Chapter 5: VISAYAN LITERATURE and ENTERTAINMENT

Alphabet Alicinas 1668 Historia four missionary father recorded the letters the visayans were writing in their day Ante Bisaya Cebuano Ante de Lingua Bisaya hiliguaina dela Isla Panay Mentrida Ante presents a curious alphabet obviously not based on any Tagalog type font Historia Sacro Profana Chirinos Relacion showed characters very different from the Letras de la Filipinosof Chirinos original Rome edition of 1604. LITERATURE oral literature, and as such, was not recorded. no evidence of any prose literature, but ordinary Visayan speech was itself rich with metaphor and colorful imagery. a high proportion of dictionary terms have both a literal and a figurative meaning pejorative terms to apply to common objects when angry All this poetry was generally sung or chanted rather than recited Ambahan (different verses)- is popular among children and adult of both sexes. siday or kandu- noblest literary form which is the most difficult of all-long, sustained, repetitious, and heavy with metaphor and allusion. Example of literary writings Kabungaw and Bubung Ginbuna EPIC

Visayan epic Siday or Kandu must have been the prehispanic term for folk epic Power and prestige was based on the control of slave labor Usually about Visayan heroes Characterized by highly repetitious plots A good epic has an ending with colorful and lavish wedding feasts of the protagonists. Example: The Kandu of Datung Sumanga and Bungbung Humasanun FOLKLORE Visayan folklore is replete with tales and legends about the Creation and about heroism, moral conflict, and the triumph of good over evil. Among the oft-told tales are legends about The First Man and Woman, The Tortoise and the Monkey, and the like. The First Man and Woman Why the Bat is called Stupid THE TORTOISE AND THE MONKEY PUSONG OF MAGTAON Parapat BINGI OF LAWAN MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS 8 kinds of Visayan instruments 4 quiet instruments 4 very loud instruments Kudyapi (small lute) Korlong (bamboo zither) Tolali or Lantuy (nose flute) Subing (Jews harp) Bodyong (bamboo or seashell bugle)

Kalatong (tambourines) Agong (gong) Tibongbong VOCAL MUSIC Visayans were said to be always singing Singing meant the extemporaneous composition of verses to common tunes. Awit Parawit Biyaw Mamaratbat Bagaw or dagaw DANCING DANCING All Visayan feasts sponsored by datus were accompanied by dancing and gong playing weddings, birth of children, planting and harvesting crops, preparations for war and victory for men. Sayaw or sabay general term for dancing magsalabay for men magkigal for women magbabanug for a pair of dancers magsisibay for a group dancing in two opposed lines. Sabay Taruk Patad-patad Salabay