The Best Thing About Trese Is How It Very Carefully Treads The Fine Line Between Urban Fantasy, Tropical

the best thing about Trese is how it very carefully treads the fine line between urban fantasy, tropical gothic, and magical realism and how that specific brand of horror perfectly captures Manila's vibe because? honestly?

Manila really is Just Like That.

i go to Plaza Miranda and within seconds i will find a practicing mangkukulam selling cheap toys, tarot card readings, underwear, and curses all from the same stall in front of Quiapo Church. i have bought a curse off one of them once. i still have it in my bedside drawer because i chickened out last minute and never used it but now i'm too scared to get rid of it.

i walk through the informal settlers/squatter areas near my home and hear whispers of people dying in their sleep-- and it's almost always because of either two things: the police shot them in the night or because they brought something back with them from the province.

people disappear a lot. sometimes, they never find them again. sometimes, you only find parts of them. you're sure it's probably the work of a human but. you're never actually sure.

there are balete trees where you least expect them. there's one by one of the back roads leading to my office building and nobody wants to take it down because there's something living in it. same goes for the great sampalok tree in front of our office building. but they park their cars right next to them, paying a simple bow and "tabi, tabi po" as a parking fee. i try not to look at both trees when i pass by in the evenings on my commute home.

just last week my aunt called to casually tell me that they had their house blessed AGAIN because their maid had accidentally angered something the last time she visited her province of Nueva Ecija and everybody in the whole family has been waking up with scratches and bruises on their arms ever since. they had the house blessed by an abularyo this time because the first blessing from a catholic priest didn't work.

actually, my whole family on my grandmother's side is sensitive to this shit-- which explains the nonchalance, tbh. this isn't their first paranormal rodeo.

i know there is a branch of literary theory that studies why the development of magical realism, tropical gothic, and urban fantasy in fiction is largely credited to the global south (i.e. latin america, mainland asia, and south east asia), but fucking living in this bizarre city really drives it the fuck home.

there's at least two fucking balete trees near Manila's town hall. a building that is, by the way, shaped like a fucking coffin. i cannot make this up. it's so on-the-nose, it's like actual literary imagery right out of a magical realist/tropical gothic short horror story. and it's REAL.

and it's just normal here.

More Posts from Penguka and Others

penguka

4 years ago

Ask Game: A–Z of Character Relationships/Social Behaviors

A. Affection: How does your OC express affection to the people they love?

B. Best: Does your OC have a “best friend?” If so, who, and what makes this relationship special?

C. Cute: What is something your OC finds cute/endearing about another character?

D. Death: Has anyone your OC loved ever died? If so, how did this impact them? Is there anyone your OC would be willing to die to save? Explain.

E. Easygoing: When with other people, does your OC tend to go with the flow, or be the leader? Why? Are there any people they behave differently around?

F. Forgiveness: Has your OC ever been betrayed by someone they trusted? If so, who? Did they forgive this person?

G. Gift: If your OC received a gift they didn’t like from a loved one, how would they react? What would they do with the gift?

H. Help: When someone your OC loves has a problem, how does your OC try to help them? Do they prefer to comfort, offer advice, or fix the problem? Would your OC go out of their way to help a stranger?

I. Irritating: What is something your OC finds annoying about another character?

J. Joke: Does your OC tend to tease and banter with their friends, or are they more serious/straightforward?

K. Kickback: Your OC is given the chance to have (their version of) the perfect day, but they have to bring someone else with them. Who do they choose, and what do they spend the day doing?

L. Loyalty: Is your OC more loyal to their family, their friends, or a mix of both? Why?

M. Mine: Is your OC comfortable taking things from their loved ones? (Do they snatch fries off their friend’s plate? Rummage through their sibling’s clothes?)

N. Nemesis: Does your character have a “worst enemy?” If so, who, and why? Could their relationship with this person be improved?

O. Outcast: Does your OC tend to get along with other people? How many close relationships do they have, compared to the average person?

P. Protect: Does your OC tend to protect other people, or are they the one who is protected?

Q. Qualified: Does your OC follow through on their promises? Do other characters consider them responsible/trustworthy?

R. Regret: Has your OC ever betrayed someone who trusted them? If so, who? Do they regret it?

S. Secret: What is something your OC wishes they could tell another character?

T. Three: Would your OC rather be given a hug, a compliment, or a bouquet of flowers?

U. Union: Is your OC interested in romantic relationships? If so, do they have a romantic partner? A crush? How is that working out for them?

