These cute bag charms turn local folkloric creatures into celebrated icons

Bag charms have become a popular fashion accessory, one of the most identifiable ones being Labubu, whose popularity has turned its manufacturer, Pop Mart, into a billion dollar business.

- By YVETTE TAN

MORE THAN just being cute, Lamumu dolls inspire their owners to love the Philippines.

Closer to home, Lamumu Dolls Capiz, knitted dolls in the shape of popular creatures from folklore, have been taking over netizens’ feeds and hearts.

The social enterprise is the brainchild of Jose Arcenas, who also owns Casita Juan resort in Roxas City, Capiz. “You can bring home something tangible from Capiz,” he said in Taglish. “Tourists usually bring home food, but it’s gone after you eat it.”

While the dolls were launched a year ago as part of the resort’s CSR program, the reason behind it runs much deeper. “I’m into the arts, and I feel bad that it isn’t given focus in the Philippines,” he said. In his travels to neighboring countries, Arcenas noticed that they tended to push their own arts and crafts, which were always visually appealing. He wanted to apply this to his own province.

Inspiration hit during a trip to Vietnam, where he came across amigurumi dolls; small, stuffed crochet dolls which were also being sold in bazaars back home, usually in the shapes of popular Western characters. “I said to myself, how are we going to develop Filipino culture? The concepts should be based on what we have. It should have a core identity to draw from.”

What would be identifiable to over 116 million people spread out over 7000 plus islands?

Its creatures of folklore.