Filtered By: Showbiz
Showbiz
Prime-time Amaya climbs the ivory tower
By ROEHL NiÑO BAUTISTA, GMA News
Sid Lucero, who plays Bagani in epicserye Amaya, reveals that speaking "malalim na Filipino" was an ordeal. To his left are UP history professors Neil Santillan and Vic Villan. Roehl Niño Bautista
Tasked to write an academic paper about ancient rituals, UP Diliman students Franchezca Ann Bande and Quinn Denmark Braga settled on a decidedly non-academic topic: Amaya, the gorgeous lead character in GMA 7âs prime-time âepicserye." âOur initial topic was about the babaylan," said Bande. âPero nag-stick kami sa binukot matapos mahanap sa research kasi pwedeng example si Amaya." The character played by actress Marian Rivera was once a binukot (princess), who was demoted to the lowly stature of uripon (slave) before being becoming an alabay, or an apprentice babaylan (priestess). Their study on the binukot is just one of the many instances that the show, which was created to entertain mass audiences, has climbed the ivory tower to fixate the attention of nerdier types. History professor Vic Villan, PhD, one of the showâs history consultants, called this phenomenon a sign that the television show is âgroundbreaking". âNagsilbing daan (ang Amaya) sa pagpupukaw ng interes (ng mga mag-aaral) para maging proyekto nila sa eskwelahan," said Villan at a forum held at the UP College of Mass Communication. He mentioned having a lengthy interview with a Centro Escolar student who is writing his thesis about the show. The UP history professor also believes that the epicserye will pave the way for similar shows in the future that will spark viewersâ interest in Philippine history. âDahil yung mga tinuturo ko sa klase ay tulad din nung sa Amaya, nauugnay nila ang dalawa," said Villan of the Philippine History and Philippine Nationalism classes he teaches. âYung learning process, napaka-light and ang retention ay mas effective." Professor Neil Santillan, PhD, another history consultant for the show, said it has made people think about a part of the nationâs history that has been greatly ignored. âNagkakaroon ng malalimang diskurso tungkol sa sinaunang kasaysayan ng Pilipinas," said Santillan. âMalaking ambag ito para sa pagbuo ng kamalayan sa ating nakaraan na binaon na sa limot." Amaya director Mac Alejandre (center) shares a laugh at the UP forum with cast members (L-R) Ayen Munji-Laurel, Gina Alajar, and Mikael Daez. Roehl Niño Bautista
Historical fiction The showâs creators relied heavily on classic Philippine history reference materials such as the Boxer Codex, an early pictographic account of Filipino culture and physical appearances around the time the Spaniards began colonizing the islands. But the historians are quick to remind that the story is still fictional. âDapat may pagkilala na ang Amaya, may artistic license sa produksyon," said Santillan. Head writer Suzette Doctolero also shared that while they do have access to actual babaylan chants, they opt to use invented lines instead. More Videos
Most Popular