It’s Baybayin
July 13, 2009 by Christian · Leave a Comment
Jerweezee (San Diego CA)
Filipino Sun/Alibata/Tribal by Salvation Ink San Diego “The Kuya”
“We have the Filipino sun on the back and on the arm the word Pinoy with Alibata of kids name and Filipino/Hawaiian fusion tribal.”
Ancient Filipino script shouldn’t be called in any other way but Baybayin.
Baybayin was coined alibata by a National Language Institute member Paul Rodriguez Versoza in 1939. The said term was based on a Maguindanao alphabet related to the Arabic alif, ba, ta. There are no supporting evidences though on Versoza’s theory of baybayin and the Arabic language’s relation.
The word baybayin originated from the Tagalog root word baybay which literally means spell. And the shapes of the baybayin characters have a similarity to the ancient Javanese Kavi script. Usage of baybayin is known to have started as early as the 1400s.
The baybayin is a syllabic writing system called abugida and made up of 17 characters which can increase into 45 when the characters are combined with vowel-modifying marks called kudlits.
Baybayin.com offers more information about this ancient script.
Philippine Sun & Baybayin
June 15, 2008 by Christian · 1 Comment
Here’s a Baybayin design I did for Kaleina Kruz from NYC. It’s KA-I-A (her daughter’s name) in the “Philippine Sun” surrounded by flowers. It already looks great with just the outlines. Hopefully she will send an updated photo once filled in.
Tribal sun Philippine baybayin backpiece
March 20, 2008 by Christian · Leave a Comment
Translation is SA-PA-N-TA
From Eurotattoo
Philippine Sun tattoo with tribal
January 25, 2008 by Christian · 1 Comment
Found this video titled “Erwin’s Filipino Star Tattoo” on Youtube. When you watch it, you’ll notice it’s a Sun not a Star. The tattoo & “Filipino Pride” trend/resurgence is a dangerous mix. While I understand that is probably just an honest Sun/Star mix-up, it brings up a few questions….do you know what your “Filipino” tattoos mean? Do your tattoos represent the pre or post Filipino?
