August Ukulele Design: Light Amidst the Darkness
The Moon and its Many Meanings
Historically, the moon signifies many different things: some may associate it with immortality, enlightenment, or knowledge.
Western countries often associate it with romance, with metaphors of the moon appearing in many forms of media, film, and literature. The Chinese refer to the full moon as a symbol of peace, prosperity, and family reunion, which they celebrate on the Moon Festival every 15th day of the 8th month. In Greek mythology, Artemis is considered the goddess of the moon, who is also the patron and protector of young girls.
In Philippine folklore, it is believed that once upon a time, the Earth had seven moons, but six of them were eaten by an ancient dragon called the Bakunawa. Legend says that eclipses are caused by the Bakunawa attempting to devour the last moon. In ancient times, it is believed that the Philippines also worshipped a one-eyed moon goddess named Mayari, who lost her eye due to a fight with her brother, Apolaki, god of the sun. This legend attempts to explain why the light at nighttime is dimmer than the light during daytime.
As one of the first human symbols, it is no surprise that the moon has largely impacted so many cultures through time. No matter how different cultures view or appreciate Earth’s only natural satellite, it cannot be argued that the moon is a big part of human lives.
The Making of “Luna”
For the month of August, Wagas Ukuleles introduces a love note not only for lovers of Luna all around, but to everyone who has been dealing with hardships in the past year.
This month’s featured design was crafted by Gilcy Yanna Wagas, an artist from Compostela, Cebu. She shared that her creative process began when she was thinking of concepts and realized that the moon would be an appropriate subject to feature. After scouring for design inspirations, she proceeded to hand draw her design.
The design is beautiful in its minimalist approach-- with silhouettes of the moon and some plants, as well as splatters to show stars painted in white in hard contrast with the pitch-black background spread on the body of the ukulele.
“This month has been rough and dark for the country, with the rising cases of COVID-19,” Gilcy says. “What better way to represent that than the darkness of the night.”
The Moon and Music
The artist reflects on the significance of music in her life and connects it to her most recent ukulele design. “Music has always been an uplifting element for me,” she says. “So, like the moon, even in the darkest hours, music shines through and helps us see through the darkest clouds.”
She also encourages people to look beyond the surface of situations. “There’s so much more to this black and white piece. It’s a reflection of your dark days, and how light triumphs in the end.”
Gilcy, who is currently the Senior Graphic Designer in PUGO design studio, has worked with Wagas Ukuleles for their limited edition designs before. Her partnership with Wagas started last year when her uncle, Ritchie, asked her to create three designs for their Tribu Wagas Collection.
This year, every month Wagas Ukuleles releases a brand new limited edition collection featuring various designs. Because these are limited-edition pieces, only a few of these limited-edition ukuleles are made, making customers feel the uniqueness of the product they own.
The artist wishes to send a message of hope to all the customers who will avail this design. “Make this a symbol of hope, an instrument reminiscent of survival and grit.
Let this be your way of saying “PADAYON” (keep going).
You may now order this ukulele here. We’re sure once you get one, you’ll be over the moon with joy!