HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Cebuano literature includes both the oral and written literary forms Cebuano of colonial, pre-colonial and post-colonial Philippines. While the majority of Cebuano writers are from the
Visayas The Visayas ( ), or the Visayan Islands ( Visayan: ''Kabisay-an'', ; tl, Kabisayaan ), are one of the three principal geographical divisions of the Philippines, along with Luzon and Mindanao. Located in the central part of the archipelago, i ...
and
Mindanao Mindanao ( ) ( Jawi: مينداناو) is the second-largest island in the Philippines, after Luzon, and seventh-most populous island in the world. Located in the southern region of the archipelago, the island is part of an island group of t ...
region, the best-known literary outlets for them, including the Bisaya Magasin, are based in
Makati Makati ( ), officially the City of Makati ( fil, Lungsod ng Makati), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in the National Capital Region of the Philippines. Makati is the financial center of the Philippines; it has the highest concentratio ...
in
Metro Manila Metropolitan Manila (often shortened as Metro Manila; fil, Kalakhang Maynila), officially the National Capital Region (NCR; fil, link=no, Pambansang Punong Rehiyon), is the capital region, seat of government and one of three List of metrop ...
. There is also a lively community of Cebuano-language writers based outside the country.


History

Cebuano literature, as much as most literature of the Philippines, started with fables and legends of the early people in the Philippines and colonial period, right down to the Mexican (
Viceroyalty of New Spain New Spain, officially the Viceroyalty of New Spain ( es, Virreinato de Nueva España, ), or Kingdom of New Spain, was an integral territorial entity of the Spanish Empire, established by Habsburg Spain during the Spanish colonization of the Ame ...
) and Spanish influences. Although existence of a pre-Hispanic writing system in
Luzon Luzon (; ) is the largest and most populous island in the Philippines. Located in the northern portion of the Philippines archipelago, it is the economic and political center of the nation, being home to the country's capital city, Manila, ...
is attested, there is proof that ''
baybayin (, ''pre-kudlít'': , ''virama-krus-kudlít'': , ''virama-pamudpod'': ; also formerly commonly incorrectly known as alibata) is a Philippine script. The script is an abugida belonging to the family of the Brahmic scripts. Geographically, it ...
'' was widespread in the Visayas. Most of the literature produced during that period was oral. They were documented by the Spanish Jesuit Fr. Ignatio Francisco Alzinal. During the Spanish colonial period, the religious theme was predominant. ''Novenas'' and ''gozos'', most notably the ''Bato Balani'' for the Santo Niño. The first written Cebuano literature is ''Maming'', by
Vicente Sotto Vicente Yap Sotto (born Vicente Sotto y Yap; April 18, 1877 – May 28, 1950) was a Filipino playwright, journalist, and politician who served as a Senator from 1946 to 1950. He also served in the House of Representatives from 1922 to 1925, repr ...
, the father of Cebuano literature. The story was published on July 16, 1900 in the first issue of his '' Ang Suga''. Two years later Sotto wrote, directed, and produced the first Cebuano play, '' Elena''. It was first performed at the Teatro Junquera (in what is now Cebu City) on May 18, 1902. The play established Sotto's reputation as a writer. The dedication of the play by the playwright reads, "To My Motherland, that you may have remembrance of the glorious Revolution that redeemed you from enslavement. I dedicate this humble play to you."
Vicente Sotto Vicente Yap Sotto (born Vicente Sotto y Yap; April 18, 1877 – May 28, 1950) was a Filipino playwright, journalist, and politician who served as a Senator from 1946 to 1950. He also served in the House of Representatives from 1922 to 1925, repr ...
attacked the decadent forms of '' linambay'' in his newspaper ''Ang Suga''. He was challenged by a friend to write his own play as he was always attacking the ''linambay'' form. Sotto wrote the Cebuano ''Ang Paghigugma sa Yutang Nataohan'' (Love of the Native Land) as a response. The play was successful; Sotto organized the Compania de Aficionados Filipinos. Within the year, two more plays were written by Sotto: ''Elena'', which deals of a girl's love for an insurrecto; and ''Aurora'', which deals with a scandal involving the priests and nuns of the Colegio de la Immaculada Concepcion. Realism in Cebuano theater was stretched too much however; even Sotto himself was a victim of the movement he started, when prior to his running for mayor in 1907, a play by Teodulfo Ylaya entitled ''Ang Taban'' was released in 1906. The play dealt with a kidnap allegation involving Sotto. During the American period, ''Ang Suga'' became the medium for publication of Cebuano writers. A community of writers slowly grow, to include the names of Florentino Rallos,
