Creatures of Kwento

No matter how old I get, I still love a cute plushie.

And what better way to learn about Filipino Folklore than with an adorable stuffed animal?

Yes, in today’s video, you’ll meet the newest plushies created by Creatures of Kwento, a creative endeavor by Filipina-American Shilyn and her partner Alex. 

Together, they are telling the Kwento (or stories) of Filipino mythological creatures that help explain the unexplainable.

The Diligmata, for example, is a dog with many eyes all over its body so it can see and retrieve lost souls.

The Manananggal is a spirit who splits its body in half in order to find food.

While these stories may seem more mystical than scientific, these creatures are thought to be how early Filipinos related to mysterious illnesses and behavior before the concepts of science became common knowledge in the Philippines.

I’m grateful to get to share with you Shilyn’s creative journey that led to her creating Creatures of Kwento. Because of her courage to venture into the unknown, we now get to enjoy the many Kwento (or stories) that come from our pre-colonial oral tradition in a new and fun way. 

Today, let’s witness the Manananggal and Diligmata, two creatures of Filipino Folklore, come alive before our very eyes!

👉🏼 WATCH ON YOUTUBE