A brief survey of Iloko literature from the beginnings to its present development, with a bibliography of works pertaining to the Iloko people and their language, by Leopoldo Y. Yabes.

4 ILOKO LITERATURE
paratively short stature indicates considerable primitive mixture. * * * The true Iloko house is..unique in structure. The
houses of the peasants are much better built and neater kept
than amongst most other Filipino groups. They preserve many
social customs and beliefs of pre-Spanish days. * * * On the
whole the Ilokos are fervently religious, energetic workers, and
good fighters, equalling in these respects, if not exceeding, any
other group in the Islands".10
The following comparison of the characteristics and traits
of the Tagalogs, Bisayans, and Ilokos by an Iloko writer should
prove interesting and enlightening:"
"The Visayan is essentially a troubadour, the Tagnlog a poet, and
the Ilocano a utility man. The Visayan interprets life in ternms of emotion,
the Tagalog in terms of aesthetic beauty. and the Ilocano in terms of usefulness. Hence we find the Visayan affectionate and demonstrative, the
Tagalog artistic and academic, and the Ilocano reserved and orthodox.
"The Ilocano hides his emotions, represses his feelings; the Visayan
lets life pass through him; the Tagalog looks at life from a distance.
The Ilocano is a man of action, the Visayan a creature of emotion, the
Tagalog a person of intellect. There are many instances in which charaoteristics of the three groups are found in individuals in all of the groups,
but distinctions do not alter with the mass.
"The Visayan is a child of the tropics, colorful, virginal, volcanic; the
Tagalog is a product of cities and schools, fastidious, academic; the
Ilocano is a creature evolved by harsh economic laws. Wliile the Visayan
lives on in apparent. unconcern, the Tagalog thinks and dreams, and the
Ilocano works and drudges.
"The Ilocano thinks as he works.... He is at his W)ost in tight
situations where quick decisions have to be made. He is clear-headed when
active and generally useless at leisure. Ilccano heroes are men of action
and quick decision like Luna, Aglipav, Ricarte, and Silang. * * *
"The Ilocano's patience and endurance ard his ability to stick and
concentrate on anything he does is the secret of his success. His progress
is not spectacular; he hammers his way through. * * *
"Home ties are very strong among Visayan, who. especially the girls,
get homesick when away from their folks. While the Ilocano docs not
care where he xoes. the Visavan does; while the Ilocano can feel at home
anywhere. a Visayan is harder to transplant. * *
"...Tagalogs and Visayans are devoted Catholics, but the greater
bulk of the Ilocanos revolted from the Roman Catholic church thirty years
ago and joined the national Philippine Independent church. Ilocanos have
nationalized their churches; they even went to the extent of consecrating
Filipino heroes as saints. The religious revolt made men question practices,
taboos, and doctrines of Catholicism. Yet Ilocano girls are more orthodox
and conservative than Tagalogs and Visayans; nor are cabarets found in
the Ilocos. * * *
"Despite the fact that home ties are stronger among Tagalogs and
Visayans, Ilocanos are the most clannish Filipinos. An Ilocano can go
anywhere, penetrate into strange territory and get along well and make
friends with everybody, but once he has a paisano near him, the two stick
10-Beyer, H. Otley, op. cit., pp. 46-47.
11-Leanio, Fernando. "Some Common Conceptions of Ilocanos,
Tagalogs, and Visayans", in the Literary Apprentice, v. 4, 1930-1931 pp.
93-97.