Filomeno Veloso Filomeno is both a given name and a surname of Italian, Portuguese and Spanish origin. Notable people with the name include: People with the given name *Filomeno Codiñera (1939–2016), Filipino baseball player *Filomeno da Paixão de Jesus (born 1 ...
,
Marcial Velez Marcial is both a given name and a surname. Notable people with the name include: People with the given name *Marcial Ávalos, Paraguayan footballer *Marcial Calleja (1863–1914), Filipino lawyer *Marcial Cuquerella (born 1977), Spanish businessma ...
, Timoteo Castro, Segundo Cinco, Vicente Ranudo, Dionisio Jakosalem, Selestino Rodríguez, Filomeno Roble, Juan Villagonzalo, Leoncio Avila and Filemon Sotto. Most of these people were recognized for their achievements by the generation right after them, as evidenced by the use of their names for major streets in
Cebu City Cebu City, officially the City of Cebu ( ceb, Dakbayan sa Sugbo; fil, Lungsod ng Cebu; hil, Dakbanwa sang Sugbo), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in the Central Visayas region of the Philippines and capital of the Cebu Province. A ...
, but their role in the furtherance of Cebuano culture is lost to subsequent generations. Juan Villagonzalo was the first to write a Cebuano novel. Four typical novels on the love theme written by popular writers during the American period would represent the pre-war writers' subconscious but collective efforts in creating a common core of meanings and values in the face of new American culture. These are ''Felicitas'' by Uldarico Alviola in 1912, ''Mahinuklugong Paglubong Kang Alicia'' (The Sad Burial of Alicia) by
Vicente Garces Vicente Hermosa Garces, also known as Vicente Garces and Nyor Inting, was a Filipinos, Filipino Visayans, Visayan politician, writer, and poet. His famous written works in Cebuano language, Cebuano were published in Visayans, Visayan newspaper, ...
in 1924, ''Apdo sa Kagul-anan'' (Bitterness of Sorrow) by
Angel Enemecio In various theistic religious traditions an angel is a supernatural spiritual being who serves God. Abrahamic religions often depict angels as benevolent celestial intermediaries between God (or Heaven) and humanity. Other roles include ...
in 1928–29, and ''Ang Tinagoan'' (The Secret) by
Vicente Rama Vicente Rama (June 6, 1887 – December 24, 1956) was a Filipino Visayan legislator, publisher, and writer from Cebu, Philippines. Recognized as the Father of Cebu City, he authored the bill for its cityhood which was approved into law by Oc ...
in 1933–34. While ''Felicitas'' and ''Paglubong'' assert the value of marital fidelity and ''Apdo'' that of feminine
chastity Chastity, also known as purity, is a virtue related to temperance. Someone who is ''chaste'' refrains either from sexual activity considered immoral or any sexual activity, according to their state of life. In some contexts, for example when ma ...
, ''Tinagoan'' challenges the emergent value that tolerates
divorce Divorce (also known as dissolution of marriage) is the process of terminating a marriage or marital union. Divorce usually entails the canceling or reorganizing of the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage, thus dissolving the ...
. Such novels were seen as fictionalized renditions of their writers' stand or traditions and practices which were subjected to debate in the school stage and within the pages of periodicals. The pre-war period in the Philippines is sometimes referred to as the Golden Age of Vernacular Literature, with the 1930s marking a boundary between two kinds of popular writing: the predominantly propagandistic and the more commercialized escapist literature that proliferated since the Commonwealth period. In the year 1930, Bisaya Magasin started publishing in Cebuano. In 1936 Cebuano writers started publishing anthologies; readers engaged in amateur literary criticism; and complaints of plagiarism livened up the weekly news. Periodicals that featured creative writing mushroomed, although most of these were short-lived. The generally considered first feminist Cebuano novel, ''
