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Lifestyle | Arts
By Ryanne Co
May 11, 2022
Cover (Photo Unsplash)
The pen is indeed mightier than the sword as proven by these Filipino books that have shaped the course of our history
The page remembers, and it has plenty to tell. As confusing as history can be, we can be sure that our writers and storytellers have captured it for us to remember. For National Heritage Month, we spotlight these five important books that have not only shaped our history, but have also inspired and paved the way for both writers and readers.
Read more: Tracing the Origins of ourFilipinoSurnames
1. Doctrina Christiana
Above (Photo: @bookshelf1010 on Instagram)
Acknowledged to be the first book printed in the Philippines, theDoctrina Christianais one that showcases the history and culture of a time often forgotten. Printed in 1593, theDoctrina Christianawas published using Chinese woodblocks in Manila. It contains multiple Christian prayers: the Lord's Prayer and the Hail Mary to name a few, all written in Spanish, in Tagalog (Roman letters), and even in Baybayin. It reveals not just the fascinating historical languages of these islands, but also shows us a glimpse of the communication styles and barriers, as well as the attitudes of the Spanish friars who created the book. Incredibly priceless, it is kept in the United States Library of Congress but has since been digitalised.
2. "Noli Me Tangere" & "El Filibusterismo" by Jose Rizal
Above (Photo: @marafranzeska on Instagram)
Jose Rizal's classic works cannot be left out of a list of important Filipino books. Despite Rizal's stance as a reformist and not a revolutionist, his novels helped to create a domino effect that inspired Filipinos to stand up to their colonisers. In his books, he artistically yet openly depicted the truths of Spanish brutality and corruption, painting a picture of this kanser ng lipunan (social cancer). Now known as the National Hero of the country, Rizal was forever immortalised through his published works and ideas.
Read more: Barong Tagalog: The History Of The TraditionalFilipinoAttire
3. "The Conjugal Dictatorship" by Primitivo Mijares
Above (Photo: @jujo.ph on Instagram)
Now more than ever, it has become important to safe keep even the darkest histories from our past (lest we forget). Primitivo Mijares'The Conjugal Dictatorshipis the perfect example of such. In his foreword, Mijares writes: "I thought that, if I did not perpetuate this work for posterity, Marcos might unduly benefit from a Laurelian statement that, when a man dies, the virtues of his past are magnified and his faults are reduced to molehills."
The Conjugal Dictatorshipreports on the atrocities and excesses of the Marcos dictatorship. It was a first-of-its-kind book at the time of publication in 1976. Shortly after it was published in the United States, the author disappeared and his son, Boyet Mijares, was later found dead after being brutally tortured. An important book in and of itself, the Filipino people mustn't waste the immense sacrifice—at least two human lives—that it took for this book to reach our hands.
Read more: Colour in PH Politics: What are You Wearing on Halalan 2022?
4. "Banaag at Sikat" by Lope K Santos
Above (Photo: @penguinbookssea on Instagram)
A political tale structured as a romance, Lope K Santos'Banaag at Sikat is often acknowledged as an important read for the Filipino working class. In fact, it has been hailed as Asia's first proletariat novel. But the ideas of social realism weren't the book's only contribution to the Filipino literary scene. It also helped cement Tagalog as a language for literary writing. In fact, historian Teodoro Agoncillo has acknowledged the book as a major contributor that "started the system of writing a Tagalog novel".
5. "Ladlad: An Anthology of Gay Writing" by Danton Remoto and J Neil Garcia
Above (Photo: @90skabaklaan on Instagram)
The Philippines is perhaps one of the more conservative countries in Asia. Despite much Western influence, Filipinos are still traditionalists at heart, and due to the prevalence of Christianity and Catholicism, Filipinos are also averse to ideas deemed offensive or taboo. These include ideas such as abortion, divorce, and even hom*osexuality. Only recently has there been a movement towards inclusion, but in the late '90s, the term "bakla" or "gay" was still deemed an insult.
At this time, discrimination was rampant, which is why Danton Remoto and J Neil Garcia's anthology titled Ladladwas a breakthrough in the literary scene. It was a first of its kind in the country: a book that explored the experiences of gay men. Often robbed of their voices, people were finally given a platform to share their stories through poems, plays, and short narratives. Now, more than twenty years after its publication, Ladlad has become something of a classic in many gender studies circles.
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books filipino philippines
