Category Archives: Museums

Samurai Museum (Tokyo, Japan)

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Samurai Museum. L-R: Bryan, Cheska, Kyle, the author, Grace and Jandy

The Samurai Museum (侍ミュージアム), an urban entertainment museum centrally located in the Kabukicho district of Tokyo’s Shinjuku (an area known more for its nightly entertainment than cultural facilities) ward, displays, under dramatic lighting, more than 70 examples of samurai armor, kabuto helmets and weapons gathered from Japanese and foreign collections.

A row of yoroi sets of armor

The rooms here are as Japanese as the museum creators can make it, with tatami mats, paper screens, very atmospheric lighting, Japanese music, etc..

The author beside a set of armor

The museum has two areas.  At the ground floor is the gift shop, the reception desk and an array of very beautifully arranged rows of yoroi sets of armor, mostly from the Muromachi (1336-1573) and Edo (1600-1868) periods.

Armor Sewn with Dark Blue Thread with 2-Piece Cuirass (Edo Period)

Facing them is a traditional painting depicting the Battle of Sekigahara. As soon as we entered the museum, we were transported into the world of Japan’s samurai culture.

Armor Sewn with Navy-Blue Thread (End of Muromachi Period)

At the first floor (or “second floor” in Japanese) are six smaller areas specializing in the Kamakura period.

Brown-Lacquered Armor (Beginning of Edo Period)

On display are swords and other bladed weapons, kabuto helmets, yoroi armor, matchlock guns and the passage to the modern era.

Brown-Lacquered Armor (Beginning of Edo Period)

The enthusiastic English-speaking guide first demonstrated a number of samurai sword moves and, for good measure, lets out a blood-curdling scream. The detailed explanation included information on the weapons on display.

Chiossone (Samurai helmet)

The actual number of exhibits wasn’t that big but it was enough to illustrate some of the main points of the history of the samurai. 

Copy of Iron Armor with 2-Piece Cuirass of Yukimura Sanada (Heisei Period)

We learned the meaning of the word “samurai;” what differentiates a samurai’s katana from other kinds of swords; that guns were also used in Japan during the time of the samurai; what was bushido (the “way of the samurai”); which animals and colors were thought to represent strength and why the samurai shave their heads.

Copy of the Armor of Kanatsugu Naoe (Heisei Period)

The guide also cleared some basic misconceptions regarding the samurai.  We learned that samurai warriors used disposable blades (after a few strikes, the blade was no longer sharp); that the sword was not “the soul of the samurai” (the bow and arrow was) and how important firearms were for the samurai who actually went to war. 

Gold Lacquered Armor with 2-Piece Cuirass (Late Edo Period)

Description of Armor Wearing

We also learned what was happening in Japanese history at the time of the rise of the samurai, including the Mongol invasion of Kyushu in the 13th century. We found out more about Japan’s three most famous samurai (Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and Tokugawa Ieyasu); learned what kind of armor each wore to battle and how the style of each has been expressed through haiku poetry.

Image of Ieyasu Tokugawa

Golden Armor of Ieyasu Tokugawa (Heisei Period)

Portrait of Nobunaga Oda Shihon Choku Shoku

Copy of the Armor of Hideyoshi Toyotomi (Heisei Period)

Image of Hideyoshi Toyotomi

Even for someone who is somewhat familiar with the subject, some of the exhibits were indeed very interesting and friendly to the casual visitor, especially to us who came from abroad (about 60% of the museum’s visitors are Westerners, 35% are Asians and only 5% are Japanese). 

Gold Lacquered Armor with 2-Piece Cuirass (Late Edo Period)

The exhibitions displayed in the second floor were in chronological order and so, to easily understand and appreciate the artifacts, each item on display had detailed descriptions written in English, Chinese and Korean.

Cheska and Bryan

The super popular Samurai Photo-Shooting corner was the piece de resistance of the tour. Jandy and Bryan had their pictures taken wearing a samurai helmet (kabuto), battle coat (jinbaori) then wielding a sword and trying their hands in Samurai cosplay.  Cheska wore a kimono.  Unfortunately, there were no outfits for Kyle.

Bryan

Jandy

Overall, the Samurai Museum was a fun way for young people and parents to spend a couple of hours to further understand what it truly means to be a samurai, one of the most well-known icons of Japanese culture, rather than for serious scholars of samurai culture and history.

Gold-Lacquered Saddle Seat with Unryu-zu (Ise Ise No Kami Sadamune)

As it was already late in the evening when we visited, we missed the 10-15-min. special afternoon performance of a quite intense and realistic sword battle featuring the instantaneous drawing of the sword (if you’re lucky you can catch a glimpse of a ninja).  Started since March 12, 2016, it was performed by professional actor Shinichiro Matsuura. Show times were 2PM, 3PM, 4PM and 5PM.

Katana (Japanese Sword, Oumo no Kami Tadayoshi, Middle of the Edo Period)

Japanese Sword (Dengassan, Middle of Muromachi Period)

Every Tuesday and Thursday, calligrapher Ms. Shiho Kurabayashi, designer of the logos for both the movie Sadako 3D as well as the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency, will give Japanese calligraphy lessons, an art form practiced, through the centuries, by samurai and nobles. Ink, paper and writing brush will be provided.

Mutsu no Kami Yoshiyuki (Heisei Period)

Nagamaki -Sword Blade with a Long Hilt (End of Edo Period)

Visitors who will take this course will learn the fundamentals, including how to hold a brush, the right posture for writing calligraphy, how to write three kinds of letters used in Japanese language (Hiragana, Katakana and Kanji), the meanings of some Kanji characters, and your name in Japanese letters. Afterwards, they can take their work home as a souvenir.

