Here’s My Updated Pinoy Inspired Cinderella And This Time With Her Doña Victorina-ish Step Mom. This

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Maria Makiling is a diwata or lambana (faerie or forest nymph) in Philippine mythology associated with Mount Makiling, Philippines. She is said to be the benefactor of the townspeople who depend on the mountain, as she is responsible for its bounties. It is said that the mountain resembles the profile of a woman, an image of Maria herself.

She is often depicted as one of three characters: a fierce protector of the forest surrounding the mountains, a provider known to give ginger that turns into gold to poor villagers, and a spurned lover afraid to love a mortal once more. Even today there are still reported sightings of her presence, from lost hikers, disappearances attributed to her presences, and students who go to the university at the foot of the mountain, University of the Philippines in Los Baños.

Translations (Filipino to English):

they are maria makiling

part, n./adj.: this is a part of my love, that I can never wholly receive anything from you - whether it be answers, time, or shelter - and that’s okay. [source of original text]

Miss Universe Philippines 2023 Homecoming Outfit

A tribute to Apo Whang Od, as a part two to her final Miss Universe evening gown

Oh the drama

AESTHETIC MEME [1/4] Philippine Mythology/Folklore

┗ The Legend of Maria Makiling: Once upon a time, a diwata lived in a mountain of Laguna. She was called Maria Makiling. She has light olive skin, long shining black hair and twinkling eyes. She was breathtakingly beautiful. Maria was always about helping other people. One time, the children of a farmer got sick. When he went to Maria to seek help, he was given a bilao full of ginger. The farmer sadly went home carrying the bilao of ginger. When he reached his hut, he was greatly surprised: the ginger had turned to gold! Because of Maria’s kindness, the townsfolk had grown to love her. 

AHHH I have three thesis proposals due in 11 days! I already know that thematically I want to explore Asian and Asian American representation in popular American media, but still have to narrow it down.

Here’s some quick character sketches from one of my ideas. I was looking up Filipino legends and found the story of Mariang Sinukuan, a diwata or mountain fairy. She got a little bit of an attitude the more I drew her which is not completely inaccurate based on the stuff I read about her, haha. I might end up doing a big visual development project on her for thesis, but we’ll see how the other two proposals pan out first!

@femmefatalenet | event thirteen: one year celebration | maria makiling

Guardian of the mountain in Philippine mythology

She is responsible for protecting its bounty and acts as benefactor for the townspeople who depend upon the mountain’s resources.

But what if we combine Mermay and Maynananggal?

Behold, a stingray mermaynananggal 🧜‍♀️🦇

Mouthwashing (2024)

A speedy doodle.

I’m quite rusty.

✨️📸🇵🇭 Celebrating and honoring our culture and the ancestors through cultural heritage photoshoots.

Here are some photos from a photoshoot I did in the San Francisco Botanical Gardens with a client of mine, Jacqueline, back in November. Together, we honored her Tagalog ancestors by doing a pre-colonial look.

I chose to use this location, as there are several balete trees in the gardens. The balete tree is steeped in Filipino folklore and beliefs, across the islands and different ethnic groups.

During my photoshoots, I tell my clients to bring an atang, a food offering, for their ancestors. For Jacqueline, she gave the offering underneath the balete tree, a perfect place to give them, as the balete tree is believed to be the home of the spirits, and was the place where the katalonan (the term for the Tagalog priestess) would go to do their maganito, (rituals).

For one of the photos, we decided to try and recreate one of the poses of an illustration of a Tagalog woman in the Boxer Codex manuscript.

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