Lourdes Lourdes (, also , ; oc, Lorda ) is a market town situated in the Pyrenees. It is part of the Hautes-Pyrénées department in the Occitanie region in southwestern France. Prior to the mid-19th century, the town was best known for the Châte ...
'' by
Gardeopatra G. Quijano Gardeopatra Gador Quijano (April 27, 1918 – May 3, 2003) was a Filipino Visayan dentist, teacher, writer, and fiction author known for her novel, ''Lourdes'', which is regarded as the first feminist novel written in the Cebuano language. Sh ...
was serialized in the period May 26 to September 23, 1939 in ''
Bag-ong Kusog ''Bag-ong Kusog'' (''New Force'') was a periodical in the Cebuano language that was in circulation before World War II. Established in 1915 in Cebu, Philippines, with its bilingual predecessor, ''Nueva Fuerza,'' it was published every Friday unt ...
'' (New Force), the most popular pre-war periodical. It has been predicted by no less than the late novelist and Philippine National Artist for Literature
N. V. M. González Néstor Vicente Madali González (8 September 1915 – 28 November 1999) was a Filipino novelist, short story writer, essayist and, poet. Conferred as the National Artist of the Philippines for Literature in 1997. Biography He was born on 8 ...
that Philippine literature in English will die, leaving the regional literature ( Ilokano,
Waray Waray may refer to: * Waray people of the Philippines * Waray language, the fifth most spoken native language of the Philippines, spoken by the Waray people * Waray literature * Warray language Warray (Waray) was an Australian language spoken ...
, etc.). In the case of Cebuano literature, this has been the case. Some of the prominent writers and poets in the Visayas and Mindanao who used to write in English have shifted to Cebuano. Among them are Davao-based
Macario Tiu Macario is a Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, and Filipino name. It may refer to: People * Catarina Macario, Brazilian-American footballer * Erminio Macario, Italian actor and comedian * Macario Peralta, Jr., Filipino soldier and lawyer * Macario S ...
,
Don Pag-usara Don, don or DON and variants may refer to: Places *County Donegal, Ireland, Chapman code DON *Don (river), a river in European Russia *Don River (disambiguation), several other rivers with the name *Don, Benin, a town in Benin *Don, Dang, a vill ...
, and Satur Apoyon, and
Cebu Cebu (; ceb, Sugbo), officially the Province of Cebu ( ceb, Lalawigan sa Sugbo; tl, Lalawigan ng Cebu; hil, Kapuroan sang Sugbo), is a province of the Philippines located in the Central Visayas region, and consists of a main island and ...
-based
Ernesto Lariosa Ernesto Degumbis Lariosa, also known as Nyor Erning, (December 11, 1944 – August 20, 2019) was a Filipino Visayan writer, poet, and columnist from Cebu, Philippines and a three-time Palanca awardee in Cebuano short story. In 2003, he was recogn ...
(a Focus Philippines Poetry Awardee in 1975) and Rene Amper (a two-time Palanca awardee for English poetry). These giants of Cebuano literature are now regularly contributing to Bisaya Magasin; their shift to Cebuano writing has influenced young Cebu and Mindanao-based writers in English to follow suit (among them are
Michael Obenieta Michael may refer to: People * Michael (given name), a given name * Michael (surname), including a list of people with the surname Michael Given name "Michael" * Michael (archangel), ''first'' of God's archangels in the Jewish, Christian and ...
,
Gerard Pareja Gerard is a masculine forename of Proto-Germanic origin, variations of which exist in many Germanic and Romance languages. Like many other early Germanic names, it is dithematic, consisting of two meaningful constituents put together. In this ca ...
, Adonis Durado,
Januar Yap ''Januar'' is the debut studio album by Serbian recording artist Ana Nikolić. It was released on 23 August 2003 by City Records. Nikolić worked with several producers on the album, mainly Aleksandar Milić Mili who is known for his work with Ser ...
, Jeneen Garcia,
Marvi Gil ''Marvi'' ( ur, ) is a Pakistani drama series broadcast on Pakistan Television Corporation (PTV) in 1993. It was a modern version of a Sindhi folktale, "Umar Marvi". It starred Ghazal Siddique as Marvi and Hassam Qazi as Umar. It was adapted ...
, Delora Sales,
Cora Almerino Cora Almerino is a Cebuano language, Cebuano Visayan writer. Her poems were included in ''Sinug-ang: A Cebuano trio'' published by Women in Literary Arts in 1999. References

