After a decade of meticulous world-building, Filipino author Atty. Darwin De Jesus Mariano is bringing the forgotten worlds of pre-colonial Southeast Asia to the Manila International Book Fair (MIBF). This September 12, 2026, attendees will experience a live book reading of Namwaran and the Golden Tara, a sweeping debut novel anchored on the Philippines’ most ancient artifacts.
The story follows siblings Namwaran, Angkatan, and Bukah, whose lives are turned upside down when their mother, Pandi, a goldsmith from Tondo, mysteriously disappears and a priceless golden statue is stolen. Each sibling receives a black-stone amulet—Kaykay, Bosong, and Ropok—that grants habangbuhay (long life).
The novel also brings together the pre-colonial histories of the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore, a setting rarely explored in historical fiction. Its world will be grounded in real artifacts and historical records, including the ninth-century Golden Tara of Agusan and the Laguna Copperplate, the oldest known written document found in the Philippines.
By weaving these historical references into a fictional story, Namwaran and the Golden Tara offers readers a different way to experience Southeast Asian history through ancient kingdoms, mythology, political intrigue, and a family whose story stretches across centuries.
Namwaran and the Golden Tara marks Atty. Mariano’s first fictional work. He will introduce the book to readers during an exclusive live book reading and signing on September 12, 2026, from 1:30 to 2:00 PM at the CentralBooks Booth, located on the Ground Floor, Exhibit Halls 1-4 C, Booths #384-393 of the Manila International Book Fair at SMX Convention Center Manila. Readers who have ever wondered what stories might have existed before the Philippines was defined by the history we know today will be invited to discover one through Atty. Mariano’s third book and first novel.
Atty. Mariano is an experienced business leader, healthcare executive and government affairs lawyer. He founded Ticket2Me, the Philippines’ first fully digital integrated ticketing and video platform and is the producer behind acclaimed works such as Maxie the Musical, the stage adaptation of Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros, and the digital series Boys’ Lockdown.
Namwaran and the Golden Tara is available through the CentralBooks website, with free shipping nationwide.