Naginata – Pole Sword (Hakuryu Yoshikazu)

Tachi (Sword, Middle of Kamakura Period)

Started since December 17, 2015, the approximately 1-hour lecture starts at 7PM. Shiho taught Japanese calligraphy (shodo) at an elementary school in the U.S.  She won a prize at Mainichi Shodo Exhibition and a special award at Taito Shodo Exhibition in Tokyo. Her prize-winning pieces also appeared on the Saitama Newspaper.

Large Armor Sewn with Red Thread (Heisei Period)

Satsuma Armor Sewn with Navy Blue Thread (Edo Period)

A Japanese sword lecture is also presented by Mr. Paul Martin, former curator at the British Museum and an expert on samurai swords.  He will teach you about Samurai history, as well as how to handle swords correctly. The talk lasts about 45 mins., with 45 mins. for viewing and additional questions.

Zohyo Monogatari (Stories of Common Soldiers)

Chiyoda no Oooku Ukiyoe (Japanese Woodblock Print)

For an additional fee of JP¥32,000 – 44,000 (depending on the armor chosen), visitors can opt for a “Sengoku” style, fully armed, photo shoot which includes photos as well as a CD-ROM containing the images. 

Matchlock Gun

Smith & Wesson, II – 32 Pistol (Heisei Period)

The Gift Shop offers a full range of original samurai gift items (authentic Japanese swords, sword stands, sword fittings, samurai armor, etc.) and samurai-themed souvenirs (dolls, replica swords, etc.)for sale as well as kitchenware, Japanese cooking knives and T-shirts.

Battle of Kawanakajima Ukiyoe (Japanese Woodblock Print)

A Crisis of Japan (Kano Seiseinin)

Samurai Museum: 1/F Eiwa Dairoku Bldg., 2 Chome-25-6 Kabukicho, 160-0021, Shinjuku, Tokyo.  Tel: +81 3-6457-6411.  Admission: JP¥1,900 (adults) and JP¥800 (children under 12 years of age).  Children 3 years old or under enter free if accompanied by an adult.
The sword show and samurai costume are included with museum admission. Open daily, 10:30AM to 9PM. (No admissions after 8:30 PM). Admission to the Japanese sword lecture (starting time: 7PM)and calligraphy lessons is JP¥5,000 (museum admission included). Advance reservation of two or more required. Website:  www.samuraimuseum.jp.  Gift Shop email: info@samuraigift.jp. Facebook: www.facebook.com/samuraimuseum.jp.

How to Get There: The museum is an 8-min. walk from Shinjuku Station’s East Exit on the JR Yamanote Line, a 4-min. walk from Seibu Shinjuku Station, a 6-min. walk from Higashi-Shinjuku Station Exit A1 and a 10-min. walk from Shinjuku Sanchome Station.

Kampana Museum (Lingayen, Pangasinan)

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Kampana Museum, probably the only one of its kind in the country

The Kampana (“Bell”) Museum, probably the only museum of its kind in the country, is housed within the compound of the Cathedral of the Epiphany of Our Lord.  It displays an array of six old bells (some dating back to the 1800s) of different sizes (four of them still with their wooden yokes) of the parish on a raised concrete platform within a fenced in, shed-type enclosure.

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The array of six bells, a number of which are coated with verdigris

During the term of the first Team Ministry (when the “Three Kings” Parish was renamed “Epiphany of Our Lord Parish” in 1965) of the parish (composed of Fr. John R. Palinar, Fr. Jose S. Estrada, Fr. Manuel S. Bravo and Fr. Victor Z. Embuido), these church bells were replaced by new ones (sourced through donations from civic-spirited citizens here and abroad).

 

Bell inscribed with “Isaias Edralin,” probably a parish priest

These old church bells were, in turn, housed in a museum built during the term of the second Team Ministry (composed of Fr. Alberto T. Arenos, Fr. Camilo Natividad and Fr. Jovino Batecan).  The museum was inaugurated on March 31, 2002.

Bell inscribed with “Francisco Treserra,” probably a parish priest

AUTHOR’S NOTES:

Inscriptions on the bells oftentimes indicates the bell’s date of casting, its weight, the name of the saint (San Juan Bautista, Sta. Teresita, Jesus, Maria y Jose, etc.) to which it was dedicated; the name of the town (Lingayen) for which it was commissioned; the name of the parish priest (Francisco Treserra, Isaias Edralin, Felix Sanches, etc.), bishop (Cesar Ma. Guerrero, on February 22, 1929), pope (Pope Pius XI ); when it was cast; and even the name of the bell caster.

A bell inscribed with the names of Lingayen Bishop Cesar Ma. Guerrero and Pope Pius XI

I noticed one bell was cast in 1874, a second in 1883 and another in 1928. One bell is inscribed with “Fundicion de H. Sunico” possibly referring to metalsmith Hilario S. Sunico who cast 176 bells, dated 1872-98. His last known bell was dated 1937.

A bell inscribed with the year “1883”

Many of the bells are wrapped in a blue-green patina due to chemical reaction with air and sea water, over time, that causes copper, brass and bronze to form verdigris.The verdigris layer, which gives the bell its fragile beauty, actually protects the underlying metal from corrosion and degradation, which is why these bells are so durable.

A bell inscribed with “Jesus, Mary and Joseph”

Cathedral of the Epiphany of Our Lord: Poblacion, Lingayen, 2401 Pangasinan.  Tel: (075) 542-6235.

