowers and Tears") by R. Respicio (1930)
 Pusoti Ina" ("A Mother's Heart") (1936)by Leon C. Pichay

THE BANNAWAG

The Bannawag magazine, a sister publication of Liwayway, Bisaya and Hiligaynon, hit the streets on Nov. 3, 1934

The early Bannawag short stories showed sustained growth. The short stories written in the 1920s were poor imitations of
equally poor American fiction.

The growth of the short story was not apparent until Bannawag resumed publication in 1947

Most of the stories published dealt with themes of war; guerrilla activities, Japanese atrocities, murder, pillage and death.

By the latter part of the decade, writers of different ages emerged, and from their ranks came stories that were less
verbose, tighter, and with more credible characterization than those written previously.

LEOPOLDO Y. YABES of the University of the Philippines, who made a brief survey of Iloko literature in 1934. His
findings showed that Iloko literature began with Pedro Bucaneg.

In 1940, THOMAS B. ALCID of the University of Santo Tomas made a study on the Iloko prose fiction and discussed the
Iloko short story and the Iloko novel and their possibilities in Philippine literature. His study showed that the short stories
and novels at that time were still young and needed more improvement.

ILOKO LITERATURE: TODAY AND TOMORROW

Ilokano writers have also published their works in foreign countries.

One of the most popular authors of Ilocano ancestry abroad was the late Carlos Bulosan, a California immigrant born to
Ilokano parents in Pangasinan.

And currently, the most internationally translated Filipino author is an Ilokano from Rosales, Pangasinan—Francisco
Sionil Jose, popularly known as F. Sionil Jose.

He is famous for his Rosales saga, a five-novel work about an Ilokano clan, virtually documenting Philippine history from
Spanish time to the years of the Marcos administration. The novels, translated in about 22 languages, are circulated and
read around the world.

*CARLOS PALANCA MEMORIAL AWARDS – the most prestigious and most anticipated of all literary contests in the
Philippines.

o Aurelio S. Agcaoili o Ariel S. Tabag

o Lorenzo G. Tabin o Daniel L. Nesperos
o Jaime M. Agpalo Jr. o Roy V. Aragon
o Prescillano N. Bermudez o Danilo Antalan
o William V. Alvarado o Joel B. Manuel
o Maria Fres-Felix o Bernardo D. Tabbada
o Clarito G. de Francia o Noli S. Dumlao
o Arnold Pascual Jose o Reynaldo A. Duque
o Eden Aquino Alviar o Ricarte Agnes
o Severino Pablo

The GUMIL – Gunglo dagiti Mannurat nga Ilokano

On October 19, 1968, GUMIL Filipinas (Ilokano Writers Association of the Philippines) was organized in
Baguio City.

GUMIL Filipinas or Gunglo dagiti Mannurat nga Ilokano iti Filipinas, Inc., was incorporated and registered
with the Philippine Securities and Exchange Commission on January 8, 1977.