The seldom-seen “Lantaka: Of War and Peace” Exhibit, inaugurated in 2015, commemorates the pioneering studies on lantakas and bells, particularly the collaborative research of W-A Miailhe De Burgh and Fe B. Mangahas as encapsulated in their publication entitled, Lantakas: From 16th to 19th Centuries, the first volume in Of War and Peace. The lantaka is cited by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts of the Philippines as an intangible cultural heritage of the country under the ‘Traditional Craftsmanship’ category that the government may nominate in the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Lists.
Check out “National Museum of Anthropology”
“Lantaka: Of War and Peace” Exhibit
Here, we were offered an opportunity to view and examine the selection of lantakas from the National Ethnographic Collection and those confiscated by the Bureau of Customs and turned over to the National Museum of the Philippines in 2010.
The lantaka (a small bronze swivel gun), prevalent in 17th and 18th century Southeast Asia, is called the meriam or bedil in Indonesia and Brunei Darussalam and was often used by trading and raiding vessels sailing in Southeast Asian maritime routes and on walls and palisades of fortresses to protect communities against rampant raiding before the 16th century, and eventually to resist Spanish colonization.
On display are specimens from the National Museum Collection and the Miailhe de Burgh Collection, two of the three biggest lantaka collections hereabouts (the other is the Brunei Bedil Collection). They include distinctive ordnances, morteros, miniatures—regarded as “an exceptional selection” and considered important for their rarity, diversity and historical value.
“Lantaka: Of War and Peace” Exhibit: 3/F, National Museum of Anthropology, Agrifina Circle (or Teodoro Valencia Circle, adjacent to the National Museum of Fine Arts building),Padre Burgos Drive, Rizal Park, Ermita, Manila. Tel: (02) 8528-4912 (02) 8527-1232 (Ethnology Division) and (02) 8527-0278. E-mail: nationalmuseumph@gmail.com and nationalmuseumph.anthropology@gmail.com. Open Tuesdays to Sundays, 10 AM – 5 PM. Admission is free