#precolonial

🇵🇭✨️ Undas is almost here! This weekend, many Filipinos will be heading to the cemeteries to visit the graves and tombs of their loved ones who have departed this life.

Known as Undas, Unras, Dáun, Kalag-Kalag, Pistang Kalag, Pista'y Inatey, or more commonly as Araw ng mga Patay, Nov 1-2 is when Filipinos across the world celebrate and honor the lives of those who have passed.

While the dates may have been influenced from All Soul's Day, the practices and beliefs are pre-colonial in origin, as we already had yearly celebrations of the dead during their death anniversary.

Let's discuss what Undas is and some of the pre-colonial beliefs and practices regarding the spirits, the afterlife, burial practices, and more! ✨️

➡️✨️❗️To read the full article, with more details and research, head to my blog and read my latest post, "Kalag: Honoring the Ancestors".

~ Vessel in the form of a prone creature.

Date: 100 B.C.–A.D. 200

Culture: Zapotec

Period: Formative

Place of origin: Mexico, Oaxaca, Central Valley of Oaxaca

Yesterday marked the 128th Philippine Independence Day (June 12), and to celebrate my home country's rich history, vibrant culture, and enduring spirit, I illustrated this special Neopets piece featuring Meridell's legendary knight, Sir Jeran, alongside my Neosona, Helena Baek (Helena White), whom I matched because I like playing matchmaker for the characters.

As shown in my artwork, I wanted to capture two completely distinct eras of Filipino fashion and performance, contrasting the elegant, Spanish-influenced colonial period with the fierce, opulent beauty of my precolonial ancestors. Seeing characters from Neopia step into the history of my own world was an incredibly fulfilling way to honor my heritage!

Cultural & Artistic Breakdown

The artwork is divided into two distinct cultural showcases:

1. The Colonial Era: The Elegance of the Cariñosa

On the left side, Jeran and Helena are depicted performing the Cariñosa, a traditional Philippine folk dance of Hispanic origin. Meaning "the affectionate one," this courtship dance is a graceful game of hide-and-seek.

 Jeran trades his Meridellian armor for a beautifully embroidered Barong Tagalog, a lightweight, translucent traditional shirt woven from fine fibers, paired with classic trousers. He was waved with a crisp white handkerchief by Helena herself, a vital prop used to tease and flirt during the dance's choreography.

 Helena is dressed in a magnificent Maria Clara-style baro’t saya. Her outfit features the characteristic wide bell sleeves of her blouse (baro), a delicate shawl (pañuelo) draped over her shoulders, and a striking, structural panel skirt (saya) in bold lime green and black stripes. She holds a matching turquoise folding fan, used playfully to hide her face during the dance's rhythmic steps.

2. The Precolonial Era: The Opulence of the Visayan Datu and Noblewoman

On the right side, the timeline shifts back centuries to celebrate the rich, indigenous heritage of the precolonial Visayas. This section pays homage to the legendary craftsmanship, artistry, and body modification of my ancestors.

 Jeran is envisioned as a Datu (a tribal chief or sovereign prince). His fur is adorned with intricate Batok tattoos—symbolizing immense bravery, battlefield victories, and high social standing. He wears a vibrant red pudong (headcloth) adorned with fresh white flowers, a traditional practice where both men and women wore blossoms to signify beauty and status, and a wrapped lower garment (malong or bahag style pants) secured with an ornate golden belt. His chest, arms and legs were layered with heavy, interlocking precolonial gold jewelry, reflecting the immense wealth of the archipelago before Western contact.

Helena is styled as a precolonial noblewoman (babaeng maharlika or binukot princess). Like Jeran, she is also adorned with Batok tattoos—symbolizing beauty, maturity, and high social standing for women. She wears a brilliantly patterned, vivid lime green tube top or tapis with a turquoise skirt or saya, accented with a rich brown sash draped over her arm. Her fingers are adorned with janggay—elongated, pointed golden claw extensions used in traditional dances to extend the line of the hands and emphasize expressive gestures. Her look is completed with flowers, gold jewelry and premium golden South Sea pearls gathered into statement necklaces and dangling delicately from her elaborate hair accessories.

