What was the Philippine literature before the coming of Spaniards?

Pre-Hispanic Philippine literature was actually epics passed on from generation to generation, originally through an oral tradition. However, wealthy families, especially in Mindanao, were able to keep transcribed copies of these epics as family heirloom. One such was the Darangen, an epic of the Maranaos.

What is the first literature in the Philippines?

The early inhabitants of the Philippine archipelago had a native alphabet or syllabary which among the Tagalogs was called baybayin, an inscription akin to Sanskrit. It was through the baybayin that literary forms such as songs, riddles and proverbs, lyric and short poems as well as parts of epic poems were written.

Is literature present during pre-Spanish era?

Long before the Spaniards and other foreigners landed or set foot on Philippine shores, our forefathers already had their own literature stamped in the history of our race. Our ancient literature shows our customs and traditions in everyday life as traced in our folk stories, old plays and short stories.

What was the Philippine literature during the Spanish period?

Most of the periodicals during this time had a religious feel or bias to them. There have been several books that have been made during the Spanish period. The first one is the Christian Doctrine this was the first book printed in the Philippines in 1593 in xylography.

How many books were published in the Philippines before 1800?

Between 1593 and 1800, only 541 books were published in the Philippines. Before 1800, the only noteworthy Filipino writers in Spanish were those who wrote religious literature, usually in collaboration with the Spanish missionaries.

When was the Golden Age of Philippine literature?

The early years of the century — which some call “the golden age” of Philippine literature in Spanish – produced a substantial body of work.

How did Filipino writers help Tagalog learn Spanish?

Pinpin construed translation in simple ways to help and encourage Tagalog readers to learn Spanish. During the so-called ‘Formative Stage’, Filipino writers began to recognize the Philippines a separate entity from Spain and codified these in different form of expressions.