Literature Under The Spanish Colonial Period

LITERATURE UNDER THE
SPANISH COLONIAL
PERIOD
PREPARED BY: OLIVEROS, Paul Warren E.
BSEd III - ENGLISH
LESSON OBJETIVES
At the end of the lesson, the students will be able to:
• Understand the literature under the Spanish Colonial Period
• Identify the songs and drama under the Spanish Colonial
Period
• Participate and comprehend to the topic.
CLASSIFICATIONS OF
FILIPINO DURING SPANISH
COLONIAL PERIOD
CLASSIFICATIONS OF FILIPINO
DURING SPANISH COLONIAL PERIOD
1. Tagabayan – Filipinos who were within easy reach of the power of

the Church and State.
2. Tagabukid/Tagabundok – Filipinos who kept their distance from the
colonial administrators.
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
Spanish occupied Philippines in early

15th century. The First Filipino alphabet is
Alibata – when Spanish colonized
Philippines they changed alibatas into
Roman alphabet.

Spanish banned the use of Alibata
because they believed that it is a work of
evil. So Spanish fully introduced the
Spanish literary language using many
Spanish terms.
Spanish colonization in the
Philippines started in 1565 during the
time of Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, the
first governor-general in the Philippines.
Literature started to flourish during his
time.
The Spaniards colonized the
Philippines for more than three
centuries. The Spanish colonizers
wanted to undermine the native oral
tradition by substituting for it, the
story of “Passion of the Christ.
However, the native tradition
survived and even flourish in areas
inaccessible to the Spaniards.
The church authorities adopted a
policy of spreading the church doctrines
by communicating to the natives in their
own language.
Doctrina Christiana (1593) – the first
book to be printed in the Philippines. It
was a prayer book written in Spanish
with an accompanying by the Tagalog
translation. Written by Fray Juan de
Plasencia.
The task of translating religious instructional materials forced the

Spanish missionaries to employ natives as translators. Eventually, these
natives learned to read and write in both Spanish and their mother
tongue.
Ladinos – bilingual natives, they published their works mainly
devotional poetry in the first decade of 17th century.
Gaspar Aquino de Belen – the

most gifted among the Ladinos. He
wrote the “Mahal na Pasion ni Jesu
Christo” a Tagalog poem based on
Christ’s passion. It was published
in 1704.
In the 18th century, secular
literature from Spain in the form of
medieval ballads inspired the
native poetic-drama called the
“Komedya”, later to be called
“Moro-moro because these often
dealt with the theme of Christians
triumphing over Muslims.
Printing overtook the oral

tradition and it set for the
development of prose.
The first Filipino Novel was
“Ninay” written in Spanish by
Pedro Paterno.
PROMINENT FIGURES
UNDER THE SPANISH
COLONIAL PERIOD
PROMINENT FIGURES UNDER THE
SPANISH COLONIAL PERIOD
Francisco Baltazar (1788-1862)

popularly called Balagtas is the
acknowledge master of Traditional
Tagalog poetry.
His narrative poem, “Florante at

Laura” written in sublime Tagalog
is about tyranny in Albania but it is
also perceived to be about the
tyranny in his Filipino homeland.
Jose Rizal (1861-1896), our

National Hero, chose the realistic
novel as his medium.
Rizal’s two novels, “Noli Me
Tangere” and its sequel, “El
Filibusterismo”, chronicle the
life and ultimate death of
Ibarra, an educated Filipino in
abroad who attempts to reform
his country through education.
The inspiration of Rizal on his two novels were Andres Bonifacio

(1863 – 1897) and his closest aide, Emilio Jacinto (1875 – 1899. Both
were writers and social critics who were profoundly influenced by the
liberal ideas of the French enlightenment.
The Philippines also have its

share of women writers.
Gregoria de Jesus, wife of
Andres Bonifacio, wrote notable
Tagalog poetry.
In Vigan of the Ilocano