Artist Notes & Process

Blending the fantasy world of Neopets with authentic historical attire required a lot of care, especially when adapting the precolonial Visayan tattoos to Jeran's Lupe anatomy! I really wanted the gold jewelry to pop against their vibrant blue and pink palettes, and choosing contrasting colors for the colonial skirts and precolonial fabrics helped emphasize the joyful, celebratory movement of the dances.

Thank you for looking, and to all my fellow Filipinos out there—maligayang pista ng kalayaan natin! 🇵🇭✨

Happy World Art Day! 🎨 🖌️ (𝘶𝘱𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘮𝘺 𝘋𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘈𝘳𝘵 𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵: 𝘈𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘤-𝘈𝘯𝘢)

Finally, I finished my artistic reinterpretation of a Tumao / Noble man wearing a (𝟭) 𝗟𝗶𝗵𝗶𝗻 𝗹𝗶𝗵𝗶𝗻 and holding a (𝟮) 𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗯𝗼𝗻𝗴. This is the first post from my "𝐖𝐞𝐚𝐩𝐨𝐧 𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐕𝐢𝐬𝐚𝐲𝐚𝐬" 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐲 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬, showcasing multiple versions (2 𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 2 𝘣𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴. 𝘐 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘭𝘴𝘰 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘤𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘦-𝘶𝘱 𝘪𝘮𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘺 𝘢𝘳𝘵).

I'll be sharing various depictions of men with Visayan weapons. Upon completion of this series, I'll also present infographic posters detailing their weaponry, attire, and accessories.

𝗔𝗿𝘁𝗶𝘀𝘁’𝘀 𝗡𝗼𝘁𝗲𝘀:

1. I only emphasize Visayan weapons that appear in historical accounts of the pre-colonial Visayas. 2. My inspiration for this featured character's concept originated from observing a photographer in a studio setting under a spotlight. My on-the-job training experience in photo editing, specifically with individuals and places at school, served as my secondary source of inspiration. 3. My designs for the Talibong and its scabbard draw inspiration from multiple Talibongs and scabbards on the internet.

( 1 ) 𝗟𝗶𝗵𝗶𝗻 𝗹𝗶𝗵𝗶𝗻 - formal wear worn during special occasions, according to William Henry Scott ( 2 ) 𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗯𝗼𝗻𝗴 - a traditional single-edged sword or large knife originating from the Visayas region of the Philippines, particularly associated with Aklan and Panay island.

Old Ghana / Wagadou: emerging from prehistoric beginnings, one of West Africa's greatest pre-colonial states was the empire of Old Ghana, although the native name was Wagadou as the phrase 'ghana' simply means 'king'.

From Museum × Stories at Museo Iloilo:

In the 14th and 15th centuries, pre-colonial Filipinos practiced secondary burials, a fascinating ritual where the bones of the deceased were carefully cleaned and placed in coffins made of hardwood. Archaeological discoveries in caves across Western Visayas reveal that these burials were often preceded by elaborate rites. The presence of deformed skulls in many coffins suggests that cranial modification may have played a role in these practices.

One remarkable find was a burial containing a skeleton adorned with gold eye and nose ornaments, declared a National Cultural Treasure. Called the Oton Gold Death Mask is now displayed at National Museum Western Visayas right beside Museo Iloilo. Alongside the burial, 15th-century Chinese, Siamese, and Annamese porcelain were unearthed, highlighting the region's thriving trade connections during that era.

Magwayen Boxer Codex inspired depiction

Below the text in Badlit contains an old folk invocation/prayer that reads:

Malulutong Mahulayon

Kon kami pagahunoson

Ihatag Mo ang kamatayon

Nga tawhay ug malinawon

Kay sa agak nga mahumpayon