How to Get There: Lingayen is located 227 kms. (a 4.5-hour drive) from Manila and 94.9 kms. (a 3-hour drive) from Baguio City (Benguet).

Silliman University’s Anthropology Museum (Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental)

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Anthropology Museum

Silliman University’s Anthropology Museum,  a must to visit if you are a tourist in Dumaguete City, was established in 1973 to bring the importance of the Filipino’s cultural heritage to the attention of the public. Formerly housed in the iconic Silliman Hall (the oldest American structure in the country), the museum was relocated to the second floor of Hibbard Hall in 2015.

Hibbard Hall

Hibbard Hall, built in 1932 and named after Dr. David Sutherland Hibbard, one of the founders of the institution, also houses the Office of the University Registrar.. It is a good museum to visit to get first-hand viewing of tools used on different historical ages of the Philippines.

The collections were well documented and arranged. The bulk of the artifacts displayed came from field works, excavations by Sillimanian anthropologists in the 1970s, purchases and donations.This airconditioned museum has seven galleries, from archaeological finds to anthropological artifacts. The first three contains exhibits collected from known cultural or ethnic groups all over the country.

Artifacts include simple tools and instruments such as basketry; woodwork; agricultural and aquatic tools; weapons (bows & arrows, etc.); clothing and ornaments; musical instruments impressive samples of Islamic cultural pieces and even objects of Siquijor “witchcraft” or traditional healing practices. The display is based on two general criteria: the type of social organization (incipient, tribal or sultanate) and the type of economic subsistence (hunting, and gathering, marginal agriculture or farming) under which ethnic group is categorized.

The last four galleries exhibit a variety of very wide-reaching and interesting artifacts, dating to the Pre-Colonial Period, collected from different parts of Negros Island and in the mountain areas of Cotabato. On display are excavated burial jars, clay pots believed to be used during burial rites; porcelain which date back to the Sung Period in the twelfth century; native jewelry; and a long wooden boat coffin with actual remains in it.

The Sultan Omar Kiram Collection tells the curious story of a young man, born in 1914, whose Christian name was Vicente Austria.  He was adopted into a wealthy Christian family and enjoyed the benefits of education and culture of that family. Later, as an army officer, he went to a Muslim village where his former nurse (yaya) recognized him and told him of his real heritage that he was, in fact, from a royal Muslim family and he was really Sultan Omar Kiram, the ruler of the Onayan Sultanate of Lanao del Sur, Mindanao.  He died in 1986 and his collection, which  includes his personal effects (clothes, different kinds of ceremonial swords, prayer beads, etc.),  was donated by his wife.

Rocks and Minerals

There’s also a display of precious gemstones and minerals and a short visual history of the Filipino people (Philippine Revolution, Second World War , Declaration of Independence, EDSA Revolution, etc.).

Anthropology Museum: 2/F, Hibbard Hall, Hibbard Ave., Silliman University, Dumaguete City. Open Mondays-Saturdays, 8 AM – 11:30 AM and 1:30 PM – 4:30 PM;  Sundays and holidays, by appointment. General Admission: PhP50 (Mondays – Saturdays); PhP100 (Sundays and holidays).  Children below 15 years and Filipino students: PhP20 (Mondays – Saturdays); PhP40 (Sundays and holidays).  Senior Citizen: PhP40 (Mondays – Saturdays); PhP80 (Sundays and holidays).

“Kaban ng Lahi: Archaeological Treasures” Gallery (Manila)

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“Kaban ng Lahi: Archaeological Treasures” Gallery

The “Kaban ng Lahi: Archaeological Treasures” Gallery, one of the long running exhibitions of the National Museum of Anthropology, was installed in 1998 in the then Museum of the Filipino People in celebration of the centennial of Philippine independence.

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Architecturally designed to simulate a cave setting, where most of the burial objects exhibited were discovered, the gallery portrays secondary burial  jar collections as well as samples of other utilitarian vessels unearthed from different cave sites across the Philippines. It also features the importance of burial practices associated with the death of early Filipinos in the southern Philippines and other parts of the country practiced by our ancestors.

One of these practices is the secondary burial of the dead person which involves treatment and re-burial of the bones after the corpse had decomposed. The process includes cleaning, painting or treating of the bones known as bone washing. The practice of secondary burial always involved a ritual ceremony.

Leta-Leta Presentation Cup

Highlights of this gallery are a number of objects declared as National Cultural Treasures (NCTs) by the National Museum of the Philippines and regarded for their uniqueness and outstanding historical, cultural, artistic and historical value discovered from different sites in the Philippines – the Manunggul Jar, Maitum Anthropomorphic Burial Jar 21 (depicted with male genitalia), and Likha.

Maitum Anthropomorphic Pottery

Other NCTs, noted for their distinct and elaborate forms, include the 10 cm. high and 6 cm. wide Leta-Leta Stem Cup, the 8 cm. high and 3.5 cm. wide Leta-Leta Footed Jarlet and the 8 cm. high and 20 cm. wide Leta-Leta Presentation Dish (has a pedestal featuring narrow triangular patterned cutouts), artifacts excavated in 1965 by Dr. Robert B. Fox in Leta-Leta Cave. Situated in a limestone cliff on the east coast of Lagen Island in El Nido, Northern Palawan, archaeological materials recovered in this burial site include human remains, a stone adze, modified shells as grave goods as well as other intact pieces of pottery.

