#bikol art

Two weeks ago I joined Global Game Jam at Ateneo de Naga University. Global Game Jam is an international event where programmers and creatives meet to design and develop a game. This was my first time to collaborate with programmers and the experience was mind-blowing. For three days we camped at the Madrigal building to conceptualize, design, and make our game work. This year’s theme was “ritual”. So our group came up with this game based on an ancient Bikoilano ritual called “Haliya”. From my research, Haliya is the goddess of the moon who tames Bakunawa every time the sky dragon swallows the moon during eclipse. The Balyanas/Babaylans performs this ritual to Haliya to call for the goddess’ help.In our game, the goddess Haliya’s power depends on the prayer gems she collects from her believers. In the mythology, Bakunawa has swallowed the other six moons of the sky. So as the game progresses Bakunawa gives up a moon per level. We also incorporated other characters from Bikol legends to spice up the game. 

Currently, Team Haliya: Angelica Romero, Danne Silo, Gezelle Gonowon,    Jose Isidro Año Beraquit, and I are working on fully developing the game for android users so the game can be used as supplemental educational tool.

The local jam was organized by the Information and Communication and technology Center of Ateneo de Naga University. We thank them for the free food and videoke, hahahaha. I hope we have another jam next year.

I collaborated with the social enterprise, Karaw Craftventures, and came up with these scary but cuddly “Encantures”. Karaw’s manager, Paul Orpiada and I have been talking about this for quite a time, but we only just realized the project this year.

The initial prompt for me was the Manananggal/USB idea, which came when I was desperately looking for the cap of my USB. This made me decide that the designs of all the Encantures must be functional and the function must relate to their personalities and mythical creatures. In every tag of each product, there’s a description and history of the encanture. 

Send me a private message on facebook if your’e interested. My name there is Pen Prestado.