MERMAIDS are legendary aquatic creatures that have been a part of folklore and mythology for centuries. 

Also called sirenas in Philippine folklore, they are typically depicted as having the upper body of a human and the tail of a fish. They are said to inhabit bodies of water such as oceans, seas, lakes, and rivers.

Mermaid stories became immensely popular due to the release of Disney’s The Little Mermaid, which were produced in both animated and live-action films. The original story was written by the Danish author Hans Christian Andersen in 1837,

The most recent rendition of the classic tale hit international cinemas in May, narrating the adventures of a mermaid princess named Ariel as she set foot away from the ocean to follow her heart.

Mermaid legends vary across different cultures. In some stories, mermaids are depicted as dangerous and seductive creatures, luring sailors to their demise with their enchanting voices and beauty. These tales often warn of the perils of being lured into the depths of the sea by their captivating songs.

But are also portrayed as benevolent beings, often rescuing drowning sailors or guiding them to safety. They are sometimes associated with good luck, fertility, and love.

Although mermaids are mythical beings, republicasia was able to come across a real-life Filipina mermaid somewhere in Pasig City.

Courtesy: Amarie Tolentino

Meet Amarie, the Pinay Mermaid

Amarie Tolentino is a human who’s currently living our childhood mermaid dreams. Aside from her human job that involves customer service and sales, she is also a professional mermaid and a licensed mermaid instructor.

This millennial started teaching other mermaid wanna-bes back in 2019. Although her profession began as a mere hobby, she now teaches students of various ages and genders how to dive into the waters like a real half human, half fish entity.

She holds her mermaid lessons at The Plunge Dive Club by TUD in Pasig City.

Aside from her mermaid classes, Mermaid Amarie also appears in various events like birthday parties in her colorful tail.

What is mermaid swimming?

Mermaid swimming, according to her, is not only a physical activity. It is something that helps enrollees “give in to their inner child.”

“Yung iba meron silang mermaid dreams since bata pa sila. So now, we have the means, we can actually enroll doon sa class tapos it also gives you a feeling na medyo magical ka,” she told republicasia.

Courtesy: Amarie Tolentino

Some considerations before trying mermaid classes

There are several age and skill requirements before enrolling in a mermaid class. 

First, knowing how to swim is a prerequisite. Mermaid Amarie said it would be difficult for nonswimmers to move because the monofins used during the classes would limit their movements.

“Kasi ‘pag hindi tayo marunong lumangoy, mahihirapan tayo sa movements. Kasi yung mga paa natin is para siyang nakatali if its inside the monofin, so very limited yung movements,” she said.

For the age limit, children of 6 years and above are welcome to enroll in her class as long as they know how to swim.

But those with particular medical conditions like heart disease should first ask their doctors if they can try mermaid swimming to avoid incidents while in the pool.

Aside from these, there are no other restrictions when trying out the mermaid classes because it is very inclusive and is open for all types of people, regardless of their age, gender, weight, or disabilities.

The mermaid classes

Mermaid Amarie offers both basic and in-depth classes in her mermaid school.

The basic mermaid class runs for two to three hours and costs around P3,000. Here, students can just try on the mermaid tails and take photos, or they can also try swimming in the pool and become a mermaid for a day.

Meanwhile, the full mermaid course is a two to three-day training session that costs P15,000 and above, depending on the number of sessions students would join it.

The mermaid class rates include the venue fee and the monofins and tail rentals. But if a student already owns a tail, Mermaid Amarie said she would be giving discounts.

The mermaid students

According to Mermaid Amarie, she had a mix of students during the four years of her teaching career.

She has already catered to those who just want nice mermaid photos and those who are already free divers and aim to expand their hobbies.

“I have those ones na they just really want to live their mermaid dreams, be a mermaid for a day, hindi rin sila masyado nagpo-pool or what, basta gusto lang nila magbuntot,” she said.

“I have this type of people na they are already free divers. Sila yung talagang sumisisid na, they are very adept in open waters, tapos gusto naman nilang magbranch out or ma-try yung another version ng hobby,” she added.

Be a mermaid for a day!

To those who want to try but are also scared of being a mermaid, Mermaid Amarie said they should  allow themselves to have a sense of wonder and express their inner child.

“If you think that you wanna do something no matter how funny, absurd, or weird that is, as long as you feel like it is going to give you happiness, then just go for it,” she said.

She also said people should not allow themselves to be discouraged because of the bad things they hear from others. Instead, they should use these awful words to drive them into doing the things that would make them happy.

And before letting their fear eat them alive, it wouldn’t hurt to try being a mermaid for once, she said. 

“If you want [to be a mermaid], just go ahead and try, just go ahead and enroll. Kasi you’ll never really know how it feels kapag kunwari, ayaw mo na agad ‘di ba?” she said.