Year of birth missing (living people) Living people Visayan writer ...
and
Raul Moldez Raul, Raúl and Raül are the Italian, Portuguese, Romanian, Spanish, Galician, Asturian, Basque, Aragonese, and Catalan forms of the Anglo-Germanic given name Ralph or Rudolph. They are cognates of the French Raoul. Raul, Raúl or Raül may r ...
). In 1991, Cebuano poet
Ernesto Lariosa Ernesto Degumbis Lariosa, also known as Nyor Erning, (December 11, 1944 – August 20, 2019) was a Filipino Visayan writer, poet, and columnist from Cebu, Philippines and a three-time Palanca awardee in Cebuano short story. In 2003, he was recogn ...
received a grant from the
Cultural Center of the Philippines The Cultural Center of the Philippines ( fil, Sentrong Pangkultura ng Pilipinas, or CCP) is a government-owned and controlled corporation established to preserve, develop and promote arts and culture in the Philippines.Presidential Decree No. ...
. He used the grant to introduce the ''4-s'' in Cebuano poetry: ''social sense'', ''sound'' and ''story''. The language he used was slack, devoid of strong metaphors. He used the language of the home and of the streets. Writer-scholar Dr. Erlinda Alburo, director of the
Cebuano Studies Center Cebuano may refer to: * Cebuano people * Cebuano language See also * Cebuano literature * Cebuano theater * Cebuano Wikipedia The Cebuano Wikipedia ( ceb, Wikipedya sa Sinugboanon) is the Cebuano-language edition of Wikipedia, the free online ...
of the
University of San Carlos The University of San Carlos, also referred to by its acronym USC or colloquially shortened to San Carlos, is a private, Catholic, research, coeducational basic and higher education institution administered by the Philippine Southern Province ...
noted in a forum sponsored by the university's theater guild in 2003 that the young writers (those given above) have given a new voice to Cebuano fiction. They have introduced modern writing styles, experimented with the Cebuano language and explored themes which have never been elaborated before by their predecessors. Other influential Cebuano writers are Anito Beronilla, Vicente Vivencio Bandillo and Richel Dorotan, who is also known as Omar Khalid, his pen name. The poetry of Vicente Bandillo, a native of Alcantara, Cebu, has surrealist elements. There are now emerging number of publications featuring fiction and poetry in Cebuano. The ownership of the de facto literary journal, '' Bisaya Magasin'', was transferred from the Chinese-owned
Liwayway Publishing, Inc. ''Liwayway''''Liwayway''
Komiklopedia, The Philippine Komiks Encyclopedia, Komiklopedia.wor ...
to
Napoleon Rama Napoleon "Nap" Genson Rama, PLH (July 27, 1923 – January 10, 2016) was a Filipino Visayan lawyer, journalist, and writer in English and Spanish from Cebu, Philippines. He was the Vice President of the 1971 Constitutional Convention and the Fl ...
's Manila Bulletin Publishing in 2003, ushering a change in layout, acceptance policies and an increase in contributors' fees. Aside from the reinvigoration of Bisaya Magasin, Cebu-based publishing houses have also started tabloids in the language (''Banat News'' of Freeman Publications and ''SunStar SuperBalita'' of SunStar Publications). These tabloids have bigger circulation than their English counterparts. The U.P. National Writers Workshop every October and the
Iligan National Writers Workshop Iligan, officially the City of Iligan ( ceb, Dakbayan sa Iligan; fil, Lungsod ng Iligan; Maranao: ''Inged a Iligan''), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in the region of Northern Mindanao, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it ...
every summer have reserved slots for Cebuano writers. In every edition of these workshops, there are Cebuano works that are being dissected or discussed by the panelists. In 1998, the Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature opened the Cebuano literature category.


