MODULE 2

LITERATURE IN DIFFERENT REGION

LESSON 3 : LITERATURE IN REGION VI (WESTERN VISAYAS)

OBJECTIVES :

a. to know the literature of Western Visayas

b. to appreciate and reflect to their proverb

c. understands the culture, language and traditions of Western Visayas

d. to know who are the famous writers in poet and prose.

Provinces and Capital

 Aklan - Kalibo
 Antique - San Jose de Buenavista
 Capiz - Roxas City
 Guimaras - Jordan
 Iloilo - Iloilo City
 Negros Occidental - Bacolod City

Hiligaynon is the lingua franca of the West Visayas in Philippines. The mother language of West
Visayas is Kiniray-a or Hiraya.
The popular literary artforms in Western Visayas are the binalaybay or poem, the paktakon or
riddle, the sugidanon or story/folktale, the banggianay or debate, the hurobaton  or proverbs, asoy
or epic, amba or songs, and the komposo or traditional song. 

MYTH

 Tungkung Langit and Alunsina

 CHARACTERS
 Tungkung Langit
 Industrious
 Loving
 Kind God
 Alunsina
 Lazy
 Jealous
 Selfish Goddess
 Panay-Uisayan
Myth (Tungkung Langit and Alunsina)
One of the stories about the creation of the world, which the old people of Panay, especially
those living near the mountains, do not tire relating, tells that in the beginning there was no sky or
earth — only a bottomless deep and a

world of mist. Everything was shapeless and formless — the earth, the sky, the sea, and the air
were almost mixed up. In a word, there was confusion.

Then from the depth of this formless void, there appeared two gods, Tungkung Langit
("Pillar of the Sky") and Alunsina ("The Unmarried One"). Just where these two deities came from,
it was not known. However, it was related that Tungkung Langit had fallen in love with Alunsina;
and after so many years of courtship, they got married and had their abode in the highest realm of
the ethereal space, where the water was constantly warm and the breeze was forever cool. It was
in this place where order and regularity first took place.

Tungkung Langit was an industrious, loving, and kind god whose chief concern was how to
impose order over the whole confused set-up of things. He assumed responsibility for the regular
cosmic movement. On the other hand, Alunsina was a lazy, jealous, and selfish goddess whose only
work was to sit by the window of their heavenly home and amuse herself with her pointless
thoughts. Sometimes, she would go down the house, sit down by a pool near their doorsteps, and
comb her long, jetblack hair all day long.

One day, Tungkung Langit told his wife that he would b away from home for sometime to
put an end to the chaotic disturbances in the flow of time and in the position of things. However,
despite this purpose Alunsina sent the breeze to spy on Tungkung Langit. This made the latter very
angry upon knowing about it.

Immediately after his return from his trip, he called this act to her attention, saying that it
was ungodly of her to be jealous, there being no other creature living in the world except the two
of them. This reproach was resented by Alunsina and a quarrel between them followed.

Tungkung Langit lost his temper. In his rage, he divested his wife of powers and drove her
away. He did not know where Alunsina went; she merely disappeared.

Several days after Alunsina had left, Tungkung Langit felt very lonely. He realized what he
had done. Somehow, it was too late even to be sorry about the whole matter. The whole place,
once vibrant with Alunsina's sweet voice, suddenly became cold and desolate. In the morning when
he woke up, he would find himself alone; and in the afternoon when he came home, he would feel
the same loneliness creeping deep in his heart because there was no one to meet him at the
doorstep or soothe the aching muscles of his arms.

For months, Tungkung Langit lived in utter desolation. He could not find Alunsina, try hard as
he would. And so, in desperation, he decided to do something in order to forget his sorrows. For
months and months he thought. His mind seemed pointless; his heart weary and sick. But he must
do something about his lonely world.

One day, while he was sailing across the regions of the cloud, a thought came to him. He
would make the sea and the earth, and lo! The earth and the sea suddenly appeared. However, the
somber sight of the lonely sea and the barren land irritated him. So he came down to earth and
planted the ground with trees and flowers. Then he took his wife's treasured jewels and scattered
them in the sky, hoping that when Alunsina would see them she might be induced to return home.
The goddess' necklace became the stars, her comb the moon and her crown the sun. However,
despite all these Alunsina did not come back.

Up to this time, the old folk say Tungkung Langit lives alone in his palace in the skies.
Sometimes, he would cry out his pent-up emotion and his tears would fall down upon the earth.
The people in Panay today say that rain is Tungkung Langit's tears. Incidentally, when it thunders
hard, the old folk also say that it is Tungkung Langit sobbing, calling for his beloved Alunsina to
come back entreating her so hard that his voice reverberates across the fields and countryside.

 THEME AND MORAL / LESSON

Theme
 The myth is about the two Gods who fall in love to each other but ended
separated because they lose their trust and patience to each other.
Moral / Lesson
 Before you do a thing, think it a billion times so that you would not regret at the
end.
 Give trust to the one that you love.

