The Art of Anik-Anik: How two women turned trinkets into meaningful tokens

For centuries, Anik-Anik or trinkets and treasures, have been more than just adornments; they have served as emblems of status symbols and spiritual practices across generations. Even in pre-colonial times, accessories made from bones, shells, or metals became a crucial part of Filipinos’ everyday lives. Today, this tradition thrives in Cebu, the “Queen City of the South,” where creativity and craftsmanship flourish in bustling markets and artisan shops.

As Anik-Anik continues to blaze its trail, it extends its influence to the wider community, allowing many artisans and aficionados of handmade crafts to engage and appreciate the Art of Anik-Anik.

Among these artisans are Justhine and Debbie, two visionary women whose passion for creating Anik-Anik not only reflects the artistry of trinkets but also mirrors their individual creativity and deep devotion to this craft, as two hearts intertwined.

When Creativity and Commerce Collides

An architect and an engineer, Justhine and Debbie started their friendship a decade ago. During their school years, both faced major setbacks – stressing of completing a thesis and preparing for a licensure exam. Long story short, Justhine successfully finished her thesis and Debbie passed her licensure exam and both became professionals not so long after. However, despite what they have accomplished, they felt a lingering void within them and then that’s when a lightbulb moment of ‘What if we should stop being lazy and start having a pastime pursuit,’ struck the two.

”The business part started when one of my college friends commissioned me earrings,” Justhine recalled as she described how a friend of hers replied to a story she shared online asking if the accessory is up for sale.

Then came another ‘aha’ moment for her, she immersed herself in beadwork while encouraging Debbie to explore a hobby she had once longed to pursue — crocheting. With only the two of them in the room, everything became a fully shared process — starting from understanding each other’s role, to meticulously organizing everything through and through, down to selling their products in the market full of creative competitors as well.

But to them, what truly matters most is the way they go on weekly craft dates just to create their Anik-Anik. These kinds of moments allow them to sit down together and have the freedom to express their individuality while still sharing each other’s company, putting a different type of bliss and utter contentment in their hearts.

From Hands to Hearts

Jushtine and Debbie acknowledge that some of their work are inspired by ”lesbian media.” For instance, they made subtle matchy charms of female characters Princess Bubblegum and Marceline from Adventure Time which are considered an important example of LGBTQ+ representation in animated series or bracelets representing the queer community. According to the two, these kinds of beadwork and crochet projects are primarily designed for the youngsters who are ‘in the closet’ to have a piece of their partner too. 

”I think selling and attending events and booths made us connect with other artists and artisans alike,” they shared, reflecting how the community is warm and accepting. Just recently, they ran a booth during Otakufest 2025, and one of their unforgettable moments was the trading of products with other artists. It was a positive reminder that however drained they are, they should continue doing it because of the community behind it.

Like many artisans, Justhine and Debbie wanted to focus on keeping their shop small and niche. They emphasize how they practice the art of balancing creativity with commerce throughout their Anik-Anik Journey, which not only caters to their personal vision but also acts as meaningful tokens for everyone. Truly, Cebu is a home of vibrant markets like Carbon Market and Sugbo Mercado where you can explore a wide array of  intricately handmade trinkets and treasures that reflect rich cultural heritage.

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