Maitum Anthropomorphic Pottery

The 29 unique anthropomorphic burial jars made of earthenware with design and form of human figures recovered in Ayub Cave in Pinol, Maitum, Sarangani Province (formerly South Cotabato) in 1991 by the National Museum of the Philippines. It has been found to be of the Metal Age period that dates from 500 B.C. to 370 A.D. Here, the head-shaped covers are of three types consisting of plain; with perforations; and those with different facial expressions. Another secondary burial jar in this collection has a shape of a human male torso, measuring about 43.5 cm in height and 36 cm in diameter with arms extended forward. These types of burial jars are not found in other burial sites in the country nor in other Asian countries. A diorama that shows how the burial jars were found arranged inside the cave by archaeologists.

Manunggul Jar

The splendid Manunggul Jar, one of the most precious jar collections, is a secondary burial vessel excavated from a late Neolithic burial site in Manunggul Cave of Lipuun, Quezon, Palawan dating from 890-710 B.C. This painted, incised jar has impressed decoration on its lid, on the top handle of which is an unusually compelling finial of 2 small but prominent round-eyed human figures representing souls paddling to the afterworld on a death boat.

Finial of 2 small but prominent round-eyed human figures representing souls paddling to the afterworld on a death boat

The branched-curl designs at the upper portion of the jar had been dabbed with hematic. The jar was found along with other highly developed earthenware burial jars and relics including bone fossils of at least 3 other individuals, pebble flake tools from the Late Pleistocene and early post-Pleistocene Period, deer bones, Sung and Yuan Dynasty porcelain and stoneware, spoons and other utensils.

Banton Boat Coffin

Two of 17 small hollowed hardwood (molave) log coffins (dating from the 14th-15th centuries), are also permanent display here.  Generally shaped into a boat with triangular lid and usually carved with reptilian motifs of snake, lizard or crocodile, they were found at the Hanging Cemetery, a cliffside burial cave located a short distance from Banton town (Romblon). They indicate that early inhabitants practiced secondary burial.  Also found were artificially-deformed skulls, two burial jars and pieces of 13th-14th century Chinese and Siamese tradeware.

Kulaman Limestone Burial Urns

The Kulaman Limestone Burial Urns, distinct because they are constituted of limestone carved into various sizes, shapes, and decorations, and used as secondary burial containers, were discovered in the Caves of Kan-fenefe and Kan-nitong in the mountain range locally known as Menteng, located in the Kulaman Plateau (known to be inhabited by the Manobo and other ethnolinguistic groups) in Kalamansig,, Sultan Kudarat, Mindanao.

Kulaman Limestone Burial Urns

The jars are either round or square, with vertical fluting or geometric patterns on the side. On average, the jars are about 60 cm. tall and 25 cm. wide and their lids vary in decoration, from simple handles to elaborate gabled (roof-like) or conical forms, occasionally stylized with anthropomorphic (human form) or zoomorphic (animal form) elements.

Masuso Pots

One of the lesser known but perhaps one of the most mysterious artifacts in the Kaban ng Lahi collection are the Masuso Pots, breast-shaped ceramic objects the origin and cultural significance of which are still unknown, the result of looting and destruction of archaeological sites. There are two variations – one with four breasts and another one with breasts facing seven directions.

Masuso Pots

Interestingly, historical evidence suggests that these artifacts are somehow related to the breast pots unearthed in Peru and in the Lausitz region of Germany as well as with variations also discovered in Romania, Ukraine, and Nigeria.  All show evidence that the pots were most likely used as sacred water vessels or ritual pots, with the breast symbolizing the life-giving power of water.

“Kaban ng Lahi: Archaeological Treasures” Gallery: Northeast Wing Gallery, 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.

“Lumad: Mindanao” Exhibit (Manila)

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“Lumad: Mindanao” Exhibit

The “Lumad: Mindanao” Exhibit, a permanent exhibition at the National Museum of Anthropology, was inaugurated last December 12, 2015 in partnership with the Office of Senator Loren Legarda, now Deputy Speaker and Representative of Antique.  It features over 200 material from the National Ethnographic Collection.

Betel Chewing

The term lumad, a Visayan word meaning “born from the earth,” was first used to refer to them in 1986 at their first political assembly to discuss issues concerning their cultural determination within their respective ancestral land. Comprising about 14.38% of the population in the upland and lowland areas of the Agusan, Cotabato, Davao, Misamis, Surigao and Zamboanga Provinces, Bukidnon, Compostela Valley, Maguindanao, Sultan Kudarat and Sarangani, they distinguish themselves as belonging to the indigenous non-Muslim group from Mindanao.

Local Pottery

It includes a comprehensive ethnolinguistic map and language tree of both Lumad and Bangsamoro groups collated from different historic, ethnohistoric, ethnographic and linguistic sources; and historic and contemporary photographs from the archives of the National Museum of the Philippines, the Field Museum of Natural History, University of Michigan Digital Collections and the University of Wisconsin-Madison Southeast Asian Studies Image Collection.

Metalsmithing

They also feature their tangible and intangible cultural heritage and a narrative on the widely disputed history of the Tasaday. The Lumad Mindanao gallery also displays ethnographic, archaeological, herbaria, and zoological collections.

Lumad Weapons

The exhibit features “the material culture of 13 of the roughly 19 major Lumad groups (Ata, B’laan, Bagobo, Banwaon, Bukidnon, Dibabawon, Higaonon, Mamanwa, Mandaya, Manguwangan, Mansaka, Manobo, Matigsalug, Obo, T’boli, Tagakaolo, Talaandig, Tiruray and Subanon/Subanun) from the National Ethnographic Collection which aims to explore the significance of Mindanao natural reserves and resources to Lumad identity.”

