Historical Background
Who is Ferdinand Magellan?
his Portuguese explorer arrived in the Philippines in 1521, marking the start of Spanish influence.
What is a ladino poem?
This bilingual poem alternates lines in Tagalog and Spanish, often with religious themes.
What is Doctrina Christiana?
The first book printed in the Philippines (1593) was this bilingual prayer book.
What is the senakulo?
This play depicts Christ’s crucifixion and is performed during Holy Week.
What is Alibata/Baybayin?
The precolonial Filipino script replaced by the Roman alphabet.
What is converting Filipinos to Christianity?
Spain’s two main motives for colonizing the Philippines were the spice trade and this religious goal.
What is an awit?
Florante at Laura* is an example of this narrative poem type with 12 syllables per line.
Who is Tomas Pinpin?
This Filipino wrote the first published work by a native, a Spanish-language primer.
What is the duplo?
A poetic contest held during wakes, featuring puns and riddles.
What are Christian doctrines?
Promoted by Spanish priests.
What is reduccion?
This policy relocated scattered Filipino settlements into centralized towns to aid conversion.
What is the pasyon?
This 5-line stanza poem about Christ’s passion replaced precolonial oral traditions.
What is the first Filipino novel?
Pedro Paterno’s Ninay.
What is the moro-moro?
The moro-moro celebrates Muslim forces' defeat by Christian forces.
What is Europe?
A continent where the Ilustrados went to study.
What is La Solidaridad?
The Propaganda Movement’s newspaper, where reformists like Rizal and del Pilar wrote, was called this.
What is a kurido?
Ibong Adarna* belongs to this faster-paced narrative poem type with 8 syllables per line.
What are Jose Rizal's novels?
Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo
What is the Salubong?
This Easter drama reenacts the meeting of the Risen Christ and the Virgin Mary.
What is propaganda?
This term describes literature’s shift to promoting religion and colonial ideals.
What is June 12, 1898?
The Philippines declared independence from Spain on this date in 1898.
Who are subtly criticized by Florante at Laura?
Spanish Colonizers
What is Kalayaan?
Andres Bonifacio’s essay “Ang Dapat Mabatid ng mga Tagalog” was published in this revolutionary paper.
What is the carillo?
Shadow plays using cardboard figures, performed during fiestas.
What are songs and dances?
The sarsuwela combines drama with these two performance elements.