Mga Epiko (Epics)

Epics are the major oral literary forms found among the various ethnic groups. These epics have the following characteristics : The story is about a supernatural or heroic person of ancient times; it is based on oral tradition; it is composed in verse; and it is sung or chanted.

Epics still have a place in the life of cultural minorities and are sung during times of gathering, such as weddings and wakes. They entertain the community with the heroic deeds of their ancestors. They also convey the customs and beliefs of previous generations. often providing examples for the next generation to follow. Philippine folk epics stress such themes as strong kinship bonds, reprocity and cooperation, a deep sense of community, ethnic pride, and love of freedeom.

Through the epic, a human society transmits the memory of the ancestors, a total and independent world and its very presence in the world.