Bagobo Basket Weavers (Isabelo Quiles, 1991)

It also presents “previous and recent historical and anthropological data, particularly on their experiences, encounters, and established linkages and ties with neighboring groups and foreigners throughout the years; and in the process attempt to give an insight into how perceptive the Lumad peoples are of their place and purpose.”

“Lumad: Mindanao” Exhibit: Manila Electric Company and Lopez Group of Companies Galleries, 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.

“Faith, Tradition and Place: Bangsamoro Art from the National Ethnographic Collection” Exhibit (Manila)

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The “Faith, Tradition and Place: Bangsamoro Art from the National Ethnographic Collection” Exhibit, opened last October 2014 in collaboration with the Magbassa Kita Foundation Inc., as part of the Eid’l Adha celebration, is a permanent exhibition on the rich material cultural heritage of the Islamic cultures in Mindanao, Southern Philippines.

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A feast for my eyes, this region known for their ornate decorations and embellishments that are not only manifested in objects regarded meaningful or significant within various social, economic, political, or ritual contexts, but are also remarkably evident in the mundane and utilitarian.

The museum’s fourth permanent exhibit, on view at this exhibit are 251 objects, from the museum’s National Ethnographic Collection, whose particular technological and artistic elements not only express indigenous traditions but also manifest cultural connections and influences among these ethnically diverse groups especially in relation to the Islamic and Southeast Asian cultural traditions.

The sarimanok is an example of the carving tradition called okir/ukkil, which refers to a particular curvilinear design pattern predominantly and distinctly used by the Muslim groups in southern Philippines. This pattern specifically consists of a combination of stylized scrolls, plant-like design such as leaves, vines and ferns, bird-like designs, naga (serpent/dragon) designs and various geometric shapes.

These objects are emphasized as part of feasts, playing valuable and varied roles among Bangsamoro culture, including creating and keeping social identities and memories, as well as developing, consolidating and negotiating political power.

Sundok (grave marker)

Through the visual exploration of the material culture of the region, this exhibition examines the cultural interactions of the Bangsamoro cultures which, though bound together by their common adherence to the Islamic faith, still maintain their distinct ethnic cultures and identities.

Panolong with naga motif

Exchange systems, such as gifts, barter and trade are, moreover, meant to be articulated by the exhibition. Also featured here are complex relationships accentuated by the festivals, accomplishing work, developing prestige technologies, fostering artistic traditions and providing connections to the supernatural as well as to the ancestral world.

The tabo (drum) is a signaling instrument horizontally suspended in front of mosques. A standard rhythm calls people to prayer on Fridays, while a more intricate tempo is played during Ramadan

The star of the exhibit is the Koran of Bayang, a copy of the Koran supposedly handwritten in the mid-19th century. Said to have been originally owned by the Bayang family of Lanao del Sur, it was was copied by Saidna, a hajj from Lake Lanao while on a respite in Palembang, Sumatra, after his pilgrimage to Mecca. In 1902, US soldiers allegedly seized the copy and brought it to America where it was turned over to the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago.

Koran of Bayang

The copy was stored in the Department of Archives until 1966. In 1979, it was returned to the Philippines and was supposed to be delivered to the Mindanao State University in Marawi City a year later, but a typhoon forced a change of plans. Meanwhile, then First Lady Imelda Marcos reportedly took an interest in the copy and it was transferred to Malacañang. The book was “feared lost” after the 1986 Edsa uprising but Barns said the Presidential Museum eventually “made it available for public display.”

Rarub-a-kulong (armor) and kulong sa ulo (helmet)

Also on display are a rarub-a-kulong (armor) and kulong sa ulo (helmet) of brass and carabao horn used by ancient Maranao warriors; a wall ornament depicting the heroic mythical character Prince Indarapatra; a wooden winged horse (on loan from the Henry W. Fernandez collection) which boasts of ornate and curvy engraved details; swords (kris) and a  kinupud, a canopy of silk and cotton used by Maranao royalty to cover their beds.

The elaborately decorated kinupud are used for beds of members of royal families

A  boraq, a winged creature with hair and fur details made of abaca, was carved by Maranao craftsmen from Lanao del Sur.

A Maranao borak/buraq made of carved wood or a combination of wood and ivory, embellished with multi-colored paint, inlaid with mother-of-pearl, or decorated with brass plates/sheets, bells and hair. As told in the Islam miʿrāj or the ascension of the Prophet Muhammad into heaven, the winged borak, half-human and half-horse, carried him in his journey from the sacred place of worship Mecca to Jerusalem then to heaven which explains how he completed travelling between the cities in a single night. The borak is also described as a white animal, half-mule or half-donkey, with wings on its sides which replaced the ladder as Muhammad’s means of access into heaven. While there is no reference as to the sex and human qualities of the borak in hadith or record of traditions or sayings of the Prophet Muhammad, the Maranao sometimes portrays it with a face of a woman.

A colorful, wood and metal Maranao kokora could be mistaken for a four-legged creature or a life-size action figure. Note that the creature looks up to a contraption attached to its head that is actually a coconut grater. Those who grate coconuts have to literally ride the kokora to do the job.

Maranao kokora

A sataran, a Maranao chess set of wood and silver, is bordered by an intricate design carved from mother-of-pearl, while an elaborately-carved, throne-like wooden korsi, where a kulintang (8 gongs laid horizontally on a stand) player sits while entertaining royalty, has a sarimanok at front and center. A tabo, a signaling instrument, is horizontally suspended in front of mosques.