EPIC (Asoy)
 Hinilawod
 ORIGIN AND SIGNIFICANCE
 Hinilawod is the oldest and well-known epic of Panay which belongs to the oral traditions
of the Sulod mountain people living near the headwaters of the river Jalaur (Halawod),
Aklan, and Antique. It is sung in kinaraya-a, the language of Sulod.
 The term "Hinilawod" means “Tales from the Mouth of the Halawod River". Hinilawod is
an epic poem written by the early inhabitants of a place called Sulod in central Panay.
 This epic was recorded by Felipe Landa Jocano, an anthropologist in Lambunao, Iloilo in
1964.
 It has two cycles: first part deals with Donggon’s amorous exploits; the second part deals
with the adventures of Humadapnon wherein Baranugan plays the leading role.
 Hinilawod is not just a literary piece but also a source of information about culture,
religion and rituals of the ancient people of Sulod; showing us that ancient Filipinos
believed in the “sacred,” in the importance of family honor and in personal courage and
dignity.

HINILAWOD
(A Panay Epic)

In Sulod mountain, there were goddesses (Diwata) living there. One of them was Abyang
Alunsia, a diwata of eastern seas and her husband was Buyung Paubari. One day, Alunsia gave birth
to triplets, namely: Labaw Donggon, Humadapnon and Dumalapdap. All were giants endowed with
superhuman strengths. To appease their hearts, the elder Labaw Donggon sailed first to look for
the woman of his dreams, Anggoy Ginbitinan. To win Anggoy Ginbitinan, his first wife, Donggon had
to vanquish Manaluntad, a monster. To win Anggoy Doroonan, his second wife, he had to kill a
hydra-headed giant named Sikay Padalogdog. And to win his last love, Malitung Yawa, sinagmaling
diwata, he had to fight Saragnayen, the lord of darkness. He then fought Saragnayan for many
years but he failed because Saragnayan is immortal, his life is in the pig's body. Labaw Donggon was
defeated and languished in the pigpen in the kitchen for many years.

Labaw Donggon's freedom was not, however, effected by himself but by his two children
who were capable of performing superhuman feats. They were Aso Mangga, son of Donggon to
Ginbitinan; and Buyung Baranugun, his son to Doroonon. They were able to kill Saragnayan through
eating the heart of the pig where Saragnayan's life stuck. At last Labaw Donggon was saved by his
two sons and he gave a cry so mighty that the branches snapped and great trees were ripped apart.

The second part begins when Humadapnon searches for a beautiful woman in his dreams,
named Tubigon Daligan-Umis Kuyam-isan, a binukot "cage" who lives in a golden tower surrounded
with bamboo thickets. When Humadapnon's brother Dumalapdap learns of this he insists on
accompanying him. After a few days of travel, they reach the river Mabkad, ruled by two datus
named Mamang Mangalayo, the prince and Mamang Dumadakong Dagat the supreme ruler. They
fight them, but Dumadalong Dagat then engages Humadapnon in a battle in the air which lasts for
several days. Humadapnon weakens and ask for help. Buyung Baranugun, Humadapnon's cousin,
thinking that Humadapnon was in trouble, rushes to the scene of the battle. With the help of their
ancestors in heaven, Baranugun defeats Dumadakong Dagat. They encounter so many battles on
their way, and they pass by caves inhabited by fairies. Humadapnon is seduced and decides to stay
for a while. Later, he is transformed into a witch and is imprisoned by the fairies. Dumalapdap asks
for help from his mother to rescue Humadapnon. All of the binukot respond, but only Nagmalitung
Yawa alone succeeds in opening the gates' stone closure. She kills all the fairies with a bolo.

She also kills Humadapnon and would have left him dead had Ginbitinan not insisted that she brings
him back to life. Humadapnon revived, they all board the "biday" and sai! for home by the Halawöd
river. They celebrate the wedding of Nagmalitung Yawa and Humadapnon.

With no more rids to conquer, and with the information of the islands of Panay and Negros,
the newly formed land is appointed to the brother. Labaw Donggon is made by their king of Hantik
(Antique); and Dumalapdap, the overlord of Aklan region. Alunsia and Paubari live in Madyaas
mountain.

 THEME AND MORAL / LESSON

Theme
 The epic is about the exploits of three Sulodnon brothers, Labaw Donggon,
Humadapnon, and Dumalapdap of ancient Panay.
Moral / Lesson
 rListen to the counsel of your parents.
 Do not remove yourself from the right path.  
 Do not succumb to temptation for it will lead you to tragedy and failure. 

RIDDLES (Paktakon)
Ang puno buko-boko
Dahon daw abaniko,
Bunga daw parasko,
Perdegones ang liso.
 The trunk is full of nodes
Leaves like fans,
Fruits like large wine bottles,
Pellets are the seeds.

 Kapayas / Papaya

May diotay nga kaban-kaban,

Naga-abri keg naga si man,
Ang sulod puro tul-an
Kon kaisa nagadunlan.

There is a small chest

That opens and closes by itself
The contents are all bones
Sometimes it chokes.

