Region 1 Literature
(Biag ni Lam-ang)
Prepared by:
Baco, Kendal May D.
Camit, Benedict Jan N.
De Jose, Allen Jayson R.
Quines, Anna Dominique O.
Region 1:
Ilocos Region
Region 1
• located in the northwest of Luzon
• Borders:
– East: the regions of the Cordillera Administrative
Region and Cagayan Valley
– South: the region of Central Luzon
– West North: South China Sea
• regional center: San Fernando City, La Union
• Ilocano speakers: 66% of the region;
Pangasinan speakers: 27%; and the Tagalog speakers: 3%.
• Although it is called the Ilocos region, not all the
inhabitants of Region 1 are Ilocanos.
History
• first inhabited by the aboriginal Negritos before they
were pushed by successive waves of
Malay/Austronesian immigrants that penetrated the
narrow coast
• 16th century: the Spanish arrived, and established
Christian missions and governmental institutions
• 1901: the region came under American colonial rule
• 1941: the region was under Japanese occupation
• 1945: the combined American and the Philippine
Commonwealth troops including with the Ilocano
and Pangasinese guerillas liberated the Ilocos Region
from Japanese forces during the Second World War
Historical Trivia
• Before the formation of the Cordillera
Administrative Region, Region 1 also included
the provinces of Abra, Mountain Province, and
Benguet.
• Before the administration of Ferdinand Marcos,
Pangasinan was not a part of the region.
• Several modern presidents of the Republic of
the Philippines hailed from the Region: Elpidio
Quirino, Ferdinand Marcos, and Fidel V. Ramos.
MAP
• Ilocos Norte
– Capital: Laoag City
• Ilocos Sur
– Capital: Vigan City
• La Union
– Capital: San Fernando City
• Pangasinan
– Capital: Lingayen
CULTURE
and
TRADITIONS
General Culture
• Residents of Region 1 are hardworking, brave,
cheerful, independent and simple.
• They fear gossip and strongly avoid being
envied by others.
• They value the fruit of their labor and are wise
in spending the money they earned.
• Bain: (hiya or amor propio) sense of shame
• Panagdayaw: respect for the sensitivities of
others
Family
• conforms to the general Filipino pattern.
Most families compose of an average size (6-
7 persons).
• Father: the head of the family
• Mother: the Ilaw ng tahanan (light of the
home); disciplines the children and takes
care of the house budget
• Eldest child: responsible in dividing the
chores equally among siblings
Clothing
• Region 1 residents are very meticulous when it
comes to clothing.
• They dress up according to their age and
perceived wealth.
• Everyday wear consists of short pants for boys,
and dusters, loose skirts, shirts, and short pants
for girls.
• Farmers wear long-sleeved shirts, long pants,
and wide-brimmed hats.
• During rainy season, they wear a headdress of
labig leaves, which extends well down the back.
Wedding Tradition
• panagpudno (formal announcement): the groom
gives this to the soon-to-be-bride’s parents to
express his intention of marrying their daughter
• The parents of the soon-to-be-couple consults a
planetario, which is like an almanac that identifies
“lucky” days, before deciding on the date of the
wedding.
• The bride and groom usually go through an
entertainment ritual. (mung beans ritual)
• Bitor: the guests contribute cash to the
newlyweds either by dropping money onto the
plates or by pinning bills to the couple’s clothes.
Death Tradition
• atong wood: lit in front of the deceased’s house to
announce a death of a family member.
• Before the funeral, relatives pay respect by kissing
the deceased’s hands or raising it to his/her forehead
(mano).
• Money is placed in the coffin as a pay to the “ferry
man” who takes the soul to the other world.
• Those who attended the burial in the cemetery must
return to the deceased’s home by taking a different
route from the one they’ve taken to get there. Upon
arrival, they must wash their faces and hands. It is
said to remove the power of death.
Biag ni Lam-ang
• Biag ni Lam-ang (Life of Lam-ang) is a pre-
Hispanic Ilocano epic.
• The epic was very long (about 300 stanzas)
• Pedro Bukaneg, Father of Ilocano Poetry:
first writer to put it down in writing in both
Ilokano and Spanish.
• Bukaneg had retouched the story and put in
some Christian material.
Literary Structure
• Prologue: The Birth of Lam-ang (lines 5-108)
• I. The Quest for the Father (lines 109-370)
– A. Preparation (lines 109-192); B. Obstacle: Burican
(lines 193-261); C. Triumph (lines 262-315); D. Return to
Home (lines 315-370
• II. The Quest for a Wife (lines 455-1300)
–A. Preparation (lines 455-586); B. Obstacles: Sumarang
and Saridandan (lines 587-724); C. Wedding Banquet
(lines 725-1286); D. Return to Home (lines 725-1286)
• Epilogue: The Death and Restoration of the Hero
(lines 1301-1477)
Biag ni Lam-ang Story
Thank you for listening.
