Marahuyo (adj.) To be enchanted
In the show’s 5th episode, voice-over King (Adrian Lintayag) reminisced about the time when his English teacher asked the class about their favorite mythological characters.
His Western-centric classmates mentioned the usual suspects: Medusa, and Minotaur. Some even said unicorn.
King took a different route and answered Hunyago, a shapeshifter from old Filipino mythology.
Throughout his narration, a montage of the different characters that permeate the show flashed on screen, all representing the broad spectrum of the LGBTQIA+ community: a transgender person coming to terms with her divine femininity; a lesbian who recently accepted her queerness; an intersex who is just as confused as everyone else and a bisexual forced to hide his identity due to gender pressure.
With writing so sublime and creative direction so masterful, Marahuyo Project gives a whole new meaning to a barkada series.
Everything about the series is steeped in local lore. The title itself directly translates as “to be enchanted,” which casually explains the deep reverence for homegrown mythologies.
The enchantment is sprinkled everywhere like pixie dust. First off, the episode titles: Buhawi; Sidapa at Bulan; Santelmo; Hunyago; Sirena; Aswang and Babaylan. It may be a coming-of-age series at its core, but the show has reached places never explored before. It is brave and introspective, the way a barkada series should be.
What is the Marahuyo Project?
On the surface, it’s about the queer characters’ desire to establish their own LGBTQIA+ organization. But peel away its intricate layers and it exposes the archaic system of age-old discrimination toward people who march to the beat of their own drum. Marahuyo is a town that, despite its postcard-perfect seascapes, reeks of an overpowering stench that only those trying hardest to be themselves can truly smell.
An unmissable scene occurred during the Balagtasan night when the no-longer-confused Ino (Neo France Garcia) professed his forbidden love for King through melodious, poetic Tagalog delivery. The tremor of this carefree admission and the impact on how both characters responded afterward gave the show an all-too-real glimpse into life for those who have been labeled as “different.”
This may have been unintentional, but a reimagining of the brick thrown at Stonewall seems to occur during the show’s most intense scenes. However, it was executed with restraint and in reverse.
When Marco (Ryle Santiago) committed the unspeakable act, it marked the culmination of Marahuyo homophobes’ breaking point. In the pages of queer history, when that brick was thrown, it sparked a movement from a community that wanted to reclaim its voice and narrative. It was a clever reinterpretation of a rainbow revolution.
Marahuyo Project is directed by JP Habac (I’m Drunk, I Love You fame), who grew up watching the rise of barkada series in the 90s and wanted to capture their reckless joy and abandon, but with a diverse twist.
In an interview with ABS-CBN News, he dubbed this as his love letter to the community that he belongs. And from the enchantment of it all, it’s a love letter beautifully written.
Photo: ANIMAstudiosPH