North, Leona Florentino by
her poetry became the
foremost Ilocano writer of
her time.
ORAL LITERATURE
(SONGS)
SONGS
1. Lullabies – these are locally known as “Hele.” These are sung to put
babies to sleep.
Example: ILOCANO
Maturog duduaya Go to sleep, dear little one
Maturog kad tay bunga Will my child please sleep
Tay lalaki nga napigsa This strong boy
Ta inton dumakkel tay bunga So when the child grow big
Isunto iya tay mammate He will obey
Tay amon a ibaga me. Everything that we say.
SONGS
2. Drinking songs – these are locally known as “Tagay” and it is sung during drinking sessions.
Example: WARAY
Igduholduhol ngan palakta na it nga tagay
Ayaw pagatrasar kay mabutlaw na ug mauhaw
Ayaw papalapos didimdim hahadki namanla anay.
Pass now the glass of tuba

For we are tired and thirsty
Don’t let it pass without taking a sip.
SONGS
3. Love songs – these are locally known as “Harana” and it can be called as courtships
song.
Example: IVATAN
Ngangayan mo kakuyab? Pinangalichavus ko na imo su Dumibu a panahehsan ko nimo
Am dichu mo a dali.
Where did you go yesterday? I have asked

The passersby about you
How could you find me?
LOVE SONG
The Harana is practiced in small towns and rural places. This is how
the men court the women from before. A man accompanied by his
friends would visit a woman and sing to her love songs to make her fall
in love with him. The man is usually accompanied by his friends to give
him moral support and also help him with the songs he will use to
serenade the woman.
Harana is also called “Habanera Filipina”. This is so because its
rhythmic element came from the Spanish Tango or Habanera.
LOVE SONG
Kundiman may be similar to Harana because the song is dedicated to

a woman. Although in Kundiman, a man is singing about his longing for
a loved one. This was also used in the Spanish Era as a means to express
one’s love for country and longing for freedom.
Rondalla is an ensemble of instruments. Philippine rondallas consists
of piccolo, bandurria, la-ud, the guitar-shaped octavina, and mandola,
guitarra, and double bass.
SONGS
4. Religious songs – are songs or chants that are usually given during
exorcisms and thanksgiving during good harvest.
Example:
Ch’ along of the Ifugao – part of the wedding rite involving the
propitiation of evil spirits who might been harm upon the couple.
SONGS
5. Songs of Death – are lamentations that contain the role of good deeds
that dead has usually done to immortalize his or her good image.
ORAL LITERATURE
(DRAMA)
DRAMA
1. Cenaculo – dramatic performance of the passion and death of Christ.
DRAMA
2. Zarzuela – the father of drama, a musical comedy or melodrama.
DRAMA
3. Lagaylay – a special occasion for the pilarenos of Sorsogon during
the time of get together.
DRAMA
4. Tibag – dramatic performance for the purpose of manifesting
devotion for the holy cross.
DRAMA
5. Panuluyan – Christmas dramatic ritual which narrates the family’s
search to stay in Bethlehem.
DRAMA
6. Salubong – the reunion of the risen Christ and his mother.
DRAMA
7. Carillo – dramatic entertainment perfom on a moonless night during a
town fiesta or on dark nights after a harvest.
DRAMA
8. Sainete – short musical comedy during the 18th century. They were
exaggerated comedy. It is perform by the lowers class.
DRAMA
9. Moro-moro – like the
Cenaculo, it is presented also on a
special stage. It is performed
during town fiesta to entertain the
people and to remind them of
their Christian religion.
DRAMA
10. Karagatan – poetic vehicle of socio-religious nature who celebrated
during the birth and death of a person.
DRAMA
11. Duplo – it replaced the karagatan, this is poetic joust in speaking and
reasoning.
THANK
YOU AND
GOD
BLESS! 
-PWEO

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LITERATURE UNDER THE

1. Tagabayan – Filipinos who were within easy reach of the power of

Spanish occupied Philippines in early

The task of translating religious instructional materials forced the

Gaspar Aquino de Belen – the

Printing overtook the oral

Francisco Baltazar (1788-1862)

His narrative poem, “Florante at

Jose Rizal (1861-1896), our

The inspiration of Rizal on his two novels were Andres Bonifacio

The Philippines also have its

In Vigan of the Ilocano

Pass now the glass of tuba

Where did you go yesterday? I have asked

Kundiman may be similar to Harana because the song is dedicated to

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