…I stepped in to a gate. A golden gate. Now I felt that this will not be like any ordinary ‘field trip’ back in the days. I sat in front of the theaterette and I was informed of how this precious yellow metal was obtained by the ancient Filipinos. Gold…
The dioramas in the Ayala Museum present an exhibition of major events and themes from prehistoric times to the recognition of Philippine independence by the United States in 1946. The sixty dioramas were divided into seven chapters—as the titles were color coded—that occur with in that period. The first chapter (1st-6th) comprises the Cagayan Valley Life with the Palawan Tabon Cave, Rice Terraces in Ifugao, etc. The second chapter (7th-33rd) includes the Trade with the Chinese in 1000 A.D., Introduction of Islam, and the first mass, First Books, Building of the UST, the British Occupation, the First Newspaper, and Introduction of the Tranvia, Rizal’s Completion of the Noli Me Tangre, and Katipunan’s Initiation Rites in 1892. The third chapter (34th-41st) encompasses the Beginning of the Revolution against Spain in 1896, Execution of Rizal, Pact of Biak-na-Bato, Independence from Spain in 1898, and the Mololos Congress. The fourth chapter (42nd-54th) covers the Beginning of Phil-American War in 1899, Assassination of General Antonio Luna, Death of Del Pilar, the Bates Agreement in Sulu, and the Inauguration of Quezon in 1935. The fifth chapter (55th-58th) contains the Occupation of the Japanese Forces in Manila in 1942, the Fall of Bataan, Death March, and the Guerilla Activities. The sixth chapter (59th-60th) includes Mc Arthur’s Return in 1944 and the Recognition of Philippine independence by the United States in 1946.
The exhibit on the top floor comprises of three main components that presents the cultural crossroads that the Philippines encountered through a millennium of contact with the great civilizations of South and East Asia. The Gold of Ancestors-the pre-colonial treasures in the country, the Embroidered Multiples-18th to 19th century Philippine costumes, and the Millennium of Contact-Chinese and Southeast Asian trade ceramics in the country.[1] The museum believes that these three main collections plus the dioramas that stretches the events in our past constitutes the Philippine History. The main collections give the visitors a new perspective that before the colonialization of Spain, our country had a rich culture that is collectively intertwined with traditions in the society and trade with the neighbouring countries.
This brings the individual out of his textbook-knowledge—Philippine history begins with the year when the country was accidentally discovered in 1521—that he carries prior to entering the museum. Connecting the idea from the Early Accounts paper, ancient Filipinos had a political system brought about the datus, a trade system caused by the barter economy, penal system that the society follows, social class system or the so-called caste system that comprises of three classes, etc.
All of the significant events that made a mark to our history or at least lead to an event were included in the museum. Considering this, I think what is lacking in the exhibit are the cultural events that took place all throughout the history. There was only one particular diorama that was dedicated to Zarzuela, but this was just part of a bigger picture in our past. Music is another way to look at a history of a country; studying the system of how they make rhythm in rituals and religious events, the songs that they sing and the instruments that they play. A song is a form of literature by which a group of people can put their personal stories in it. With this, I believe that with the richness of culture that the Filipinos had before the Spanish occupation, there is at least music played by our ancestors that constitutes a big part of an unwritten history.
The Gold of Ancestors: Pre-colonial Treasures in the Philippines was organized in three sections. These were the Austronesian Migrations, Mortals and Deities Adorned and Journey to the Afterlife. It was arranged in a circular manner to give way for the viewers to have a synchronic perspective rather than a linear progression like what most people thought of how evolution took place. It was a wonder how the exhibition presents multiple layers and simultaneous phenomena that occurred thousands of years ago. There were times that I have to go back to a certain display for me to go through what was being said in one of the inscriptions. Every piece of gold in the exhibit was linked to another piece of treasure and a part of information back in prehistoric time. Gold in its most chaste and purest form is very malleable and ductile. I established a fact that the ancient Filipinos were not yet introduced in the process of alloying. Therefore, every thing that they made was a hundred percent pure gold or 24 karat gold. I noticed a consistency in the exhibit—most of the containers, jarlets, jewellry and accessories were deformed when discovered. It assumes that these objects were made from 24 karat gold. It is a wonder to think that, back in time, Philippines was abundant of this kind of non-renewable resource.
Ancient Filipinos were very particular to their status in their chiefdoms. With this thought there were certain accessories worn only by the affluent and the powerful. To state a few were the lingling o’s, necklaces, ear ornaments, golden threads, etc. What amazed me was the range in size and the assortment of intricate designs of these pieces especially the ear ornaments. I was in shocked when I saw the biggest of them all, how was it shaped and placed on one’s earlobe. I was not aware about the material treasure and ancient traditions that existed way before the Spanish Colonization. This is like fresh breathe from the stereotypical perspective that we were nomadic and uncivilized before the Spaniards came thought in the primary level.
[1] "Exhibitions." Ayala Museum. http://www.ayalamuseum.org/index.php?option=com_ayala_content&task=exhibitindex&Itemid=9 (accessed December 5, 2011).
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