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.