Korsi

“Faith, Tradition and Place: Bangsamoro Art from the National Ethnographic Collection” 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.

“Manlilikha ng Bayan (National Living Treasures)” Exhibit (Manila)

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Manlilikha ng Bayan Hall (National Living Treasure) Exhibit

The “Manlilikha ng Bayan (National Living Treasures)” Exhibit, opened last June 1, 2016, features the work and lives of 13 people awarded, since 1993, the Gawad Manlilikha ng Bayan (GAMABA) or the National Living Treasures Award  (institutionalized through Republic Act No. 7355 in April 1992) in recognition of their contribution and preservation of culture.

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A Manlilikha ng Bayan is defined as a citizen engaged in any traditional art uniquely Filipino whose distinctive skills have reached such a high level of technical and artistic excellence and have been passed on to and widely practiced by the present generation in his/her community with the same degree of technical and artistic competence.

The 13 awardees are:

  • Ginaw Bilog (1993) – a Hanunuo Mangyan poet from Mansalay, Mindoro who took it upon himself to continually keep scores of ambahan (a poetic literary form composed of seven-syllable lines used to convey messages through metaphors and images) poetry recorded, not only on bamboo tubes but on old, dog-eared notebooks passed on to him by friends.
  • Masino Intaray (1993) – a gifted Pala’wan poet, musician and bard artist from Brookes Point, Palawan who is an outstanding master of the basal (a gong music ensemble), kulilal (a highly lyrical poem expressing passionate love) and bagit (a strictly instrumental music depicting the rhythms, movements and sounds of nature, birds, monkeys, snakes, chirping of insects, rustling of leaves, the elements and the like)
  • Samaon Sulaiman (1993) – a Maguindanao musician from Mama sa Pano, Maguindanao who achieved the highest level of excellence in the art of kutyapi (a two-stringed plucked lute) playing. His extensive repertoire of dinaladay, linapu, minuna, binalig, and other forms and styles, interpreted with refinement and sensitivity, fully demonstrate and creative and expressive possibilities of his instrument.
  • Lang Dulay (1998) – a traditional t’nalak textile weaver from T’boli, Lake Sebu, South Cotabato, who knows a hundred designs, including the bulinglangit (clouds), the bankiring (hair bangs), and the kabangi (butterfly), each one special for the stories it tells. Using red and black dyes, she spins her stories with grace and her textiles reflect the wisdom and the visions of her people.
  • Salinta Monon(1998) – a Tagabawa Bagobo textile weaver from Bansalan, Davao del Sur, who built a solid reputation for the quality of her work and the intricacies of her designs. Of the many designs she weaves, her favorite is the binuwaya (crocodile), which is one of the hardest to make.
  • Alonzo Saclag (2000) – a Kalinga master of dance and the performing arts from Lubuagan, Kalinga, who has made it his mission to create and nurture a greater consciousness and appreciation of Kalinga culture, among the Kalinga themselves and beyond their borders. He has also endeavored to revive the dying craft of gangsa (Kalinga gong) making.
  • Federico Caballero (2000) – a Sulod-Bukidnon epic chanter from Calinog, Iloilo who ceaselessly work for the documentation of the oral literature, particularly the ten epics of his people, rendered in a language that, although related to Kiniray-a, is no longer spoken. Together with scholars, artists, and advocates of culture, he painstakingly pieces together the elements of this oral tradition nearly lost.
  • Uwang Ahadas (2000) – a Yakan musician from Lamitan City, Basilan skilled in playing the kwintangan kayu (an instrument consisting of five wooden logs hung horizontally, from the shortest to the longest, with the shortest being nearest the ground),  agung and gabbang (a bamboo xylophone).
  • Darhata Sawabi (2004) – a Tausug textile weaver from Parang, Sulu proficient in making the pis syabit, the traditional cloth tapestry worn as a head covering by the Tausug of Jolo, as well as used to adorn native attire, bags, and other accessories.
  • Eduardo Mutuc(2004) a Kapampangan metalsmith from Apalit, Pampanga who dedicated his life to creating religious and secular art in silver, bronze, and wood. His intricately detailed retablos, mirrors, altars, and carosas are in churches and private collections. A number of these works are quite large, some exceeding forty feet, while some are very small and feature very fine and delicate craftsmanship.
  • Haja Amina Appi (2004) a Sama mat weaver from Tandubas, Tawi-Tawi who is recognized as the master mat weaver among the Sama indigenous community of Ungos Matata. Her colorful mats with their complex geometric patterns exhibit her precise sense of design, proportion and symmetry and sensitivity to color. Her unique multi-colored mats are protected by a plain white outer mat that serves as the mat’s backing. Her functional and artistic creations take up to three months to make.
  • Magdalena Gamayo (2012) – an Ilocano textile weaver from Pinili, Ilocos Norte who exemplifies the best of Filipino abel weaving tradition in Ilocos. Magdalena prefers to work with linen because it is obedient to the master weaver’s touch. She uses a loom with a sturdy wooden frame with three-foot pedals with wide horizontal beams to support the warp and an even longer lengthwise frame to keep the threads in place.
  • Teofilo Garcia (2012) – also called Apu Pilo, this Ilocano from San Quintin, Abra makes tabungaw (gourd casque), a unique, functional and elegant, all-weather headpiece that shields one from the rain and the sun.  The native gourd is hollowed out, polished, and varnished to a bright orange sheen to improve its weather resistance. The inside is lined with finely woven rattan matting, and the brim sports a subtle bamboo weave for accent.

