MODULE 1: Ilokano Literature & Amianan Towards a Definition
by Rachelle M. Aurellano
IP 411: Ilokano Literature in Translation/English
by Rachelle M. Aurellano
IP 411: Ilokano Literature in Translation/English
Dr. Aurelio Agcaoili
(September 6, 2007)
The objective of the first module is to introduce the reader to Ilokano and Amianan Literature. Here we learn that the Ilokanos, prior to the coming of the Spaniards, already had cultural and literary forms that revealed the richness and profundity of the Iluko experience. Through the duayya, lallay, badeng, arikenken, dallot, dung-aw, pakasaritaan, burburtia, and pagsasao, the Ilokano had already talked of joy and sorrow, life and death, the world in the here-and-now, and world thereafter without the influence of the Spanish colonization of the Philippines. However, with the coming of the Spaniards, these literary and cultural forms of the Ilokanos paved the way to acculturation and enculturation, almost wiping out a number of indigenous literary and cultural forms. Traces of the indigenous can be found through the burtia/burburtia and the pagsasao. The pagsasao are sayings thought in a philosophical manner about human life characterized by the unique historical and cultural experience of the Ilokano and is reflected in the dallot, a chant during weddings and birthdays, and the dung-aw, a chant narrating the pain and joy of the life of both the living and the dead. And so through these writings, which also include songs, poems, and stories, we see that the literature of the Ilokanos reveal who they are. Also in this first module, we have a taste of what Ilokano literature is about. We have samples of the different kinds of literature writing: Pagsasao (sayings), Burtia (riddles), Dallot (chants), and Dung-Aw.
In the next portion of the module, we begin to understand the development of Ilokano literature and differentiate the terms Iloko and Ilokano. According to Jose A. Bragado, he distinguished the terms Iloko and Ilokano as being two different words. Iloko is the language, derived from the word Ilocos referring to the region that comprises of the provinces in Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Abra, and La Union. Iloko is the language spoken by the inhabitants of the provinces and Ilokano pertains to the people. In this module, Bragado introduces the reader to earliest form of Iloko literature, one that is believed to have started before the Spaniards colonized the Philippines. The oldest recorded Philippine folk epic and the only complete epic to have come down from the Christian Filipino group is Biag ni Lam-ang (Life of Lam-ang). The development of Iloko literature happened in many ways, due to the colonization of the Philippines by the Spaniards, influence from missionaries using religion to convert Ilokanos to Christianity and American colonization, in which printing machines became accessible. Many were ble to learn how to read and write and writers learned to write their literature. During this time, the Ilokano writer felt free to articulate his social and political beliefs through poetry, short story, novel, and drama. An interesting portion of this module is the history and development of the Bannawag magazine, the only Ilokano magazine which the people read. The Bannawag is very important in terms of development of Iloko literature because it was the only outlet of the Ilokano writers to produce their writings through poems, short stories, novels, feature articles, comics, biographies, folktales, and much more. And with that also, you have the development of literary writing contests that continue to encourage Ilokano writers to express their thoughts and feelings through their native tongue.
This first module, I thought, was definitely necessary in terms of understanding the history Ilokano literature and its development. Before even reading any kind of Ilokano literature, it makes more sense to read about the history that way when reading the any form of literature, the reader would be able to understand the reasoning behind why the writer would write about such things. And so after being briefly educated about the history and development of Ilokano literature, I can see why many Ilokano literatures (that I have read) almost always was a sad ending or ended in some kind of death. Prior to taking this course, I was enrolled in the Contemporary Ilokano Literature course last semester and so I have ready a lot of short stories, poems and plays that revolved around the struggles of the Ilokanos, during the Spanish colonization. However, I also found that not only is Ilokano literature about Ilokano struggles, it’s also based on a lot historical and cultural experiences of the Ilokanos as well because prior to the coming of the Spaniards, the Ilokanos already had different forms of literature, which many were destroyed by the coming of the Spanish. However, many were also retained, which is evident through the pagsasao and the burburtia.
One of the things that caught my attention while reading module one is the development of the Bannawag magazine, an Ilokano magazine that existed even before I was born. I thought this was interesting to me because it started back in the 1930’s and has continued to flourish even until now. To learn that the Bannawag has produced thousand of writers until now, you can only imagine how much more are out there, unidentified—waiting for their time to come out and share their writings. Perhaps in some way, the Bannawag magazine could pave the way for Ilokano college students at the University of Hawaii to develop their own magazine and publish writings written by students and someday be able to get it out to the world. In that way, Ilokano literature will flourish in the years to come.
