iloco-lit

[iloco-lit]

There are around 7 million people who speak Ilocano as their first language, mainly in Northern Luzon, the provinces of La Union and Ilocos, the Cagayan Valley, Babuyan, Mindoro, and Mindanao. Ilokano is also used as a lingua franca in trade, commerce, and everyday conversation by perhaps another 2 million speakers in the northern parts of Luzon. Ilocano is more widely spoken by ethnic groups from the country's northside than Tagalog, which is also its official language. Ilocano does not, however, have official status at this time; it is merely a regional tongue. Only the first few classes of elementary school use it.

The Ilocanos were the first ethnic group from the Philippines to immigrate in substantial numbers to North America, establishing sizable settlements in Hawai'i, California, and the Pacific.

Ilocano literature, also known as Iloko literature, refers to the literary creations of authors of Ilocano origin, regardless of the language(s) they have written in, including Ilocano, English, Spanish, and other foreign and Philippine languages. The words "Iloko" and "Ilocano" are distinct in the Ilocano language.

HISTORY OF ILOKO LITERATURE

Pre-colonial Iloko Literature-were composed of folk songs, riddles, proverbs, lamentations ( dung-aw), and epic stories written or oral form.

•Ancient Ilokano poets expressed themselves in folk and war songs.

DALLOT- an improvised, versified and at times impromptu long poem delivered in a sing-song manner.

FRANCISCO LOPEZ- an Augustinian friar

-translated the earliest written Iloko poems(romances) from Spanish

-also translated the DOCTRINA CRISTIANA (Cardinal Bellarmine)- the first book to be printed in Iloko.

GRAMATICA ILOKANA (1895)

- where the study of Iloko poetry could be found

- based on Lopez’s Arte de la Legua Iloca

PEDRO BUCANEG

- collaborated with Lopez in the translation of the Doctrina into Iloko

- credited for having been the first known

Ilokano poet

- Father of Ilokano Poetry and Literature

- blind since childhood

- authored the popular epic Biag ni Lam-ang (Life of Lam-ang) in the 17th

Ilocano Literary Works

•The poem is thought to have originated as oral literature in pre-colonial times, evolving as it is transmitted from poet to poet and generation to generation. The poem's first written documentation is sometimes credited to the blind Ilocano poet and preacher Pedro Bucaneg, but historian E. Arsenio Manuel gives that honor to Fr. Blanco of Narvacan, who collaborated with publicist and folklorist Isabelo de los Reyes.

The Biag ni Lam-ang narrative teaches us about Philippine history and provides insight into the methods our early ancestors used to identify suitable hunting grounds and establish territorial control. Because our country is full with so many wonderful things and is so magical, it is the ideal place for children to reside. We think that there are living things about us that are unseen to the naked sight, but can nevertheless see us and feel their presence thanks to our instincts.

•In the 1943 short story "My Father Goes to Court," two families with vastly different levels of wealth are shown to be at odds with one another. The plot revolves around the way the impoverished family deals with hardships in life and the way of life of the wealthy family. The wealthy family has a spacious home and servants because they have been awarded a considerable quantity of wealth. Rarely did the wealthy family's children leave their home. Given their high level of purchasing power, the wealthy family can purchase everything they desire and just enjoy it in the comfort of their own home. Too much time spent at home results in inactivity. As they were depicted in the story as being skinny and pale, this prevents them from being healthy.

This tale shows how useless money is without good health. In the narrative, it was mentioned that the underprivileged kids engaged in a variety of physical activities, which is undoubtedly better for their health. The best anti-depressant is a healthy lifestyle or exercise. It also has a good impact on how our brain functions.

Appreciating Ilocano Literature

One of the most dynamic Filipino literary traditions through the ages is Ilocano literature. Ilocano regions are also among the literature of the Philippines' most active tributaries.

We Ilocanos have a rich literature as we have published many stories, songs and many other literary pieces. We should appreciate these because it depicts our culture, traditions, behaviors through literary works.

Literature allows a person to step back in time and learn about life on Earth from the ones who walked before us. We can gather a better understanding of culture and have a greater appreciation of them. We learn through the ways history is recorded, in the forms of manuscripts and through speech itself. Humanity is reflected in literature, and literature helps us to comprehend one another. We can start to understand someone else's way of thinking by listening to their voice. I think literature is significant because it serves a purpose, and books start conversations in a world that is growing more and more disconnected from interpersonal interaction.