Philippine literature

According to Filipino historian Teodoro Agoncillo, the ethnicity that had the richest history in terms of story-telling were the Ilocano people, whose nomadic lifestyle in the highlands bred stories of adventures far moreso than other Filipinos living in the lowlands. Ilokonos used an improvised, versified, and at times impromptu, long epic poem called a dallot, delivered and narrated in a song-like manner.[6] The most famous of these epics was the Biag ni Lamang.[7]

Other forms of literature written by pre-colonial Ilocano were songs (kankanta), dances (salsala), poems (dandaniw), riddles (burburtia), proverbs (pagsasao), and lamentations (dung-aw). Other traditional Filipino epics by other ethnicities include the Hudhud ni Aliguyon of the Ifugao, Hinilawod of Panay, Ibalon from Bicol, and Darangen of the Maranao.[8] During this time, different oral myths and folk tales were developed, eventually leading to their imprinment and embeddement later on, such as Ibong Adarna, Bernardo Carpio, Maria Makiling, and several creation myths.[7]

Noli Me Tángere is a novel published by José Rizal that sparked the Philippine Revolution together with its sequel El filibusterismo.

The Spanish colonization of the Philippine islands led to the introduction of European literary traditions. Many of these were influenced heavily by the Spanish language and the Catholic faith.[1] These traditions include poetry such as tanaga, ladino, corridos, and awit; religious dramas such as moriones, santacruzan, panunuluyan and senakulo; and secular dramas like comedia, duplo, and karagatan.[2] Many Filipino authors rose to prominence during this time, such as Francisco Balagtas, the author of Florante at Laura (1838); and Huseng Sisiw, author of Singsing ng Pagibig. Balagtas's title, which combines history, romance, and religion, became the premier Filipino story taught in schools nationwide.[9]

On December 1, 1846, the first daily newspaper, La Esperanza, was published in the country.[1] Other early newspapers were La Estrella (1847), Diario de Manila (1848) and Boletin Oficial de Filipinas (1852). The first provincial newspaper was El Eco de Vigan (1884), which was issued in Ilocos. In Cebu City, El Boleaetín de Cebú (The Bulletin of Cebu) was published in 1890. One of the most influential Spanish-language Filipino newspaper also include El Renacimiento (1901), printed in Manila by members of the Guerrero de Ermita family until the 1940s.[10]

The Philippine Revolution brought a wave of nationlistic literary works. Many writers were propagandists and revolutionaries; basically Filipino nationalists who wanted changes for the betterment of the Filipino people, or total independence from Spanish authority. These include the works of Ilustrados like Pedro Alejandro Paterno, who wrote the first novel written by a Filipino, Nínay (1885);[11] Graciano López Jaena and later on by Marcelo H. del Pilar, who edited and published the pro-Filipino newspaper La Solidaridad (1889);[12] and the Philippine national hero, José Rizal, who wrote two famous novels in Spanish, Noli Me Tángere (1887) and El Filibusterismo (1891).[13]

The American occupation and eventual colonization of the Philippines paved the way for newer styles and genres. Compared to the more rigid literature of the Spanish era, the American period saw the popularity of the “free verse” in the Philippines, allowing for flexible poetry, prose, and other wordcraft.[2] The introduction of the English language was also of equal importance, as it became one of the most common languages that Filipino writers would use back then until today.

The first English novel written by a Filipino was The Child of Sorrow (1921) written by Zoilo Galang.[14] The early writings in English were characterized by melodrama, unreal language, and unsubtle emphasis on local color. Short stories also gained popularity during this period with many serials and stories published independently or through newspapers. The most well-known was Manuel Arguilla and his anthology How My Brother Leon Brought Home a Wife and Other Short Stories (1940), which won first prize in the Commonwealth Literary Contest.

During this time, there was also a resurgence of interest in Filipino mythology and folklore, and many works concerning them would be published, with the most well-known being the many anonymous stories about the folk character Juan Tamad (1919).[15] The level of poetry in the Philippines had also risen, with poet Jose Garcia Villa making impacts in poetry history for introducing the style of comma poetry and the "reversed consonance rhyme scheme".[4]

As the Philippines gained its sovereignty from America, patriotism once again became a central theme in Filipino literature. Besides stories of Filipino mythology and history, there was also a boom in tales depicting the simple life of the common Filipino.[16] These stories often took place in the countryside, and portrayed every day Filipino activities like church-going, farming, courting, and cockfighting.

The most well-known example was the short story My Brother’s Peculiar Chicken by Alejandro Roces.[16] Other prominent writers during the mid-20th century were Carlos Bulosan, Nick Joaquin, Bienvenido Santos, Lualhati Bautista, and Rolando S. Rinio.[17][18] Carlos Bulosan, in particular, published the novel America Is In The Heart (1946), which became one of the earliest glimpses and representations of the life of Asian-American immigrants in the West.[19] F. Sionel Jose is also a similar author who tackled social injustice and elitism in his Rosales Saga (1973-1984).[20]

It was around this period as well that the golden age of Filipino comics and sequential art emerged. Many Filipino comic books, strips, and graphic novels soared in popularity, making names of artists like Mars Ravelo, Francisco V. Coching, Carlo J. Caparas and Gilda Olvidado.[21] Later on, political and protest literature became wildly present, especially during the Martial Law era. By this time, there became a focus on criticizing and satirizing the current status of the Philippines rather than just celebrating the nation like those before it. These works include the powerful Mga Ibong Mandaragit (1969) by Amado V. Hernandez and the Conjugal Dictatorship (1976) by Primitivo Mijares.[22]

The rise of mass printing and digital technology led to better accessibility for Filipino authors who wanted to publish their work. The internet had become a revolutionary tool for Filipino authors to reach readers outside of the Philippines. Publishing houses like PSICOM flourished, and there was a rise in popularity of self-publishers and websites like Wattpad.[3] The first title to achieve this was Danny R.’s webnovel Diary ng Pangit (2013).[23]

Around this time, several Filipinos began to dabble into current literary trends, tackling modern issues of diversity and mental health, while also introducing international readers to Filipino culture. Two of the most popular Filipino writers of the early 21st century include Rin Chupeco, who made a name for herself publishing Young Adult fiction, many of which were inspired by Filipino mythology from Maria Makiling to the Mangkukulam;[24] and Louis Bulaong, who is an important figure in the pop culture genre, and one who popularized the use of international Filipino terms like “kilig” in his stories.[25]

The 21st century also saw the rise in popularity of many Filipina writers. One of the most famous is Ivy Alvarez, a Filipino-Australian who gained acclaim for her collection of poets entitled Disturbance (2013), which contained themes of domestic abuse.[3] Another writer is Yvette Fernandez, a children’s book author from Summit Media whose books tackled history and morality. Other contemporary Filipina writers include Marites Vitug and Merlie M. Alunan.