Ninay

Ninay the first Tagalog novel

Cultural Novel

Pedro Alejandro Paterno

Ninay Book Cover

Born February 27, 1858

Died March 11, 1911

Ninay

According to Dominador D. Buhain in his book A History of Publishing in the Philippines, being the first Filipino novel, Ninay marked the beginning of the awakening of national consciousness among the Filipino intelligentsia.

Being a "largely cultural" novel, the narrative provides a "folkloristic tour" of the distinctive culture of the Philippines.

Composed of 262 pages, the 1908 Tagalog version of the novel was published by the Limbagan Nang La Republika Kiotan Bilang 30 during the American period in Philippine history.

Summary

Nínay is the first novel authored by a native Filipino.

Originally written in the Spanish language by Pedro Alejandro Paterno when he was twenty-three years old and while living in Spain in 1885, the novel was later translated into English in 1907 and into Tagalog in 1908.