Philippine Literature

Philippine
Literature
Region IX
an administrative region and a
peninsula
known as Zamboanga Peninsula
( ZamPen )
Region IX
Previously known as Western
Mindanao before the enactment

of Executive Order No. 36 on
September 19, 2001
Pagadian City
the regional center of ZamPen
Provinces in Region IX
consists of 3 provinces
1. Zamboanga del Norte
2. Zamboanga del Sur
3. Zamboanga Sibugay
Cities in Region IX
5 component cities
Dapitan City, ZDN

Dipolog City, ZDN
Pagadian City, ZDS
Zamboanga City
Isabela City, Basilan
Evolution of the Name Zamboanga

Early Malay settlers called the region
Jambangan which means City of

Flowers. These Malays who built their
settlements by the river banks were
Subanons, i.e.,people of the river.
Later, the Samas and the Badjaos who all the
way in their vintas also settled here, building

their frail huts along the shorelines and
confused Jambangan with Samboangan.
Samboangan comes from the word
sabuan the wooden pole which they used

to help push their vintas in shallow waters or
to ready these for mooring.
Tribal Heritage
o About a third of the regions population is
composed of ethnic people.

o These groups, usually erroneously classified
under the general heading of Muslims, are
actually distinct from each other in culture.
o They are generally divided into the Tausugs,
Yakans, Badjaos, Samals, and the Subanons of
Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur,
and Zamboanga Sibugay.
Subanens / Subanons
o considered the aborigines of Zamboanga
o derived from suba (river), means people of
the river
Badjaos
o
the Philippine sea gypsies, spent their lives

on their small boats
o two groups: the southern Badjaos of Sulu and
Tawi-Tawi, who call themselves a single
bangsa or ethnic group; and the northern
Badjaos of the Basilan and Zamboanga groups
o they go on land and are buried on land and
make frequent trips to their cemeteries to
seek favors from spirits of their deceased
ancestors and relatives
Samas
o generally inhabit the shorelines of northern
and southern Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, Basilan, as well

as the Zamboanga Peninsula and nearby
islands.
o Seven Sama groups inhabit Zamboanga City:
the Sama Banguingui, Sama Laminusa, Sama

Ubian, Sama Siasi, Sama Daungung, Sama
Kaunlunga, and Sama Bitali.
Tausugs
the most politically dominant group in the Sulu
Archipelago
They have a rich culture, an amalgam of different
cultures and foreign influence that dates back to as

early as the 13th century, when Sulu was trading with
China, India, the East Indies, Arabia, and Japan.
They formed the Sultanate of Sulu in the 15th century.
Jolo, which has been the seat of power, is

predominantly Tausug.
Yakans
Lamitan is the home base of the Yakans, found also in
Isabela City and nearby Zamboanga City

Yakan men and women are distinguished by skin-tight
trousers and bulky waist sashes which serve as protection

from bladed weapons or as hummocks in the hills at night.
They boast of their intricately designed hand-woven cloth
which no other tribe in the country can imitate. The loom

that they use, being the type normally used in Indonesia,
has one end fastened to the wall and the other, ending in a
cord, is worn around the waist of the weaver.
Chavacano
The long and relatively continuous presence of
the Spaniards amidst many Filipino ethnic

groupings gave birth to a unique dialect
Chavacano, a Spanish patois and the
predominant medium of communication in the
city today.
The dialect is spoken in Cavite, Cotabato,
Davao, Ternate and Zamboanga City
of
Zamboanga
Peninsula
"The White Horse of Alih" is a story of shame,

dishonor, and redemption.
The short story is about the quaint
Spanish/American colonial culture of the people
of Zamboanga set picturesquely against an
Islamic background.
o It also details the rich Islamic culture
cultivated in most Moro-Islamic areas as

they define themselves against the slow
emergence of a new culture during the
Spanish and American Occupations.
The Elements
SETTING
-> A Moro Village in Zamboanga during the
American Occupation.
CHARACTERS
-> Alih, Omar, Lucy, Fermina, the girl from
Balete, the Imam.
PLOT
-> Alih and Omar devise a plan to redeem their
shame by killing someone.
EXPOSITION
-> Alih and Omar are robbed by pirates while
sailing across the sea.

