Case Studies
Baybayin Archives
Baybayin Archives is a curated exploration of re-imagined Filipino design artifacts through the lens of the pre-colonial script, baybayin. It is meant to explore what society could have looked like throughout history, particularly in areas of design where Tagalog was the predominantly used language. In an attempt to use baybayin as a mode of conversation among Filipinos, this archive aims to answer the call of the “what ifs" echoed throughout history. To answer questions like “what if it still existed to this day” and “what if it had been given the opportunity to evolve and grow?", this website was created in the hope of building understanding with regards to the history and potential this pre-colonial script has in visually identifying Filipino voices and culture.
These images are a collection of Filipino design artifacts ranging from comics and advertisements to various forms of media like movie posters and album covers. These reimagined artifacts primarily explore Baybayin written using the Mangyan influenced virama or pamudpod as opposed to the Spanish influenced cross kudlit to cancel out the ending vowel due to its colonial ties. When Spanish Friars arrived to the Philippines, they altered baybayin to be able to suit Spanish translations of Catholic teachings. The use of the cross was representative of Catholicism. The Mangyan virama, or pamudpod is influenced by the Mangyan tribe and how they cancel out vowels. Given that this website is meant to explore decolonizing Filipino artifacts from pop culture, it didn’t feel right to use a Spanish influenced form of baybayin.
