Fantasy fiction is often associated with heroic archetypes and supernatural elements, shaping the most well-known fantastical worlds in pop culture. Ancient Greek mythology, in particular, continues to influence modern retellings and myth-inspired stories, producing iconic titles such as Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson series, Madeline Miller's The Song of Achilles, and Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey.
Growing up, these were the fictional worlds I was exposed to, full of deaths in harsh winters and chivalrous knights in heavy steel armor. The fantasy fiction widely accessible to Filipino readers is heavily shaped by Western mythology, while Philippine folklore appears in mainstream channels only during Buwan ng Wika or in Filipino subjects at school.
For a region so rich in culture, with its various beliefs and traditions, I find myself wondering what it would be like to read a fantasy that felt closer to home. A fictional universe that represented the nuances of Southeast Asian mythology, much like what Sabrina Victoria presents in The Princess of Himmapan. Agricultural references are distinctly regional, like rambutans becoming Mandalay's primary food source during famine. Clothing is used to represent and preserve culture, with mentions of the paso, taikpon, and the gaung baung, traditional elements of men's formal attire in Myanmar. The incorporation of Kinarees, hybrid creatures of bird and human, and the inclusion of the ethereal Himmapan Forest highlight the beauty and complexity of Southeast Asian culture and folklore.
The question worth asking is: why should stories rooted in our region matter? The most straightforward answer is representation, but one could argue that including Southeast Asian characters in modern retellings of fantasy fiction would be enough of a step forward on its own. However, genuine representation lies in the holistic depiction of a country's historical and contemporary way of life, not merely an addition to an existing Westernized archetype in imaginative literature.
Reading Southeast Asian fantasy literature can deepen our understanding and appreciation of our own identities and cultures. It matters to see ourselves in these characters, to recognize familiar physical features, catch traces of local language, and feel the significance of worlds built around regional histories and mythical creatures. The region's diversity also means that Southeast Asian folklore and mythology offer countless possibilities for fantasy. Southeast Asian myths refuse to be confined to a stereotypical landscape within the genre. Localized fantasy allows these distinct cultures to be carried forward and remembered.
Honoring Southeast Asian culture also means acknowledging the region's long history of colonialism and the ways it continues to shape the stories and popular culture we consume today. For many of us, stories rooted in history often meant revisiting traumatic events caused by colonization. Fantasy presents another possibility: imagining worlds where our ancestral cultures are not merely subjects of history but sources of wonder and power.
Reading Southeast Asian fantasy can become an act of reclaiming that cultural power and allowing our ancestors' long-suppressed voices to be heard. It emphasizes the beauty of our region through language, clothing, cuisine, and geography, building a fictional world that invites us to imagine ourselves getting lost in it.
So why does Southeast Asian folklore belong on our bookshelves?
The simple answer is that it represents our heritage. The more complex answer is that it reinforces our identity, one that existed long before colonial powers left their permanent marks. It reminds us that we were whole before anyone could convince us otherwise. It reminds us that we are rich, both in culture and in resources, and that we never needed exploitation dressed up as help. Most importantly, it reminds us that we are distinct. We have torrential monsoons instead of ice-cold winters, leather and brass armor instead of heavy-duty steel, rambutans instead of ambrosia, and all of it is distinctly ours.
Philippine folklore lives in stories like Ibong Adarna and in well-known cultural icons such as Darna. Sabrina Victoria's The Princess of Himmapan offers a gateway into other regional mythologies, broadening your cultural awareness and appreciation. While it focuses mainly on Myanmar and Thailand, you will often find yourself resonating with the characters and their environment, a reflection of how interconnected yet ethnically diverse we are within the region.
By Francesca Pedraja