#sarimanok

Created this recreation of the partially-lost Sarimanok color logo from the 1960s-1970s as it would've appeared on TVs. Not perfect, but could be close enough to the real thing.

I wrote the word guhit in Baybayin and formed it into a person drawing a sarimanok, a famous creature in the Philippines, showcasing my belief: we get to learn and love our culture through arts.

Ever since I saw on the internet the mock-up logos of famous brands written in Baybayin, I could not help myself but try to learn Baybayin just so I could try to do the same. It was so fun knowing that we have our own writing script, though sadly was no longer commonly used today. I made this artwork in hopes that people would get interested in Baybayin and in our culture like how those people who made the Baybayin mock-ups did to me.

My submission to Likhain Natin: Digital Arts Making Contest by La Salle Filipiniana Dance Company. Did not win, but at least I get to make this :D

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wips

The Sarimanok is a legendary bird from Philippine mythology, particularly that of the Maranao people. It is generally depicted as a fowl with colourful wings and long, feathered tail. Its design usually incorporates spirals and leaf patterns, and it is often shown holding a fish in its beak or talons.

The Sarimanok is so large its crest is said to touch the second heaven. Its crow can rouse all living creatures save for humans, and if it were to ever fall silent, the end of days would soon follow. It is an imporant figure to the Maranao people, appearing as a symbol for everything from universities to television stations.

Image source.

Monster master list.

Day 6 of #Mumuktubre features the majestic Sarimanok, whose name pretty much literally means "rainbow chicken" XD

This guy is originally derived from a totem bird of the Maranao people in the Philippines; the totem is known as the "Itotoro" and was claimed to be a medium to the spirit world with its invisible twin, the Inikadowa. The Sarimanok continues a pattern I saw of how all mythologies seem to have creatures that fit a basic template, in this case, a powerfully magical, extremely rare and unnaturally beautiful bird, similar to the Greek Phoenix, the Egyptian Bennu, the Persian Simurgh, the Chinese Feng-Huang, etc. In this case, the Sarimanok looks like a vibrantly colored rooster, said to bring good luck to those who capture it, sometimes portrayed as a pet or companion to Engkantos (a type of nature spirit that will appear later) and even is said to play a part in Filipino creation myths, where the first man and woman were born when a Sarimanok pecked them out of a tree. In artwork, the Sarimanok is frequently depicted with spirally plumage and often has a fish in its beak or talons. Unlike real chickens, it's viewed as the king of the sky, able to soar like an eagle.

A myth I learned about the Sarimanok is one of my favorite stories I've found in this research, but I don't know its validity. I'll be writing it anyway, but just remember that I'm not completely convinced at this point if it's actually a real pre-colonial myth:

Basically, this legend states that the daughter of a Sultan was having a banquet on her 18th birthday. During this banquet, a beautiful bird flew into the room, to the shock and surprise of the guests and the princess. The bird then transformed into a dashing young man who told the princess that he's basically her spirit animal and has been watching over her for so long. Now that she's 18, he wishes to take her hand in marriage.

So I guess the princess just says "Sure why not?" and so the Sarimanok spirits her away to his kingdom so they can be wed, and neither of them are ever seen again. The Sultan is saddened by the disappearance of his daughter and so decides to commemorate her by...making the Sarimanok a sacred symbol.

Um...okay? I mean I guess the bird's her husband now, so it's easy to remember her that way, but hey, cute little fairy tale story I suppose (and one that has a lot in common with other fairy tales) and I get the feeling there's a little bit of wish-fulfillment in there too.