Maysia Day 21: Folktales

A lot of Filipinos are probably familiar with this, as it was one I remember the most from my childhood: the tale of Maria Makiling, a diwata that protects Mount Makiling. She is seen as a protector spirit, or even sometimes as a fae or forest nymph that resides there.

Diwata has many meanings and other names in the Philippines now. They’re also known as anito or lambana and this depends on the region and ethnic group. Maria Makiling’s story is also a mixture of pre-colonial and post-colonial beliefs.

 Hey everybody!

So a few months ago, I received a lot of comic book recommendations from a close friend of mine and we have so much fun time reading them all. 

They were all good and worth remembering but one comic book I came to love is called ‘After Lambana’ by Eliza Victoria and Mervin Malonzo. 

So what makes ‘After Lambana’ interesting?

The plot dwelves around the events that happened after the realm of diwatas (fairies) have fallen due to the Magic Prohibition Act being signed by the government. Conrad is suffering a heart condition that human medicine can’t cure so his friend named Ignacio helped him find the cure through illegal means- by using magical cures from the fairies.

But it is not only the enchanted cure we are talking about here, Conrad is bound to uncover secrets only a few people know about. Secrets that will change his life forever.

Its amazing how a few hours or a night can change a person’s life and this comic book was able to portray it properly and with such colorful art style. 

For everybody who wants to check it out, feel free to check out the art from Mervin Malonzo’s website:

http://mervinmalonzo.com/content/after-lambana-comic

 or a preview from Studio Salimbal website: 

http://salimbalcomics.com/chapter/after-lambana-preview

Trust me guys, you won’t be disappointed on reading this one and these wonderful artists deserve so much recognition. 

Thank God for After Lambana.

P.S. Check their other works too! You will love it!

Picture Sources:

http://salimbalcomics.com/chapter/after-lambana-preview

https://elizavictoria.com/category/after-lambana/