Pre-colonial Bisaya Nimona with shapeshifting Philippine animals

July 6, 2023

I just saw an animated flim called Nimona, which is based from a graphic novel by the same name by ND Stevenson. It was beautifully animated, and the story just as compelling.

The story follows Ballister, a highly-skilled “commoner” in a futuristic and medieval-inspired kingdom. Despite his initial status he’s about to become the first of the common people to join a special group of knights tasked to protect the walled city that makes up the kingdom.

Without spoiling anything else further, he faces monsters from the darnedest places, and meets Nimona, a shapeshifting teenager looking for a friend to destroy and kill things with. In the flim she would transform into various creatures, from whales, bears, and more. It would be because of her (and aspects in the film that highlight LGBTQIA+ themes and issues), that I’d be inspired to depict her in pre-colonial Bisayan fabulousness.

Whenever she used wings which looked like those of a bat, I couldn’t help but be reminded of Tik-tik from the story “Si Kalipay” by Christina Newhard and Cebuano art studio Happy Garaje. Tik-tik is Cebuano for a spirit or creature similar to the Tagalog Manananggal, which flies without legs! Hashtag Nimona-nanggal!

Si Kalipay ug ang kinagamyang tiktik by Christina Newhard, illustrated by Happy Garaje — “Si Kalipay ug ang kinagamyang tiktik” by Christina Newhard, illustrated by Happy Garaje.

Her circa 1600s Visayan attire is inspired by a class I attended online about pre-colonial Bisaya clothing, held by Karakoa Productions based in Cebu. So she’s decked out in gold, with kasikas or arm bands, a kamagi chain worn as a sash, a lambong top, a bakus or belt Batman would be jealous of, and a heavy taklay or gold necklace.

Beyond Filipiniana webinar poster by Karakoa Productions. As of this writing, they’re holding another webinar this July. See their Facebook post here!

After seeing her transform into different animals in the film, I imagined her shapeshifting into different Philippine wildlife. On the top left of the artwork is Siyang, which is a Mangyan term for cloud rat. I wrote “Siyang” using the Hanunoo script still in use by Mangyan communities in Mindoro. At top right is a Philippine Eagle, written as “Haribon” in Tagalog Baybayin script. Haribon is a concatenation of Haring Ibon, or King of Birds in Tagalog. In the bottom right corner is a very excited Kagwang, which is a Bisaya term for flying lemur. Kagwang is written here in Badlit or Surat Binisaya. And finally one of my favorite “hot-dog-shaped” marine mammals, a Dugong, written in the Tagbanwa script from Palawan.

Lots of things going on here, which is how I saw Nimona. She is everything, everyone, all at once, and still, Nimona. I highly recommend everyone to watch it, now on Netflix as of this writing. (Also as of this writing, Karakoa Productions is holding another pre-colonial Visayan clothing class online. Get more information on their Facebook page here!)

In the meantime, you can download a free printable of my Visayan Nimona art at my Gumroad shop below.