Baybayin. Ancient Ink to Modern Link - Kahibalo Foundation
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Baybayin. Ancient ink to modern link

The introduction of the Latin alphabet in the Philippines happened during Spanish colonization. Before that there was Baybayin in the Philippine islands. Often mistakenly synonymous with Alibata, Baybayin is a pre-colonial Philippine syllabary. 

Origin of Baybayin

The name comes from the root word baybáy, which means “spell.” Although mainly associated with Tagalog, it was also widely used in Bisaya, Ilocano, Pangasinan, Bikol, and Pampangan languages. It is believed that Baybayin probably derived from the Kawi script of Java, Bali and Sumatra which have Indian origins. On the other hand, there is a theory that characters of the alphabet took the shape from the clams that were crucial in daily lives of residents of Philippine islands. What is interesting, “Doctrina Christiana” – the first book published in the Philippines in 1593 was in Baybayin (together with Spanish and Tagalog written in Latin). 

Syllabic alphabet

The most noticeable characteristic of the philippino alphabet is the flowing nature of its characters, which gives the script a sense of elegance and movement. The characters are composed of curved lines and graceful loops. It adds an artistic dimension in contrast to the Latin alphabet’s straight lines and rigid angles. The alphabetic system represents a basic sound or phoneme to construct syllables. In contrast, Baybayin operates on a syllabic writing system where each character itself is already a self-contained syllable. 

There are a total of 17 Baybayin characters consisting of 3 vowels and 14 consonants. This foundational set already allows for representing various sounds and words. However, when added with kudlits (or diacritics in Latin alphabet), the complexity of its syllabic representation increases to 45. The arrangement of Baybayin characters is strikingly different from modern scripts. When written, they are not spaced apart. Instead, they are written continuously with vertical lines serving as the only punctuation mark. We can read Baybayin as we read English today. Therefore, one can read Baybayin from left to right in rows progressing from top to bottom. 

Written in bamboo

The Boxer Codex, a Spanish manuscript written around 1590 describes places, customs and ethnic groups in the Philippines (and more). This document described one of the most common methods that pre-Hispanic Filipinos wrote Baybayin. Interestingly, indigenous tribes in Palawan and Mindoro still use it. It involved etching the script using either a dagger or sharpened bamboo split onto indigenous materials. Bamboo was a favored choice due to its availability and versatility. Then, the carvings were wiped with ash to make the characters stand out. 

Cultural heritage

Despite its historical significance, Baybayin has faced a decline in usage over the years ever since the Spanish colonization. However, in recent years revival efforts of Baybayin as a symbol of cultural heritage and identity are increasing. It can be found in various artistic expressions. One can find the characters from tattoos, clothing designs to digital art and calligraphy. Consequently, there is more encouragement to teach people how to read and write Baybayin in order to preserve it. This all aims at reconnecting Filipinos with their indigenous roots from the pre-colonial Philippines.


Author: Azize Alamea Sabellana (USC Student)

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