Prison ‘Inday Dolls’ for Women’s Month

MANILA, Philippines — Restrained by prison walls, the 237 female inmates of the Iloilo City District Jail have found their “escape” through handmade “Inday Dolls.”

From March 11 until April 3, the “Inday Dolls” are on display at the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) building in Intramuros, Manila.

This is the first time that the NCCA is featuring works of prisoners as part of the observance of Women’s Month.

Rosalie Zerrudo, lead artist and curator of Hilway Art Products, said the doll-making activity helped the inmates cope psychologically with the stressful conditions of their cramped cells. 

The facility, which can only accommodate 30 persons, is occupied by 237 inmates.

Of the figure, 91 to 95 percent are detained for drug-related offenses.

“The warden was saying that the prison facility was very crowded so I wanted to create a ‘mental space’ for them and make them realize that if they put their minds to it, they could have a bigger space,” Zerrudo, who started the doll-making project, said. 

Since the inmates became pre-occupied with their “Inday Dolls,” prison officials noticed that there have been less incidents of fighting and conflicts among them.

“They are quiet when they work since they are doing something in jail.” 

Aside from improving their disposition, the doll-making served as a means of livelihood, a source of income for some of them who are still family breadwinners despite being behind bars. 

“They have a chance to create their own original work. There are no similar designs, no repeated patterns. They are one of a kind products,” Zerrudo said.

After the exhibit at the NCCA, the dolls – mostly made out of used clothing and beads – will be sold to visitors of the gallery. 

Zerrudo, a Fine Arts professor at the University of San Agustin in Iloilo City, started the project in 2014 for her professorial chair research.

Seeing the positive changes among the female inmates made her decide to continue helping and expanding the project. 

Now they have the “Nene Dolls” which are made by the sisters and daughters of the inmates; the “Toto Dolls” for the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) community, and the “Bayaning Inday,” which show the people they idolize. 

The dolls have previously been showcased at the Museo Pambata in Manila and in California and New York in the US.