 Baba / Mouth

PROVERBS (Hurobaton)

Mauntay ang sanga nga linghod,

Ang gulang na, matuod.
 
A young sapling is easily straightened,
But an old branch is brittle.

Kon indi ikaw mag-antos,

Indi ka gid magsantos.
 
You can’t be a saint,
If you don’t sacrifice.

Ang obra indi makapatay,

Pero ang pagkasubo amo ang makapatay.
 
Work can’t kill
But worrying does.

FOLK SONGS (Komposo)

 Si Pilemon, Si Pilemon
Si Pilemon, Si Plimemon
 namasol sa karagatan
Nakakuha, nakakuha
Sang isdang tambasakan
Guibaligya, Guibaligya
Sa merkado nga guba
Ang binta niya’y wala
Ang binta niya ay wala
Guibakal sang tuba.

 Dandansoy
Dandansoy bayaan ta ikaw
Pauli takon sa Payaw
Ugaling kon ikaw hidlwon
Ang Payaw, imo lang lantawon.

dandansoy kon imo apason

Bisan tubig dili ka magbalon
Ugaling kon ikaw uhawon
Sa dalan magbubunbubon.

POEMS (Binalaybay)
 Ang Ermita sa Baryo (The Chapel in the Barrio)
by Magdalena G. Jalandoni
 Fictionist and poet
 “Grand Old Lady of Ilonggo Literature”
 Best-known among Ilonggo novelists, the most represented in the collections of local
and foreign libraries.
 Republic Cultural Heritage Award in 1969

Ang Ermita Sa Baryo (An Excerpt)

Diutay kag malinong nga dill angayan

gatampad sa dagat ang iya ganhaan,
hinimo sa nipa, kugon kag kawayan,
Sang init sa age unang mapawaan.

Sa puno sang bukid yara ‘gatindugon

bukas ang gahaan kag maaliwanay,
sa sanga sang dapdap nga nagakarugon
dira nagakabit ang iya lingganay.

Makita sa sulod ang Kriston balaan,

masubo ang dagway ang daopat tangisan.
yara sa balangdan nga labing dumaan,
kag ang nagaduaw lunsay kapispisan.
 The Chapel In The Barrio
translated by Fe S. Estanislao

Humble ans serene beyond compare

Its door facing the sea
Nipa and cogon thatched and bamboo frame
Painted by the mellow glow of dawn.

Standing there by the mountainside

Its door wide open spacious and peaceful
and hitched on a branch of a dapdap tree
Loosely are its rusty bells.

Inside is the sacred image of Christ

Whose sorrowful face induces man to weep
There on His ancient altar He invites
The visitations of adoring birds.

Meter
 Three stanzas
 4 Lines per stanzas
 12 syllables per line
Theme
 The poem is about the chapel in the barrio which is maid of nipa, cogon and bamboo.

DOMINADOR ILIO
 A native of Molinao, Aklan, Dominador I. Ilio obtained an engineering degree from
the University of the Philippines and an M.A degree in hydraulics from Iowa State
University.
 He became interested in writing poetry during his college days.
 He taught at the University of the Philippines and became Head of the Engineering
Science Department and Editor of the U.P Engineer and the U.P. Research Digest.
 Some of his poetry are collected in the volume, The Diplomat.

Diplomat Listening to the Speech of Another Diplomat

by: Dominador I. Ilio

They cannot go to summer sea this year,

Where on the boardwalk, in no more than shorts
And bare feet, he can toss platitudes
Without much mind to the next fellow, perhaps,
Or to his nervous wife all ears beside him.
And watch the silly antics of the children,
long unloved in the carefree stretch of sand,
Or, perhaps, with anonymous paunch and googles,
Foolishly try to execute a handstand
 In wrist-deep water, and make it,
Though with much awkward kicking in air.
It will be fun there in the summer sea.
But with this, he cannot hint a word
To the little woman. His hands are firmly chained
To bulky paper-weights on his polished desk
And his nights will be crammed with not merely silence.
It shall need greater diplomacy, though
To tell the children why they cannot go
Than answer back this shrill-voiced speaker. O,
These talks shall drag on may long seasons yet.

Meter
 Free verse
 Two stanzas
 First stanza – 12 lines
 Second stanza – 8 lines
Theme
 The poem presents a story wherein the father cannot go out and enjoy special moments
with his family because he is too busy working for his family's future.

ACTIVITY: (Write your answer in a separate sheet of paper, either long coupon or yellow pad.)

Answer the following question:

A. Answer the following question about Hinilawod, a Panay epic.

1. Describe Labaw Donggon. What character trait makes him comparable to other epic heroes?
2. give existing Ilonggo beliefs and practices which are in the story.
3. Point out the Filipino values which are shown in the story.

B. Diplomat Listening to the Speech of Another Diplomat

1. Identify the persona in the poem
2. Give the general tone of the poem
3. Give the meaning of “diplomat”
4. Explain the major idea which is constantly recurring in the poem.

Deadline of Submission: December 16, 2020 (Wednesday)