CONFLICT
-> Alih and Omar want redemption for the
dishonor brought upon them.
CLIMAX
-> Alih kills his brother, Omar.
RESOLUTION
-> Alih is arrested by the authorities, his fate
remains ambiguous.
Summary
The White Horse of Alih" tells the
story of young Alih, and his older

brother Omar, as they try to redeem
themselves from the shame of being
robbed of all of their prized
possessions.
Alih and Omar decide that the only way to
strip themselves of their shame is to cleanse

their body, prepare themselves for burial, and
kill someone.
By killing some random person (and in turn
being killed by the authorities), Omar believes

that Allah will send the eponymous white
horses for them to be carried to paradise.
It was during the Fourth of July Parade at the
plaza.
Before the actual plan was carried off, Alih
reminisces about the three women who have

made incredible impacts in his life: Lucy, an
American girl he met when he was in First Grade;
Fermina, a Christian barmaid he drunkenly flirted
with before he was sentenced to jail for six (6)
months; and the girl from Balete to whom he lost
his virginity.
As he comes back to reality, he sees a girl atop a
float at the back of the parade.

As the float came closer, he starts to compare
the girl to the girl from Balete he slept with.

Suddenly, a drunken Omar rampages around the
plaza, intent on killing anyone who stands in his

way.
As Omar comes closer to the parade girl, Alih
runs in a flash to save her.

In the end, Alih kills Omar and is arrested by the
authorities.
The White Horse

Explained
The eponymous White Horse comes from a

Moro legend which explains that if a Moro
should kill someone (and be killed in the
process), Allah shall send for a white horse to
retrieve his soul and bring it to paradise,
where thousands of houri (women) are waiting
for him.
The Imam, or village priest, warns Alih and
Omar not to continue their plans, as the story
is not true, and bloodshed will not redeem
them. In the end, Alih decides his houri (being
the girls he has shared his life with) is more
important than his white horse.
Mig
Alvarez
Enriquez
->
Zamboangueno
-> short story
writer
-> novelist
-> playwright
Works
NOVELS:
The Devil Flower

House of Images
Two Liberation Plays
Fourth of July, Twice Told
PLAYS:
Lam-Ang
Labaw Donggon
Bantugan
SHORT STORIES:
The White Horse of Alih

A Tale of Two Houses
Maria Clara
Death of a House
The Other Maria Clara
The Guman of Dumalinao

Subanon folk epic ( Dumalinao, Zamboanga
del Sur)
tells of battles fought to defend peace loving
kingdoms against invaders
always chanted during night time

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Philippine

Mindanao before the enactment

the regional center of ZamPen

Dapitan City, ZDN

Evolution of the Name Zamboanga

Jambangan which means City of

Later, the Samas and the Badjaos who all the

way in their vintas also settled here, building

Samboangan comes from the word

sabuan the wooden pole which they used

composed of ethnic people.

the Philippine sea gypsies, spent their lives

and southern Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, Basilan, as well

the Sama Banguingui, Sama Laminusa, Sama

cultures and foreign influence that dates back to as

They formed the Sultanate of Sulu in the 15th century.

Jolo, which has been the seat of power, is

Lamitan is the home base of the Yakans, found also in

Isabela City and nearby Zamboanga City

trousers and bulky waist sashes which serve as protection

which no other tribe in the country can imitate. The loom

the Spaniards amidst many Filipino ethnic

Davao, Ternate and Zamboanga City

"The White Horse of Alih" is a story of shame,

o It also details the rich Islamic culture

cultivated in most Moro-Islamic areas as

sailing across the sea.

The White Horse of Alih" tells the

story of young Alih, and his older

Alih and Omar decide that the only way to

strip themselves of their shame is to cleanse

being killed by the authorities), Omar believes

It was during the Fourth of July Parade at the

reminisces about the three women who have

As he comes back to reality, he sees a girl atop a

float at the back of the parade.

the girl to the girl from Balete he slept with.

plaza, intent on killing anyone who stands in his

runs in a flash to save her.

The White Horse

The eponymous White Horse comes from a

The Devil Flower

The White Horse of Alih

The Guman of Dumalinao

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