Hanan, and Tala?
For those of you who aren’t familiar, these names are from our Filipino mythology. This has become a normal response because, believe it or not, Filipino mythology and folklore were often ignored in the academic curriculum. If not, then it would only be briefly discussed or maybe even avoided as much as possible. The reason often stems from an old misconception that anyone who tries to learn these things would be in support of witchcraft and the devil. This kind of perception is the result of the Spanish colonization that had brutally raided and desecrated our ancestors’ way of life. They had forced us to reject our own culture and replace it with theirs, which became the catalyst for how we view it today.
However, we are starting to change and reclaim it. A few Filipinos have awakened from that fog of confusion regarding our mythology and started incorporating it through new mediums of art and further strengthening our Filipino identity, which shows how much it influences us.
Mythology and Art Evolve With Us
Mythology and art are the beating core of one’s civilization. If we review history, one of the earliest art pieces we have is sculptures and cave paintings to honor gods and goddesses. Therefore, without mythology, we wouldn’t have art as prevalent as it is now. Greek mythology is a great example because its mythology has been preserved through incredible marble statues and majestic paintings that we highly regard today. We can do the same for our Filipino mythology.
Nowadays, it’s not just confined to painting and sculpture. It’s present in shows, movies, and books as well for all to enjoy. Although some might not be as accurate to the original myth, it is the thought that counts and our purpose for doing so. It was always meant to inspire us and create art from it. Filipinos are also now incorporating it in their books, such as Edgar Calabia Samar’s Janus Silang, wherein some myths are retold to have depth and create more intriguing twists. Another is a popular comic called Trese, which has now been turned into an animated series featuring characters referencing our mythology and folklore.
Some are also finding ways to make it more interactive through video games and now even tabletop role-playing games for a much more immersive experience, because being immersed in it provides a better chance at learning it. It’s never too late to start either; all of us can try to do it. The next time we’re stuck with an artist’s or writer’s block, we can challenge ourselves to reinterpret our myths or even create a new one and add our own special twist to it as an exercise.
The Filipino Identity
The Philippines is rich in mythology and folklore, yet it has conflicting narratives through Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao—but that shouldn’t stop us from learning it. In fact, these different narratives give us a way to know what our ancestors perceived back then, which we can now revisit anytime thanks to the archives, compilations turned into books, and research scattered across the internet.
I believe in the statement that we should learn from where we came to understand our future because it fills in the gaps of our identity. It provides confidence in one’s culture, which is hard to come by these days because we have struggled to embrace our identity due to the colonization that occurred in the past. It has shifted and morphed so much that we remain alien to it—but we don’t have to anymore. We can reclaim it for ourselves and choose to be free from the misconceptions surrounding our own mythology that haunt our minds. Our mythology acts as a bridge, not only to perceive our ancestors’ old beliefs and traditions, but to directly connect to them, their identity before all these colonizations.
Mythology should be celebrated and honored, not feared, for it is fear that keeps us from understanding our culture and who we are as Filipinos. We should continue to let our mythology live on for future generations in any way we can. Even if we can’t make art or stories, simply reading and sharing are enough. The act of choosing to read and learn is a noble choice because it shows our interest and dedication to our Filipino identity.
Perhaps the next time you visit a bookstore or library, you can try to find a book about our mythology and read through it.
Let us become a living sanctuary for our myths and pass them on to the next, hopefully inspiring them to do the same.
By Tiffany Melo