British fiction author Neil Gaiman would rather leave Philippine mythology to Filipinos. This came after Twitter user Joe Sunga asked if the author would consider writing about it.
“I’m a fan of your work but my friend is an even bigger fan. She wants to ask if you would consider writing a book about Philippine myths. We have bathala, diwata and a plethora of monsters like aswang, kapre, sigbin, tikbalang, etc,” read the tweet.
Gaiman replied that there are more Filipinos fit to write about local mythology than him.
I really LOVE the myths and monsters of the Philippines. But you also have many terrific writers there who can do a better job of telling those stories than I can. https://t.co/Igp3x3vtIR
— Neil Gaiman (@neilhimself) August 7, 2018
Sunga was widely criticized and branded as colonizer by some netizens. They were quick to provide Sunga with a reading list of Filipino authors who have published works based on Philippine myths.
“Hi! I also love Neil’s work, but also please remember that we have lots and lots of amazing Filipino writers who make great speculative fiction based on our myths. Just some: Nikki and Dean Alfar, Budjette Tan, Eliza Victoria, and Karl R. De Mesa. Read Alternative Alamat, too!” tweeted user M.D. Dela Paz.
Some even advised him to go to local comics’ convention and immerse himself in Filipiniana speculative fiction.
While Gaiman already refused, creative community Gunship Revolution offered to do artwork for him. To which Gaiman said he loved the rendition of the manananggal.
gosh. LOVE the manananggal.
— Neil Gaiman (@neilhimself) August 7, 2018
Another author, Kristine Ong Muslim, tweeted that some still need to outsource the retelling of Philippine myths to foreigners.
Too many Filipino writers have already written and published books/stories touching on the Philippine bestiary. Too many! Allan Derain's novel 'Banal na Aklat…" a masterpiece. But some of us still have this aching need to outsource the retelling of OUR myths to a foreigner https://t.co/Z4SE6lh2zl
— Kristine Ong Muslim (@kristinemuslim) August 7, 2018
Sunga ended the thread by saying that Gaiman had “the best way of saying no.”
Gaiman is the author of American Gods, Anansi Boys, Smoke and Mirrors, and Coraline.
