Silent Witnesses: illustrated accounts from Martial Law survivors

NOTE FROM CANVAS: This is an excerpt from the Rappler listicle published on September 28, 2021. You can read the whole write-up here. Silent Witnesses is available from Looking for Juan, where every purchase will be matched by book donations in support of CANVAS' One Million Books for One Million Filipino Children Campaign.

On the 49th anniversary of the declaration of Martial Law, newsfeeds were again filled with testimonies and stories recalling the brutal years of the late former president Ferdinand Marcos.  But along with these are attempts to revise history through various media platforms. That’s why it’s never too late to educate the youth about Martial Law.

But it’s a challenge to introduce and frame this topic for children without compromising the facts. A study on picture books suggests that using illustrations can enhance story recall and improve parent-child interaction. Illustrations further aid them in empathizing with characters, allowing them to recognize and understand emotions.

In this list, we rounded up seven graphic literature to springboard a healthy and safe discussion on Martial Law with your kids.

Last but not the least, this book is meant for more mature children. For this project, the Center for Art, New Ventures, and Sustainable Development (CANVAS) read through dozens of accounts from Martial Law survivors. The testimonies were condensed into three-sentence stories, told in English and Filipino. The message, accompanied by evocative illustrations from Renz Baluyot, is as straightforward as it can be. Its goal is to encourage meaningful conversations on a sensitive topic as such, where adults can provide more context into real-life stories of Martial Law atrocities.

As Gigo said, “Memory is an underrated but extremely important thing. We remember and learn from the past because we want our children to lead better lives than us.”

You can look through the online exhibit here. Better yet, buy the book. Aligned with CANVAS' One Million Books for One Million Filipino Children Campaign, every purchase equates to two books donated to a child in underprivileged communities in the Philippines.

It is important to remember that even though these books were made for children, parental guidance is advised so they can absorb information with care. Do you know other socially relevant books for children? Share them with us. – Rappler.com