V. Viewpoint: How often does your OC notice things they like/dislike about strangers? Do they perceive other people in a more positive, critical, or neutral way?

W. Wish: If your OC could make a wish on behalf of another person, who would they choose, and what would they wish for?

X. X-out: How much would your OC sacrifice to make a loved one happy? Would they do something embarrassing? Would they give up a vacation they really wanted to go on?

Y. Yearbook: What is your OC’s happiest memory with another character?

Z. Zoo: Does your OC have any animal companions? If so, explain.

Character Mannerisms/Behaviors: Bonus Questions

I accidentally made more questions than necessary, so here are some bonus questions!

1. What mannerisms does your character have when they’re nervous?

2. How does your character smile? Are their smiles usually genuine?

3. Are there any mannerisms or “code words” your character must use for their job? If so, what are they, and what do they mean?

4. Does your character generally have “open” or “closed” body language? Is this reflective of their personality?

5. Does your character commonly carry something around, such as a magazine or a cigarette? How do they interact with the thing they carry?

6. How do your character’s mannerisms reflect their personality, past, or desires? (For example, a character could always hover near the door because they’re noncommittal, or because they’ve had to run away from bad situations in their past.)

7. If there is magic in your character’s world, what words or mannerisms must be used to “activate” it?

8. How often does your character touch other people? If often, can they be overly touchy, or are they careful not to make others uncomfortable?

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penguka

3 years ago

So it has been discussed that Dark Academia is quite Eurocentric and a bit (if not so much) elitistic. If you like it, it's alright, though.

If you, my Filipino mutuals, felt that Dark Academia is pretentious, maybe (just maybe) it's because we cannot really relate to it while its western practices cannot awake our connection to its roots. For us, it is just "aesthetics" and will never be a "way of life".

Personally, I like the dark hues of dark academia, but I'm a lover of Filipino culture eh.

I would like to gather your thoughts about the Dark or Light Academia aesthetics and lifestyle in Filipino cultural settings. I'm sure I can find many Filipinos here who have ventured more into reconnecting with the indigenous academic culture than I have.

Let's start! (lol haba ng intro ko, eto lang pala 'yon)

Share any media, books, movies, objects, study materials pertaining to the following categories: my examples, without pictures because I'm uncreative.

Book Reco: any myth book, tbh

Poets to read: Andres Bonifacio (for those who don't know, this boi made a poem about Sidapa)

Writing Instruments: Bamboo and ink

Classical Musical instruments: Talaandug (alam nyo yung bamboo flute ni Agilus sa Mulawin, yun 'yon)

Must study: Baybayin

Study Table snacks: Puto pao

Coffee and Tea Reco: Barako, tanglad tea, lavender tea, turnate tea, and Sampaguita tea, all of which are grown in south east asia and can be found in shopee/lazada.

Philosophy and ethics: I'm blank on this one. Sadly, I only know Nietzschean and Confucian.

Objects that should adorn your study table: sari manok, because I'm basic and edgy.

Objects that should adorn your wall: T'boli weaving, Fernando Amorsolo works, random wooden stick you found in the wild

Objects that should adorn your book shelf: clay pot, random wooden stick you found in the wild

Garments: red saya (I have 3! Who cares about heat death!)

All I can give are basics and general, I'm that surface level. Please share your knowledge to celebrate Filipino Academia aesthetics/life style.

((edit: ah, the problem of study aesthetics is the consumerism that comes with it. So a reminder, don't feel forced to buy anything. We're just vibing. And if you can buy things, go local as much as you can.))

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penguka

4 years ago

Moments of Erens bond with Annie

The meaning behind famous Filipino Surnames

You guys know Filipinos have hispanic surnames, but not all. While most surnames meant places, beautiful adjectives, and son-of-Christ, Filipino surnames are whack.

Dimaano - Cannot be whatever. Can be interpreted as immovable and invinsible.

Pinagkaisahan - Mobbed

Tatlongsuso - Three boobs

Bagonggahasa - Newly sharpened

Katindig - The One I'm standing up with

Banaohan - Someone who has been hit with a coconut

Aglipay - To play with some kind of seeds

Mabini - Suave, likable, smooth af ((Insert Apolinario Mabini winking at you))

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