(September 6, 2007)
The objective of the first module is to introduce the reader to Ilokano and Amianan Literature. Here we learn that the Ilokanos, prior to the coming of the Spaniards, already had cultural and literary forms that revealed the richness and profundity of the Iluko experience. Through the duayya, lallay, badeng, arikenken, dallot, dung-aw, pakasaritaan, burburtia, and pagsasao, the Ilokano had already talked of joy and sorrow, life and death, the world in the here-and-now, and world thereafter without the influence of the Spanish colonization of the Philippines. However, with the coming of the Spaniards, these literary and cultural forms of the Ilokanos paved the way to acculturation and enculturation, almost wiping out a number of indigenous literary and cultural forms. Traces of the indigenous can be found through the burtia/burburtia and the pagsasao. The pagsasao are sayings thought in a philosophical manner about human life characterized by the unique historical and cultural experience of the Ilokano and is reflected in the dallot, a chant during weddings and birthdays, and the dung-aw, a chant narrating the pain and joy of the life of both the living and the dead. And so through these writings, which also include songs, poems, and stories, we see that the literature of the Ilokanos reveal who they are. Also in this first module, we have a taste of what Ilokano literature is about. We have samples of the different kinds of literature writing: Pagsasao (sayings), Burtia (riddles), Dallot (chants), and Dung-Aw.
In the next portion of the module, we begin to understand the development of Ilokano literature and differentiate the terms Iloko and Ilokano. According to Jose A. Bragado, he distinguished the terms Iloko and Ilokano as being two different words. Iloko is the language, derived from the word Ilocos referring to the region that comprises of the provinces in Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Abra, and La Union. Iloko is the language spoken by the inhabitants of the provinces and Ilokano pertains to the people. In this module, Bragado introduces the reader to earliest form of Iloko literature, one that is believed to have started before the Spaniards colonized the Philippines. The oldest recorded Philippine folk epic and the only complete epic to have come down from the Christian Filipino group is Biag ni Lam-ang (Life of Lam-ang). The development of Iloko literature happened in many ways, due to the colonization of the Philippines by the Spaniards, influence from missionaries using religion to convert Ilokanos to Christianity and American colonization, in which printing machines became accessible. Many were ble to learn how to read and write and writers learned to write their literature. During this time, the Ilokano writer felt free to articulate his social and political beliefs through poetry, short story, novel, and drama. An interesting portion of this module is the history and development of the Bannawag magazine, the only Ilokano magazine which the people read. The Bannawag is very important in terms of development of Iloko literature because it was the only outlet of the Ilokano writers to produce their writings through poems, short stories, novels, feature articles, comics, biographies, folktales, and much more. And with that also, you have the development of literary writing contests that continue to encourage Ilokano writers to express their thoughts and feelings through their native tongue.
This first module, I thought, was definitely necessary in terms of understanding the history Ilokano literature and its development. Before even reading any kind of Ilokano literature, it makes more sense to read about the history that way when reading the any form of literature, the reader would be able to understand the reasoning behind why the writer would write about such things. And so after being briefly educated about the history and development of Ilokano literature, I can see why many Ilokano literatures (that I have read) almost always was a sad ending or ended in some kind of death. Prior to taking this course, I was enrolled in the Contemporary Ilokano Literature course last semester and so I have ready a lot of short stories, poems and plays that revolved around the struggles of the Ilokanos, during the Spanish colonization. However, I also found that not only is Ilokano literature about Ilokano struggles, it’s also based on a lot historical and cultural experiences of the Ilokanos as well because prior to the coming of the Spaniards, the Ilokanos already had different forms of literature, which many were destroyed by the coming of the Spanish. However, many were also retained, which is evident through the pagsasao and the burburtia.
One of the things that caught my attention while reading module one is the development of the Bannawag magazine, an Ilokano magazine that existed even before I was born. I thought this was interesting to me because it started back in the 1930’s and has continued to flourish even until now. To learn that the Bannawag has produced thousand of writers until now, you can only imagine how much more are out there, unidentified—waiting for their time to come out and share their writings. Perhaps in some way, the Bannawag magazine could pave the way for Ilokano college students at the University of Hawaii to develop their own magazine and publish writings written by students and someday be able to get it out to the world. In that way, Ilokano literature will flourish in the years to come.
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