Region 1 Literature (Biag ni Lam-ang)

Prepared by: Baco, Kendal May D. Camit, Benedict Jan N. De Jose, Allen Jayson R. Quines, Anna Dominique O.

Region 1: Ilocos Region

Region 1
located in the northwest of Luzon Borders: East: the regions of the Cordillera Administrative Region and Cagayan Valley South: the region of Central Luzon West North: South China Sea regional center: San Fernando City, La Union Ilocano speakers: 66% of the region; Pangasinan speakers: 27%; and the Tagalog speakers: 3%. Although it is called the Ilocos region, not all the inhabitants of Region 1 are Ilocanos.

History
first inhabited by the aboriginal Negritos before they were pushed by successive waves of Malay/Austronesian immigrants that penetrated the narrow coast 16th century: the Spanish arrived, and established Christian missions and governmental institutions 1901: the region came under American colonial rule 1941: the region was under Japanese occupation 1945: the combined American and the Philippine Commonwealth troops including with the Ilocano and Pangasinese guerillas liberated the Ilocos Region from Japanese forces during the Second World War

Historical Trivia
Before the formation of the Cordillera Administrative Region, Region 1 also included the provinces of Abra, Mountain Province, and Benguet. Before the administration of Ferdinand Marcos, Pangasinan was not a part of the region. Several modern presidents of the Republic of the Philippines hailed from the Region: Elpidio Quirino, Ferdinand Marcos, and Fidel V. Ramos.

MAP
Ilocos Norte
Capital: Laoag City

Ilocos Sur
Capital: Vigan City

La Union
Capital: San Fernando City

Pangasinan
Capital: Lingayen

CULTURE and TRADITIONS

General Culture
Residents of Region 1 are hardworking, brave, cheerful, independent and simple. They fear gossip and strongly avoid being envied by others. They value the fruit of their labor and are wise in spending the money they earned. Bain: (hiya or amor propio) sense of shame Panagdayaw: respect for the sensitivities of others

Family
conforms to the general Filipino pattern. Most families compose of an average size (67 persons). Father: the head of the family Mother: the Ilaw ng tahanan (light of the home); disciplines the children and takes care of the house budget Eldest child: responsible in dividing the chores equally among siblings

Clothing
Region 1 residents are very meticulous when it comes to clothing. They dress up according to their age and perceived wealth. Everyday wear consists of short pants for boys, and dusters, loose skirts, shirts, and short pants for girls. Farmers wear long-sleeved shirts, long pants, and wide-brimmed hats. During rainy season, they wear a headdress of labig leaves, which extends well down the back.

Wedding Tradition
panagpudno (formal announcement): the groom gives this to the soon-to-be-brides parents to express his intention of marrying their daughter The parents of the soon-to-be-couple consults a planetario, which is like an almanac that identifies lucky days, before deciding on the date of the wedding. The bride and groom usually go through an entertainment ritual. (mung beans ritual) Bitor: the guests contribute cash to the newlyweds either by dropping money onto the plates or by pinning bills to the couples clothes.

Death Tradition
atong wood: lit in front of the deceaseds house to announce a death of a family member. Before the funeral, relatives pay respect by kissing the deceaseds hands or raising it to his/her forehead (mano). Money is placed in the coffin as a pay to the ferry man who takes the soul to the other world. Those who attended the burial in the cemetery must return to the deceaseds home by taking a different route from the one theyve taken to get there. Upon arrival, they must wash their faces and hands. It is said to remove the power of death.

Biag ni Lam-ang
Biag ni Lam-ang (Life of Lam-ang) is a preHispanic Ilocano epic. The epic was very long (about 300 stanzas) Pedro Bukaneg, Father of Ilocano Poetry: first writer to put it down in writing in both Ilokano and Spanish. Bukaneg had retouched the story and put in some Christian material.

Literary Structure
Prologue: The Birth of Lam-ang (lines 5-108) I. The Quest for the Father (lines 109-370)
A. Preparation (lines 109-192); B. Obstacle: Burican (lines 193-261); C. Triumph (lines 262-315); D. Return to Home (lines 315-370

II. The Quest for a Wife (lines 455-1300)

A. Preparation (lines 455-586); B. Obstacles: Sumarang and Saridandan (lines 587-724); C. Wedding Banquet (lines 725-1286); D. Return to Home (lines 725-1286)

Epilogue: The Death and Restoration of the Hero (lines 1301-1477)

Biag ni Lam-ang Story

Thank you for listening.