Literature

of Ilocos
Region

Biag ni Lam-ang
Bannawag
Dallots
Folksongs
Comics

Sabsabong ken
lullua
Novels
Poems
Ilocano
Dulang

1. An epic poem of the ilokano people and

was first transcribed around 1640 by a
blind ilokano bard named Pedro Bucaneg.
2. A magazine that sister publication of
Liwayway, bisaya and Hiigaynon.
3. An improvised, versified and at times
impromptu long poem delivered in as
sing-song manner.
4. An introduction to Philippine Literature in
iloko.
5. An ilokano poem, means Flower and
Tears
6. Presented for the first time in the Ilokos
and still popular today as well as they
were first staged.
7. A song that originates in traditional
popular culture or that is written in such
a style.
8. Nobela
9. Salaysay
10.Refers to the people or the ethnicity of
the people who speak the iloko language
11.Daniw

ILOKANO LITERATURE OR ILOKO LITERATURE

Literary works of writers of ilocano
ancestry regardless of language used

Iloko
English
Spanish
Foreign
Philippine languages

One of the most active tributaries to

the general Philippine literature

HISTORY OF ILOKO LITERATURE

Pre-Colonial
Folk songs
Riddles
Proverbs
Lamentation called
dung-aw
Epic stories (written or
oral)themselves in folks and war songs as well as
Express
dallot, an improvised, versified and at times impromptu
long poem delivered in a sing-song manner.

Earliest known written iloko

poems
Romances translated from spanish

by Francisco Lopez
Doctrina Cristiana by Cardinal
Bellarmine

Study of iloko Poetry

Gramatika Ilokano- 1895
Lopez Arte de a Lengua Iloca-1627
(probably witten before 1606)

Pedro Bucaneg-

collaborated with Lopez in the

translation of the Doctrine into iloko

First known Ilokano poet

Father of ilokano Poetry and Literature
Blind since childhood
Biag ni Lam-ang-17th century
Published in El ilokano- 1889-1890
Vida de Lam-ang

18TH CENTURY
Missionaries used religious, secular
Literatures
Christianity

Religious works:
Sumario de las Indulgencias (1719) Fr. Jacinto
Rivera
Pasion (St. Vincent Ferrers Sermons into Iloko
(1845)
-Fr. Antonio Mejia

19TH CENTURY
Leona Florentino- National Poetess of
the Philippines
Poems appeared to syrupy for comfort
too sentimental to the point of mawkishness
Utterly devoid of form

Fr. Justo Claudio Fojas- Ilokano secular priest,

Leona Florentinos Contemporary
Novenas
Prayersbook
Catechism

 Metrical Romances
Dramas
Biographies
Spanish grammar dictionary
Ilokano-Spanish dictionary

Isabelo de los Reyes- Leonas son

Poems
Stories
Folklore
Studies
Seemingly interminable religious
political articles

 Comedia (moro-moro) & Zarzuela

Presented for the first time in Ilocos (19th Century)
Still popular today as they were first staged

Comedia- Scipted from corridos

Prince Don Juan
Ari Esteban
Doce Paris
Bernardo Carpio
Jaime Del Prado

 Marcelo Mena Crisologo- helped popularized

Zarzuela based on culture & traditions of the
ilocos Norte
Pascual Agcaoili y Guerrero ( 1889-1958)
wrote and staged Daguiti Agpaspasukmon Basi

Isaias R. Lazo ( 1887-1983) Wrote comedia and

zarzuela
Matilde de Sinapangan Rufino Redondo
-first iloko novel printed on 1892

 Ayat, Kaanonto Ngata? (Love, When

shall be?)
- Written before the end of 18th century

Arturo Centeno- wrote three novels

Apay o Di Mangasawa? (Why doesnt he get
married?)
Dispensara
Padi a Puraw Wenno Naamo a Kibin
(A white priest or a good guide)

20TH CENTURY
- More intense in the literary activity
Biag ti Maysa a Lakay, Wenno Nakaam-ames a
bales (Life of an old Man, or a Dreadful revenge)Mariano Gaerlan (1909)
Uray Narigat no Paguimbagan (Improvement Despite
Obstacle)
- Facudo Madriaga (1911)

Mining Wenno Ayat ti Cararua(Mining or Spiritual

Love)
- Marcelino Pea Crisologo (1914)
Nasam-it ken Narucbos nga Sabong Dagiti
Dardarepdep ti Agbaniaga (Sweet and fresh flower of a
travelers dreams)
- Marcos E. Milon(1921)
Sabsabong ken Lulua (Flowers and Tears)- R.
Respiscio (1930)

 Apay a Pinatayda ni Naw Simon?(Why did they kill Don

Simon?)
- Leon C. Pichay (1935)
-First known detective novel in Iloko
Bannawag Magazine (sister publication of Liwayway, Bisaya
and Hiigaynon) -nov 3, 1934
Ilokano Literature reached
headland
Many ilokanos started to write
Literary pieces

 Early Bannawag short stories in 1920s poor imitations of

equally poor American fiction
Bannawag resumed publication in 1947

War
Guerilla activies
Japanese Atrocities
Murder
Pillage
Death

 Leopoldo Y. Yabes (UP)- made a brief survey of iloko

literture (1934)
Findings: Iloko literature began with Pedro Bukaneg

Thomas B. Alcid (UST)- made a study on iloko prose friction

- Disscussed the iloko short story and the iloko novel and
their possibilities in Philippine Literture (1940)
Findings: Short stories and Novels were still young and needed
more improvement

 Mercedes F. Guerrero (MLQEI) made a master thesis titled

Critical analysis of the Outstanding iloko short stories published in
Bannawag from 1948-1952
Findings:Iloko stories offer a mine of information about the ideas
and customs of the filipino people

Dalang: An intoduction to Philippine Literature of Iloko- Dr.

Marcelino A. Foronda, jr. (1967)
-Traits and characteristics of the Ilokonos

Bannawag
Poems (daniw)
Short Stories ( Sarita)
Novels (Nobela)
Essay (salaysay)
Comics
Biographies
Folktales