Roll For Representation: The Analysis of the Babaylan and Headhunter from the Islands of Sina Una

Abstract

The Islands of Sina Una is a fan-made campaign setting book for the fifth edition of Dungeons and Dragons created by a passionate group of Filipino D&D players. The new classes that are added to the book are the Headhunter and Babaylan. This study aimed to answer how the writers of Islands of Sina Una translated the roles of the Philippine Headhunter and Babaylan as classes for the setting to fit the world of Dungeons and Dragons through textual analysis and key informant interviews with three important figures integral to the project’s creation. Guided by the Cultural Translation Theory by Talal Asad and the Imagined Communities Theory by Benedict Anderson, the study showed that though cultural translation can never be neutral, as argued by Talal Asad, it is possible to minimize or mitigate such biases by maintaining awareness of them and addressing them within the product. In doing so, a more informed product is created, leading to better representation and understanding. Through their thoughtful translation of the Babaylan and Headhunter, the creators not only introduced these roles to new audiences but also encouraged the ongoing dialogue of Filipino heritage, identity, and representation in contemporary gaming spaces.