Discover Tres Marias en Siquijor, a compelling historical fantasy and the award-winning script by Jazzy Lyle Sarmiento Samson, which clinched 4th place in the National Playwriting category at the Young Creatives Challenge (YC2) organized by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in March 2024.
The story bridges past and present on the mystical Isla de Fuego. In the modern day, Mary Nicole struggles to find her platform while running for SK Chairperson in Maria, Siquijor. Her trajectory changes after meeting Elias, a 96-year-old shaman and the final custodian of an untold history: the Siquijodnon's resistance against Spanish colonization.
Through Elias, a classic hero's journey unfolds. The narrative follows the young, naive Kihod of Tribu Dilaab as he seeks the guidance of the island's deities-Maria Isa, Maria Kakao, and Maria Nico-to protect their homeland. Alongside the prideful leader Gat Makapilay, the fierce warrior Cang-meniao, and the fisherman Talingting, Kihod navigates tests of purity, mystical eels, ghost ships, and stolen magical lana.
When internal conflict threatens to tear the tribes apart, a selfless sacrifice at Maria Nico's baluarte forces the rivals to realize that unity, not magic alone, is their strongest weapon. In a climactic act of collective resistance, the natives plunge the island into darkness, creating the legendary illusion known as lamat to hide Siquijor from Spanish galleons.
Inspired by her lineage as a descendant of Cang-meniao, Mary Nicole uses this forgotten legacy as her campaign platform, creating a theatrical masterpiece to correct misconceptions, celebrate indigenous culture, and preserve Siquijor's true identity.
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