Cultural Characteristics and Values in Sorsogueños’ Poems

To better understand the Filipino way of life, it is imperative to study the literature of the Philippines specifically the poetry of Sorsogon for it serves as a receptacle and a showcase of cultural characteristics, values, and traditions of Sorsogueños. The contemporary times showcase Sorsogueños’ literature proliferating trilingually in English, Filipino and the vernacular. The desire for self- expression in any language seems to describe that literature is the most effective way to identify what comprises a meaningful human life. This study analyzed and extracted the cultural characteristics and values manifested in Sorsogueños poems. This is a descriptive qualitative study using documentary and content analysis of the works of Sorsogueños’ poets in terms of the cultural characteristics and values manifested in them. The researchers collected 22 published poems in the 16 municipalities of Sorsogon. Analysis of the poems showed the following cultural characteristics viz: Sorsogueños are very religious; they are very sentimental and emotional; very passionate and lovable; optimistic and have positive viewpoint in the future. They are also risk-takers; have regards on the welfare of others, nationalistic have sense of brotherhood/comradeship and full of hope despite hardships in life. Values embodied in the analyzed poems consist of the elements of hospitality, comradeship, nationalism, unselfish love, confidence, ingenuity, courtesy, hopes, aspirations, dreams, culture, and traditions of Sorsogueños.

Key words: Literature, Sorsogueños’ poems, cultural characteristics