Notable works

*''Aginid, Bayok sa Atong Tawarik'' – an oral dance epic detailing Lapulapu's life and
Ferdinand Magellan Ferdinand Magellan ( or ; pt, Fernão de Magalhães, ; es, link=no, Fernando de Magallanes, ; 4 February 1480 – 27 April 1521) was a Portuguese explorer. He is best known for having planned and led the 1519 Spanish expedition to the Eas ...
's arrival in the Philippine islands *''
Lagda sa Pagca Maligdon sa Tauong Bisaya Lagda is a census town and a gram panchayat in the Purulia I CD block in the Purulia Sadar subdivision of the Purulia district in the state of West Bengal, India. Geography Location Lagda is located at . Area overview ...
'' (1734) – a Cebuano code of conduct written by an anonymous author *''
La Teresa LA most frequently refers to Los Angeles, the second largest city in the United States. La, LA, or L.A. may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * La (musical note), or A, the sixth note * "L.A.", a song by Elliott Smith on ''Figure ...
'' (1852) – possibly the first novel (or "sugilambong") in the Cebuano language, a code of conduct written by Fr. Antonio Ubeda de la Santisima Trinidad *''Alimpatar'' (1876) – a " linambay" play; the oldest existing linambay manuscript *'' Maming'' (1901) – the first Cebuano short story (or "sugilanon"), written by
Vicente Sotto Vicente Yap Sotto (born Vicente Sotto y Yap; April 18, 1877 – May 28, 1950) was a Filipino playwright, journalist, and politician who served as a Senator from 1946 to 1950. He also served in the House of Representatives from 1922 to 1925, repr ...
*'' Elena'' (1902) – the first Cebuano play, written by Vicente Sotto *" Hikalimtan?" (1906) – a poem written by Vicente Ranudo *''Daylinda'' (1912) – a novel by
Amando Osório Amando Navarette Osório (1890–1946) was a Filipino Visayan poet, playwright, novelist, and Cebu deputy governor. His novel ''Daylinda, Ang Walay Palad'' (Daylinda, the Unfortunate) was the first historical fiction in Cebuano literature and the ...
*''Patria Amada'' (1916) – a play written by
Amando Osório Amando Navarette Osório (1890–1946) was a Filipino Visayan poet, playwright, novelist, and Cebu deputy governor. His novel ''Daylinda, Ang Walay Palad'' (Daylinda, the Unfortunate) was the first historical fiction in Cebuano literature and the ...
*''
La Oveja de Nathan LA most frequently refers to Los Angeles, the second largest city in the United States. La, LA, or L.A. may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * La (musical note), or A, the sixth note * "L.A.", a song by Elliott Smith on ''Figure ...
'' (1927) – a novel written by Antonio Abad *"Inday" (1959) – a poem by
Leonardo C. Dioko Leonardo is a masculine given name, the Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese equivalent of the English, German, and Dutch name, Leonard. People Notable people with the name include: * Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519), Italian Renaissance scient ...
*"Mga Luha sa Nahanawng Kagahapon" (1977) – a poem by
Melchor U. Yburan Melchor may refer to: * Melchor (name) * Melchor Island in Chile *Melchor Ocampo, Nuevo León, a municipality in Mexico *Melchor Ocampo, State of Mexico, a town and municipality in Mexico *Villa de Tututepec de Melchor Ocampo, a town and municipalit ...


See also

* Cebuano theater * Philippine literature for literatures of other
languages of the Philippines There are some 120 to 187 languages spoken in the Philippines, depending on the method of classification. Almost all are Malayo-Polynesian languages native to the archipelago. A number of Spanish-influenced creole varieties generally called C ...


References

* Alburo, Erlinda. "Gardeopatra Quijano's 'Lourdes': The Nascent of the Feminist Cebuano Novel". Budaya Vol. 1, p. 1-3. (Manila: G&D Publishing, 2003)


External links

*{{in lang, ceb}
Visayan folkloreCebuano-language texts at Project GutenbergProject Gutenberg of the Philippines
Philippine literature Visayan literature