Biag Ni Lam-Ang

Region I Literature
Pre-colonial Iloko literature were

composed of folk songs, riddles,
proverbs, lamentations called dung-
aw, and epic stories in written or oral
form. Ancient Ilokano poets
expressed themselves in folk and war
songs as well as the dallot, an
improvised, versified and at times
impromptu long poem delivered in a
sing-song manner.
Iloko Poetry in Spanish Era
The earliest known written Iloko poems were the
romances translated from Spanish by Francisco
Lopez, an Augustinian friar who, in 1621,
published his own Iloko translation of the
Doctrina Cristiana by Cardinal Bellarmine, the
first book to be printed in Iloko.

A study of Iloko poetry could be found in the
Gramatica Ilokana, published in 1895, based on
Lopez's Arte de la Lengua Iloca, earlier published
in 1627, but was probably written before 1606.
Pedro
Bukaneg
Father of
Ilokano Poetry
and Literature
Pedro Bukaneg was said to have been
thrown by his parents down the Abra
River while still an infant because he
was blind. A woman who found him
gave him away to an Augustinian
priest. He was christened Pedro
Bukaneg. He was cared for, and sent
to school until he became proficient
in Spanish and Samtoy (Ilokano
dialect).

Biag ni Lam-ang is an epic poem of
the Ilokano people from the Ilocos
region of the Philippines. Recited
and written in the original Iloko, the
poem is believed to be a composite
work of various poets who passed it
on through the generations, and was
first transcribed around 1640 by a
blind Ilokano bard named Pedro
Bucaneg.

Biag ni Lam-ang

Summary of Biag ni Lam-ang
Don Juan and his wife Namongan lived in Nalbuan, now part of La Union in
the northern part of the Philippines. They had a son named Lam-ang. Before
Lam-ang was born, Don Juan went to the mountains in order to punish a
group of their Igorot enemies. While he was away, his son Lam-ang was born.
It took four people to help Namongan give birth. As soon as the baby boy
popped out, he spoke and asked that he be given the name Lam-ang. He also
chose his godparents and asked where his father was.

After nine months of waiting for his father to return, Lam-ang decided he
would go look for him. Namongan thought Lam-ang was up to the challenge
but she was sad to let him go. During his exhausting journey, he decided to
rest for awhile. He fell asleep and had a dream about his father's head being
stuck on a pole by the Igorot. Lam-ang was furious when he learned what had
happened to his father. He rushed to their village and killed them all, except
for one whom he let go so that he could tell other people about Lam-ang's
greatness.

Upon returning to Nalbuan in triumph, he was bathed by women in the
Amburayan river. All the fish died because of the dirt and odor from Lam-
ang's body.

Summary of Biag ni Lam-ang
Don Juan and his wife Namongan lived in Nalbuan, now part of La Union in
the northern part of the Philippines. They had a son named Lam-ang. Before
Lam-ang was born, Don Juan went to the mountains in order to punish a
group of their Igorot enemies. While he was away, his son Lam-ang was born.
It took four people to help Namongan give birth. As soon as the baby boy
popped out, he spoke and asked that he be given the name Lam-ang. He also
chose his godparents and asked where his father was.

After nine months of waiting for his father to return, Lam-ang decided he
would go look for him. Namongan thought Lam-ang was up to the challenge
but she was sad to let him go. During his exhausting journey, he decided to
rest for awhile. He fell asleep and had a dream about his father's head being
stuck on a pole by the Igorot. Lam-ang was furious when he learned what had
happened to his father. He rushed to their village and killed them all, except
for one whom he let go so that he could tell other people about Lam-ang's
greatness.

Upon returning to Nalbuan in triumph, he was bathed by women in the
Amburayan river. All the fish died because of the dirt and odor from Lam-
ang's body.

There was a young woman named Ines Kannoyan whom Lam-ang
wanted to woo. She lived in Calanutian and he brought along his white
rooster and gray dog to visit her. On the way, Lam-ang met his enemy
Sumarang, another suitor of Ines whom he fought and readily defeated.

Lam-ang found the house of Ines surrounded by many suitors all of
whom were trying to catch her attention. He had his rooster crow,
which caused a nearby house to fall. This made Ines look out. He had
his dog bark and in an instant the fallen house rose up again. The girl's
parents witnessed this and called for him. The rooster expressed the
love of Lam-ang. The parents agreed to a marriage with their daughter
if Lam-ang would give them a dowry valued at double their wealth.
Lam-ang had no problem fulfilling this condition and he and Ines were
married.

It was a tradition to have a newly married man swim in the river for the
rarang fish. Unfortunately, Lam-ang dove straight into the mouth of the
water monster Berkakan. Ines had Marcos get his bones, which she
covered with a piece of cloth. His rooster crowed and his dog barked
and slowly the bones started to move. Back alive, Lam-ang and his wife
lived happily ever after with his white rooster and gray dog.

Biag Ni Lam-Ang

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Region I Literature

Pre-colonial Iloko literature were

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