DreamWorks Is Coming Out With A Movie Based On Philippine Mythology — Here Are All The Cultural Details I Noticed In The Trailer

2 days ago 10

Hi, I'm Dannica, and I'm a first-generation Filipino American! My dada immigrated to the United States from Samar state successful 1987, and my ma immigrated from Manila successful 1995.

Growing up, I honestly don't retrieve determination being a full batch of Filipino representation. When I was younger, I retrieve looking for Filipino characters successful each amusement and movie I watched connected Disney Channel and Nickelodeon. It honestly wasn't until 2nd grade, erstwhile Vanessa Hudgens played Gabriella Montez successful High School Musical, that I felt somewhat "seen" (Gabriella Montez is Latina successful the movie, but still, a Filipina is simply a Filipina).

Since being successful 2nd grade, though, I've had the pleasance of watching Filipino civilization and characters go much prevalent successful pop culture — similar the scenes with Ned and his lola successful Spider-Man: No Way Home, Mateo Liwanag from Superstore, Lars from Steven Universe, positive the wide spreading popularity of Filipino nutrient (ube, taro, Jollibee, etc.).

So ideate my implicit DELIGHT erstwhile I recovered retired that DreamWorks was releasing a caller movie called Forgotten Island, acceptable successful the Philippines, starring 2 Filipina besties — voiced by H.E.R. and Liza Soberano — AND based connected Filipino mythology and folklore!

There are rather a fewer details from the trailer unsocial that constituent to oregon correspond Filipino culture, truthful I thought it would beryllium amusive to constituent them retired and explicate them to those who are funny oregon conscionable don't know! Let's start! 🇵🇭

1. First off, let's statesman with the story that astir apt inspired Forgotten Island successful the archetypal place. In the trailer, it's mentioned that the longer you're connected the island, the much memories you'll forget. Now, determination are a fewer antithetic folktales of hidden cities oregon islands successful the Philippines, but the astir fashionable is astir Biringan, besides called the City of the Lost. There are respective versions of the story, but it's believed to beryllium located successful Samar (where my dada grew up!!), and is typically described arsenic a ace precocious metropolis that lone appears to radical who are lost. The metropolis is said to beryllium populated by spirits and different entities and creatures, and those who sojourn Biringan and instrumentality to the existent satellite often travel backmost with gaps successful their representation oregon announcement that clip has passed differently.

There are besides immoderate versions of the story that accidental humans are lured to the land and that the longer they're there, the much they suffer their transportation to the existent world, and statesman forgetting however they ended up successful the metropolis successful the archetypal place. Again, Biringan is expected to beryllium this truly technologically precocious metropolis, truthful judging from the trailer, I deliberation the land they extremity up connected is heavy inspired by Biringan and astir apt a premix of different tales.

2. The uniforms that Jo and Raissa are wearing astatine the opening of the trailer are emblematic schoolgirl uniforms successful the Philippines. The displacement from them wearing bluish to reddish relates to their moving from simple schoolhouse to secondary schoolhouse and beyond.

3. Jo, voiced by H.E.R., is holding a Balisong, besides known arsenic a butterfly weapon oregon Batangas knife. It's a folding pouch weapon that has 2 handles that counter-rotate astir the blade's tang. The weapon is simply a awesome of craftsmanship and ingenuity, with its birthplace said to beryllium successful the state of Batangas. The sanction "Balisong" is said to beryllium derived from the Tagalog words "baling sungay," which astir translates to "broken horn," arsenic aboriginal weapon handles were made utilizing carnal horns.

4. Upon their archetypal meeting, erstwhile Jo archetypal shows Raissa her knife, Raissa, voiced by Liza Soberano, says, "Uh, sorry, I can't bash a humor oath." This could beryllium a notation to the past Philippine ritual called Sandugo, a humor pact intended to seal an alliance, friendship, oregon an agreement. The connection comes from Visayan, meaning "one blood."

5. They're riding successful a Jeepney! In WWII, Willys Jeeps were utilized by the US military. Following the military's departure from the Philippines, the Willys were near behind. Filipinos past recycled them to marque stainless-steel buses with cloth coverings alternatively of windows, and agelong benches meant to spot 20 (and often more) people. Jeepneys are typically colorful, kitschy, and unsocial successful design. The Jeepney that Raissa and Jo are riding successful besides says "Mabuhay," which is simply a communal greeting that means "To live" oregon "Long live."

6. The portal that opens is successful the signifier of the Philippine sun. There are 8 rays connected the sun, which correspond the 8 provinces that revolted against the Spaniards: Manila, Cavite, Bulacan, Pampanga, Tarlac, Batangas, Laguna, and Nueva Ecija.

7. The archetypal carnal Jo comes crossed erstwhile she awakens connected the land appears to beryllium inspired by the Ibong Adarna oregon the Sarimanok, some of which are legendary birds successful Philippine folklore. The Ibong Adarna is an epic poem astir 3 princes who embark connected a travel to find the bird, Ibong Adarna, which has healing powers, truthful they tin heal their begetter from an illness. The vertebrate tin besides sing anyone to slumber with its song, and its droppings tin crook anyone to stone.

However, the vertebrate could besides beryllium the Sarimanok, which is simply a colorful mythological vertebrate originating among the Mindanao people. The Sarimanok is associated with antithetic stories, but it mostly symbolizes prosperity, bully fortune, and wealth.

8. This creepy carnal appears to beryllium a Manananggal (voiced by the beautiful, gorgeous, talented LEA SALONGA!). In emblematic tellings of the story, the Manananggal is said to beryllium a beauteous pistillate by time but transforms into a vampire-like carnal astatine night, with crisp teeth and wings sprouting from her back. But the scariest thing? The Manananggal is known to detach its torso from its little body. The connection "Manananggal" is derived from the connection "tanggal," which means "to remove" oregon "separate."

My parents told maine that the carnal has a inclination to provender connected large women due to the fact that it enjoys the caller humor and hearts of unborn children. And to support themselves from the Manananggal, radical would spot things similar ail and brackish astir their windows arsenic a ward.

9. The outfit that Jo is wearing erstwhile she wakes up connected the land looks to beryllium inspired by the indigenous groups of the Philippines. The mismatched jewelry, layered beads, headpiece, and pauldron-like garment connected her close enarthrosis look reminiscent of accepted covering worn by groups similar the Ifugao oregon Lumad. All of the adornments and colors tin correspond presumption and individuality and whitethorn besides service arsenic a signifier of spiritual protection.

And that's each I have! I anticipation you learned thing today, due to the fact that I surely did! Forgotten Island volition beryllium successful theaters connected Sept. 25, 2026. Hope to spot y'all SEATED! 🇵🇭

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