Freelance digital artist illustrates own version of ‘Visayan raiders’

Photo courtesy of Raph Herrera Lomotan

MOALBOAL, CEBU — Even if he doesn’t have Visayan blood, Raph Herrera Lomotan took pride as a Filipino to create some digital artwork, which illustrate the people of Pi-she-yeh (Mangayaw).

Pi-she-yeh is a group of Visayan raiders from the 12th century who ‘attacked what is now part of southern Taiwan,’ according to the historian Ambeth Ocampo.

“Was intrigued to know that some pre-colonial Filipinos from the Visayas, who were mostly traders, conducted piratical raids on the shores of mainland 🇨🇳 [China] in the 12th century,” Lomotan said in a Facebook post.

In an interview with CDN Digital, Lomotan revealed how he came up with the idea of his artwork.

“Nung una talaga, wala ako idea pagdating kasi sa Visayas ang madalas na naririnig natin si Lapu-lapu. Pero kamakailan may nabasa ako na article tungkol sa mga mangayaw,” the 26-year-old freelance digital artist said.

(At first, I really didn’t have any idea because when it comes to Visayan, I usually hear about Lapu-Lapu. But just recently, I read about an article about mangayaw.)

After reading the article, Lomotan said that he was inspired to create his own illustration of the pre-colonial Filipinos.

He said it took him a week to finish the artwork.

“Yung research po apat na araw ho bago ko sinimulan yung art nung May 16 hanggang 19 pero nung natapos ko di ko muna pinublish kaagad,” he said.

(My research took four days before I started with the art on May 16 until 19 but when I finished it, I didn’t publish it right away.)

He said that he had keen research on the details of his artwork such as the meaning of the tattoos, and even the boat used by the Visayan raiders.

“Yung dun pala sa boat. I got some advice from one of my commenters professor na sabi nya expert daw sa visayan history. Kaya ko nagawa yung Karakoa, kasi ang original ko gawa jan ay Balangay,” he added.

([The boat’s idea] is from the advice one of my commenters who is a professor. That’s why I created a karakoa [warship] because my original was balangay, a lashed-lug boat.

Aside from his interest in history, Lomotan’s fond of the warrior cultures also pushed him to create such artwork.

“Yung mga Spartans sa Ancient Greece, Vikings ng Ancient Scandinavia pati na rin mga Gladiators sa Ancient rome. Kaya nung nalaman ko na meron din ipagmamalaki ang pinas parang naisip ko gawan ng art yun,” he said.

(The Spartans of the ancient Greece, Vikings of ancient Scandinavia and also the Gladiators of ancient Rome. That’s why when I found out [about mangayaw] which we can be proud of, it made me think to create an artwork about them.) /bmjo