Kwintangan kayu of Uwang Ahadas

This exhibition has been made possible through a partnership with the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), the highest policy-making and coordinating body for culture and the arts of the State tasked with the administration and implementation of the award, and the Office of the Senator Loren Legarda.

Eduardo Mutuc and his work

The NCCA, through the Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan Executive Council, conducts the search for the finest traditional artists of the land, adopts a program that will ensure the transfer of their skills to others, and undertakes measures to promote a genuine appreciation of and instill pride among our people about the genius of the Manlilikha ng Bayan.

Tnalak weave of Lang Dulay

On display are some of the finest examples of our traditional artistry such as mats, textiles, costumes, looms, ornaments and musical instruments made y some of the most skillful artists from local ethnic communities across the country as well photos and short biographies of the awardees.

Alonzo Saclag

NOTE: On May 28, 2021, the gallery was upgraded to include the weave masterpieces of three Manlilikha ng Bayan from Mindanao in 2016.  The three are:

  • Ambalang Ausalin (2016) – a Yakan textile weaver from Lamitan City, Basilan who is able to bring forth all designs and actualize all textile categories typical to the Yakan. Using the back strap tension loom, she can execute the suwah bekkat(cross-stitch-like embellishment) and suwah pendan (embroidery-like embellishment) techniques of the bunga sama
  • Estelita Bantilan (2016) – a B’laan mat weaver from Malapatan, Sarangani who weaves thin strips of the pandanus romblon into some of the biggest, most subtly beautiful mats to be seen anywhere in Southeast Asia today. Her devotion to the idea of mats as gifts, rather than as commodities for sale, is the same concept of making that allowed her to refine her art to a technical and aesthetic sophistication vested in remarkable visual restraint.
  • Yabing Masalon Dulo (2016) – a B’laan weaver from Polomolok, South Cotabato, she is an expertin the making of fine, colorful warp ikat textiles from lutáy (abaka to other Philippine peoples).

Pis syabit of Darhata Sawabi

“Manlilikha ng Bayan (National Living Treasures)” 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.

“Rice, Biodiversity and Climate Change” Exhibit (Manila)

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“Rice, Biodiversity and Climate Change” Exhibit

The “Rice, Biodiversity and Climate Change” Exhibit, inaugurated last December 17, 2013, is the National Museum of Anthropology’s third permanent exhibit and is part of the celebration of the National Year of Rice for the Philippines led by the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) and the Department of Agriculture (DA) and was supported by Senator Loren Legarda, Chairperson of the Senate Committee in Climate Change.

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It aims to create more appreciation on rice, its connection with other ecosystems, and how the changing climate affects rice production and highlights the need to address biodiversity loss and climate change in relation to rice production.

The exhibit also highlights, among others, the history of rice cultivation in the Philippines, rice farming practices, plants and insects in the field, farmers` way of life, and the importance of rice conservation.

Displayed are varieties of rice grains, from the National Museum of the Philippines and PhilRice, still in panicles along with artifacts, flora and fauna specimens and photographs.

Barred Rail (Gallirallus toruatus torquatus

White-breasted Waterhen (Amaurornis phoenicurus javanica)

There are also numerous tools used in farming and the religious aspect of farming such as the barrel-shaped mortar (luhong) and pestle used for pounding husked rice, grains and root crops; harrow and plow as well as funnel-shaped locust baskets (made of bamboo, rattan and nito, with a wooden side handle), bulol (anthropomorphic wooden rice deity central to the Ifugao rice culture); and minarigay or marigay (rice containers).

 

Pangaras (Maranao harrow, Lanao del Sur)

Bulol (rice granary deity)

Also on display are different art pieces that feature rice such as the water buffalo (carabao)) figure by Mariano Edjawan and “Planting Rice”, a 3 cm. by 33 cm. oil on canvas painting by Norris Castillo. The 0.64 cm. by 0.95 cm. “Harvesting,” another oil on canvas painting by Norris Castillo, can only be seen with the help of a magnifying glass.

Mortar and pestle

“Rice, Biodiversity and Climate Change” Exhibit: Antonio and Aurora Tambunting Hall, 4/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 and (02) 8527-0278. E-mail: nationalmuseumph@gmail.com. Open Tuesdays to Sundays, 10 AM – 5 PM. Admission is free.

“Hibla ng Lahing Filipino: The Artistry of Philippine Textiles” Exhibit (Manila)

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“Hibla ng Lahing Filipino: The Artistry of Philippine Textiles” Exhibit

The “Hibla ng Lahing Filipino: The Artistry of Philippine Textiles” Exhibit, a project spearheaded by Senator Loren Legarda, was inaugurated on May 18, 2012 and is the first permanent exhibit of the National Museum on traditional  Philippine textile weaving, an art that has been performed in the Philippines since pre-colonial times, with each ethnic group having its own particular kind of textile, motifs, and method of production.  Highlighting the National Textile Collection, it shows the history and artistry of Philippine textiles.

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Featured are the different textile collections from the National Museum, National Anthropological Collection, and from the private collection of Senator Loren Legarda.

A display of weaving looms

Also seen here are weaving looms (abaca backstrap loom, pina foot loom, etc.) and the intricate process made by our ancestors in designing and producing textile wear from a single simple fiber.

