Philippine E-Journals

Playing it by Ear: The Beginnings of Oral History in the Philippines

Marcelino A. Foronda Jr.

Discipline: History, Philippine History

 

Abstract:

Oral history is both ancient and new in the Philippines, and paradoxically among its ancient practitioners were friar chroniclers at the early Spanish contact. Indeed, in pre-colonial times the lore of the race; the legends, tales, proverbs, epics and songs, and the genealogies; in short, the customs and traditions were handed down from one generation to the next by word of mouth.