The Alamat Experiment – Undergraduate Thesis

ECU 4th Year Workshop · Promotional Design · Mixed Media · 2007-2008

· Project Brief
An increasing majority of Filipino youths in North America are not well aware of their traditional fundamentals and have lost interest in their own culture and heritage. They have become disconnected from their culture because of the prevalance of assimilation and western philosophy. Unlike their Asian counterparts, the lack of Filipino iconography and symbolism in North America have limited their knowledge and interest in Filipino history, contemporary literature, and traditional folklore.

To address this issue, the Alamat Experiment is a cultural and social awareness project, which explores opportunities by converging communication design strategies with urban apparel. The project intends to educate Filipino youth to learn more about folklore themes to achieve a new appreciation and understanding of their culture and heritage.

· Objectives
-Raise cultural awareness by utilizing design to promote and popularize folklore and mythologies from the Philippines
-Encourage Filipino youth to learn and achieve a better understanding of their origins
-Converge urban apparel and print media in a series of experimental narrative approaches
-Create additional value and knowledge by using a product to promote cultural sensibilities

· Alamat
Defined as Filipino folklore, legends, and mythologies commonly exchanged through written or oral story telling, the alamat is composed of various narrative themes: creation stories, folklore, mythical creatures, superstitions, and urban legends.

· Triumph – The Defiance of Lapu-Lapu

· Torment – The Rage of the Manananggaal

· Genesis – The Creation of the Philippines