Four sets of traditional native garb in varying shades of red project at the floor-to-ceiling glass case at the entrance. L-R: a two-piece formal female attire worn by the Gaddang of Ifugao; a sa-ul, a set of shirt and trousers traditionally worn by males of the B’laan tribe of Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur; a more subdued mid-calf-length formal wear of a Tinguian female from Abra; and a brightly hued dagom and sawa worn exclusively by a male Mandaya of high rank in Davao Oriental.

Hibla means “thread” or fiber” and fibers or threads from more than 100 kinds of textiles, including abaca, banana, pineapple and cotton, are seen in the exhibit. The works of more than 100 indigenous groups are also featured.

The exhibit offers a glossy colored catalog that details the stories about each item of clothing, from the source of material to how it is painstakingly handcrafted, the occasion it was worn in and who is allowed by traditional edict to wear it.

For many ethnic groups, weaving is more than a tradition, it is a religious ritual.  The t’nalak fabric, woven by the T’boli people (who first tie-dye abaca threads in earth tones before weaving them) was, until World War II, used mainly for special clothing and to denote bride wealth at high-profile weddings of children of datus.

At left is a Maranao gilingan (wood and metal spinning wheel) from Lanao del Sur Sur

The intricate tapestries of the Tausug’s pis siyabit signified the wearer’s social rank. The tangkulu, a headcloth worn by magani (Bagobo warriors), can display varying shades from chocolate to blood red, depending on the number of lives taken by the wearer.

Tilar/pang-abelan foot loom from Bangar (La Union)

Bi-pedal foot loom donated by La Herminia weavers and Godofredo Ramos Foundation

There are also many tribes that consider fabrics as a form of currency. Among some groups, marriages can be forbidden without the possession of the proper cloth. The T’boli woman was considered low in social status and disallowed from demanding a high bride wealth or dowry if she cannot weave well.  Upon reaching 12 years of age, Bontoc girls were required to learn weaving.

Abl’lun (backstrap loom) used by the Mandaya to weave dagmay, the traditional handwoven textile made of lanot (abaca fibers, Musa textilis).

The museum has photos, taken by assistant director and anthropologist Dr. Ana Maria Theresa P. Labrador, of the funeral of a ranking Bontoc male whose status afforded him to wear an exclusive finangulawan of dark cloth designed with an intricate white pattern during his burial.

Kalinga loom used during the CAR Weaving Demonstration Series (2014)

There are also photos of Filipinos in traditional garb at the 1904 St. Louis Exposition, courtesy of the American Museum of National History archives, as well as modern images of indigenous Filipinos in their tribal wear as well as the evolution of gowns, dresses and Barong Pilipino created by Filipino designers whose artistry enhanced the beauty of the piña, a traditional fiber made from pineapple fiber.

Tausug loom used during the CAR Weaving Demonstration Series (2014)

Other  native weaves and fabrics on display include blankets and apparel woven by the people of the Cordilleras  using a backstrap loom; abaca, silk; balud of the Maranao; abel iloco of Vigan (Ilocos Sur); the Tinguian blankets of Abra; Gaddang garments of Ifugao; textiles of Polomolok (South Cotabato); Maranao garments of Southern Mindanao, the dagmay of the Bagobo of Davao; and the hablon of Iloilo, woven from piña and jusi fibers, cotton and silk (and later manmade fibers),first developed by the people of Miagao in the latter part of the Spanish era.

Backstrap Loom (South Cotabato-B’laan)

Aside from garments narrating personal histories, the exhibit also features accessories worn by indigenous peoples.  Enclosed in a glass case are necklaces worn by the Gaddang to indicate social status. Materials include beads, cowrie shells, mother of pearl, horn, turtle shell, brass and strings.

Display of accessories used by indigenous peoples

“Hibla ng Lahing Filipino: The Artistry of Philippine Textiles” Exhibit: 4/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.

“Entwined Spheres: Mats and Baskets as Containers, Conveyors and Costumes” Exhibit (Manila)

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“Entwined Spheres: Mats and Baskets as Containers, Conveyors and Costumes” Exhibit

The “Entwined Spheres: Mats and Baskets as Containers, Conveyors and Costumes” Exhibit, inaugurated in 2017, is a project in partnership with the Office of Senator Loren Legarda.

It features one of the oldest and most diverse forms of craft work in the Philippines, the baskets and mat weaving, and showcases a huge collection of old mats from various indigenous groups in the country and baskets that are used by the natives in many different and surprising ways.

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It shows different mats and baskets and how they were used by our ancestors, whether being a simple accessory or costume piece, containers for both secular and sacred objects, for fishing, farming and in other aspects of life.

The exhibit also explores how different ethnic groups in the country are connected and are similar to each other through basketry.

Among the mats from the National Ethnographic Collection featured in this case, the oldest gathered from field research is a 1946 Tagbanua mat from the late anthropologist Harold C. Conklin.

The most recent are those collected last year from the weavers from Sama, Tawi-Tawi and Basey, Samar who came to the National Museum of Anthropology to give weaving demonstrations.

Bubu (Ibanag fish trap)

It also features the largest baskets in the National Ethnographic Collection: the 222 cm. long x 68 cm. deep bubu (fish trap) by the Ibanag tribe of Cagayan and the 150 cm. high x 200 cm. deep bukag (Tagalog rice storage),

A cradle from the Itawes tribe of Cagayan

It also displays the smallest, buon-buon (Hanunuo betel chew container), H 2 x D 5.5 cm, each strip measures 0.1 cm.

Woven Head Costume

“Entwined Spheres: Mats and Baskets as Containers, Conveyors and Costumes” Exhibit: 4/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.