Literature
from
Cagayan
Valley
BSA-3
Literature from
Welcome
to class!
Today's Agenda
Cagayan Valley
Quick Overview of Cagayan Valley (Including History
of Catholicism in the Region)
Ibanag Poetry, Folk Songs, Proverbs, Riddles
Some Prominent Writers from Cagayan Valley
Quick Overview
of Cagayan
Valley
Quick Overview of
Cagayan Valley
Cagayan Valley (Lambak ng Cagayan in Filipino;
Tana' nak Cagayan in the Ibanag Language; Tanap ti
Cagayan in the Ilocano Language).
Agta/ Atta were the first inhabitants in the region.
They are food gatherers who roam the forest
without fixed residence.
Ibanag dialect was a strong factor in Cagayano’s
evangelization of the pagan and hostile inhabitants.
Quick Overview of
Cagayan Valley
Evangelization and pacification of the valley were difficult
because:
the communities found by the colonizers were far apartseparated by wild forest and crocodile infested rivers to cross
along which the missionaries and soldiers had to travel.
there were great calamities which caused great difficulties
and sufferings to the people and they blamed these
occurrences o the coming of the white people.
Quick Overview of
Cagayan Valley
Missionaries accomplished their difficult and hazardous tasks
and pacification:
because they and only they among the Spaniards, learned the
Ibanag
their eagerness to spread Catholic faith unmindful of the
difficulties and dangers, they penetrated even the farthest
native communities and taught the Ibanag to the non-Ibanag
speaking natives.
Dialects in Cagayan
Valley
Masi (Pamplona) to Lallo to Gattaran- Irraya
Piat, Tuao, Malaueg, and Santa Cruz- Itawes
South District including Nassiping to Gamu(Isabela)- Irraya,
Gaddang, Iyogad, Catalagan, Dadayad, Aripa, and Aeta
Tuguegarao to Ilagan- Irraya
Reina Mercedes to Bayombong- Gaddang
Diffun, Towns near Cagayan river- Iyogad
Dupax, Bambang and Aritao- Isinay and Ilongete
Captain Juan Pablo Carrion
(1581)
smiled to Lallo and founded there the mission of Nueva
Segovia which because the springboard of the missionaries in
their evangelization.
Started their evangelization work in the territory from Masi to
Gattaran
Learned the spoken dialect which they had to preach
Wrote cartillas, catechisms and prayer books in this dialect.
Fr. LUIS FLORES and Fr.
FRANCISCO MANEGO
were sent in Pilitan near Isabela
were ordered to take their parishioners learn Ibanag
VERADAD
bilingual (Spanish- Ibanag) weekly newspaper
in Tuguegarao
published by Honorario Lasam
Servando Liban maintained a lively, satirical
column under his pen name Allibut
LA SINSERIDAD
bilingual (English- Ibanag)
published by Antonio Carag and edited by Jose
Carag.
IBANAG FOLK
POETRY
IBANAG FOLK POETRY
is purely sung which explains how it was
handed down to the present; by way of oral
transmission.
SALOMON
to the accompaniment of the “cinco- cinco” (a fivestringed instrument) is sung during the Christmas
season before improvised home altars, supported
through the night with wine, coffee, chocolate and native
cakes.
is narrative on the conception, birth and life of the Baby
Christ, filled with episodes that teach Cagayan children
Ibanag virtues of truthfulness, honesty, loyalty, industry
and devotion.
VERZO
the Ibanag counterpart of the Spanish coplas, a four line
rhymed Spanish songs which appeared during the
Golden Age of Spain’s Literature.
Often composed on the spot by the versita during social
occasions like weddings, baptism, it is intended to
entertain and to moralize.
It may evoke sadness, joy, laughter, ridicule or wisdom
“Osse- osse” and the “Kilingkingan”
two of the most popular verzos that usually giving the
vocal accompaniment of dances by those names.
Example:
Arri ka mavurung ta
Kabaddi ku lalung, kuak
Ku mamayappak, kannak
Ku utun, gukak.
(Worry not my being a small rooster,
For when i fly to attack
I never miss my mark.)
IBANAG FOLK
SONGS
IBANAG FOLK SONGS
Other folksongs are love songs most often with
promises, pledges, assurances, lessons to teach and
guidance to give.
The growth of Ibanag songs and singers reached its
peak when the harana or serenade in rustic communities
was both a form of nocturnal recreation among the
"babbagitolay" and a way of starting courtship for a
"magingnganay."
IBANAG FOLK SONGS
Some Ibanag folksongs were inspired by the reaction of
people toward their environment; expression of feelings
and emotions caused by their work, labors, government
leaders and relationship among fellowmen.
Example:
O lappaw a makayaya
Nga inimmi-immian na mata,
Pare nakuan tu ari ka matay,
Tape manayuk ka gugammay.
(O lovely flo'er
My eyes behold forever,
May you not wither, nor die,
That long you be gem of my eye.)
IBANAG
PROVERBS
IBANAG PROVERBS
Ibanag "unoni" or proverbs are either in prose or
poetry. They are preachy and pedagogic as well as
theological.
EXAMPLES:
Awan tu umune ta uton ng ari umuluk ta davvun.
(Nobody goes up who does not come down)
Mammula ka ta mapia, gataban nu noka.
(He who sows goodness, reaps gratitude.)
Awat tu serbi na ru nga kukua, nu marake i
pinangngapangngua.
(Wealth is useless if character is worthless.)
IBANAG
RIDDLES
IBANAG RIDDLES
A "palavvun" (riddle) is any misleading, mystifying or
puzzling question to be solved or guessed, either as a
mere game or a more serious challenge. For Ibanags, it is
both a folk amusement or a mental excursion. It is aimed
at relaxation, entertainment and at pacifying anger and
feuds.
EXAMPLE:
Nu magitubang atannang, nu manaddak, alinno.
(When it sits, it is tall, when it stands it is small.)
SOME
PROMINET
WRITERS FROM
CAGAYAN
VALLEY
Florentino Hornedo
Born on October 16, 1938 in Batanes.
As a writer, Dr. Hornedo has authored 13
books in Philosophy, Education, Culture and
History.
A recipient of Palanca Awards for literature
in
1989.
His
winning
essay
is
entitled,“Discourse of Power in Florante at
Laura”.
Hornedo's Famous Works
Fernando Maramag
was born to wealthy landowners on January 21,
1893 in Ilagan in the Philippines.
he became an English professor at UP. He also
taught at San Juan de Letran. During this time, he
met and married Constancia Ablaza, by whom he
had six children.
In 1917, he became the editor of Rising Philippines, a
daily read by almost every literate Filipino because of
its nationalistic contests. The Philippines Herald and
the National Weekly also benefited from his
editorship.
Fernando Maramag
Maramag published countless poems which were
devoured and admired by the reading public, like
“My Queen Tagala,” “The Atheist,” “A Christ
Without a Cross,” “Jose Rizal,” and “The
Presentation.”
Edith L. Tiempo
Edith was born was born on April 22, 1919 in San
Nicolas, Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya.
Gifted in the use of the English language, Edith
Tiempo is proclaimed as one of the Philippines'
foremost writers in English alongside other seminal
writers like Jose Garcia Villa.
Her poetry is hailed for its witty and complex
wordplay. This characteristic is most evident in two
of her most famous poems, “Bonsai” and “The Little
Marmoset.”
She is a National Artist for Literature in 1999.