Artist makes gorgeous headpieces as a way to celebrate their Filipino culture
It's so much more than a fashion statement.

Yas queen.
Artist Mar Velicaria is giving a renaissance to Filipino culture. Their beautiful handmade golden headdresses are taking over TikTok, and not just because they are stunning to look at.
Velicaria currently has four different crown designs, all inspired by a key part of the Filipino flag: the Philippine sun. The image of the sun invokes a lot of different things for a lot of different people. But it has a particular meaning in Filipino culture.
Located in the center of the flag’s white triangle, the sun—which originally had a face on it—is meant to symbolize the “brightness of the Filipino mind,” according to The Philippines Today. Each of the sun’s eight rays represent the provinces that rebelled against Spain to defend freedom.
Velicaria used their impressive skills to shine a spotlight on this rich heritage in a truly creative way and people are loving them for it.
Below is thier first design, simply called the "Reyna.”
@marharlika POV you’re just trying to live out your mom’s dream of being in a Philippine teleserya 🇵🇭🤪
♬ It's All Coming Back To Me Now - Céline Dion
Velicaria told "Good Morning America" that the idea came to them after watching the 2018 Met Gala, which had the theme of “heavenly bodies.” What started out as a fun creative hobby soon became a meaningful way to support and celebrate their community.
“I hope my products inspire you to learn more about your family, your culture, your people and yourself,” they told GMA.
Below is a slightly different but just as beautiful crown called the "5 Ray Reyna."
@marharlika I didn’t expect this version of headpiece to be as popular as it is, but I’m happy that y’all like it 💖🥰🇵🇭
♬ T a l k i n g t o t h e P l a y D a t e - MidnightDrives
This one is my personal favorite, called the "Sunpaguita."
@marharlika POV you fall asleep during class and dream of sunny days ☀️
♬ Howl's Moving Castle - Merry-Go-Round of Life - Vitamin String Quartet
The Sampaquita is the national flower of the Philippines, though oddly enough it isn't native to the area. The flower symbolizes purity, simplicity, humility and strength.
Last but not least, there's the lovely "Maria," showing up at the very beginning of this video:
@marharlika Since so many class of 2022 grads wanna see what the headpieces looked like in a cap and gown 🎓✨🇵🇭👑 #classof2022 ♬ Get Up (feat Chamillionaire) - Ciara
Mary, aka "The Blessed Mother," is a major icon in Filipino Catholic tradition. Several days throughout the year are dedicated to honoring her, as she is seen as a living connection to the sacred.
It's not just glamorous crowns either; Velicaria offers all kinds of accessories and jewelry inspired by Filipino culture. And with every lovely trinket they create, they brings in more representation.
“There’s this saying [in Tagalog] called ‘Isang Bagsak,’ which means ‘One Down," they said to GMA. "It basically represents this idea in Philippine culture that if one of us falls, we all fall. And if one of us rises, we all rise.”
If you want to check out more of their work, or even purchase a few items, you can find their Instagram and website here and here.
There's a reason why some people can perfectly copy accents, and others can't
Turns out, there's a neurodivergent link.
A woman in black long sleeve shirt stands in front of mirror.
Have you ever had that friend who goes on vacation for four days to London and comes back with a full-on Queen's English posh accent? "Oooh I left my brolly in the loo," they say, and you respond, "But you're from Colorado!" Well, there are reasons they (and many of us) do that, and usually it's on a pretty subconscious level.
It's called "accent mirroring," and it's actually quite common with people who are neurodivergent, particularly those with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). According Neurolaunch, the self-described "Free Mental Health Library," "Accent mirroring, also known as accent adaptation or phonetic convergence, is the tendency to unconsciously adopt the accent or speech patterns of those around us. This linguistic chameleon effect is not unique to individuals with ADHD, but it appears to be more pronounced and frequent in this population."
Essentially, when people have conversations, we're constantly "scanning" for information—not just the words we're absorbing, but the inflection and tone. "When we hear an accent, our brains automatically analyze and categorize the phonetic features, prosody, and intonation patterns," writes Neurolaunch. For most, this does result in copying the accent of the person with whom we're speaking. But those with ADHD might be more sensitive to auditory cues. This, "coupled with a reduced ability to filter out or inhibit the impulse to mimic…could potentially explain the increased tendency for accent mirroring."
While the article explains further research is needed, they distinctly state that, "Accent mirroring in individuals with ADHD often manifests as an unconscious mimicry of accents in social situations. This can range from subtle shifts in pronunciation to more noticeable changes in intonation and speech rhythm. For example, a person with ADHD might find themselves unconsciously adopting a Southern drawl when conversing with someone from Texas, even if they’ve never lived in the South themselves."
People are having their say online. On the subreddit r/ADHDWomen, a thread began: "Taking on accents is an ADHD thing?" The OP shares, "My whole life, I've picked up accents. I, myself, never noticed, but everyone around me would be like, 'Why are you talking like that??' It could be after I watched a show or movie with an accent or after I've traveled somewhere with a different accent than my 'normal.'
They continue, "Apparently, I pick it up fast, but it fades out slowly. Today... I'm scrolling Instagram, I watch a reel from a comedian couple (Darcy and Jeremy. IYKYK) about how Darcy (ADHD) picks up accents everywhere they go. It's called ADHD Mirroring??? And it's another way of masking."
(The OP is referring to Darcy Michaels and his husband Jeremy Baer, who are both touring comedians based in Canada.)
Hundreds of people on the Reddit thread alone seem to relate. One comments, "Omfg I've done this my whole life; I'll even pick up on the pauses/spaces when I'm talking to someone who is ESL—but English is my first language lol."
Sometimes, it can be a real issue for those around the chameleon. "I accidentally mimicked a waitress's weird laugh one time. As soon as she was out of earshot, my family started to reprimand me, but I was already like 'oh my god I don’t know why I did that, I feel so bad.'"
Many commenters on TikTok were shocked to find out this can be a sign of ADHD. One jokes, "Omg, yes, at a store the cashier was talking to me and she was French. She's like 'Oh are you French too? No, I'm not lol. I'm very east coast Canada."
And some people just embrace it and make it work for them. "I mirror their words or phrase! I’m 30. I realized I start calling everyone sweetie cause my manager does & I work at coffee shop."