On Museums and Mausoleums

This post would sound jumping onto the bandwagon, but if this means getting more kids interested with learning, then by all means, I don’t mind.

Last Saturday, Kay and I (with the inclusion of some friends, Cherish and Glenn) got the chance to listen to probably one of the most prolific (and comic) historians in the Philippines, Dr. Ambeth Ocampo. His talk, entitled: Queridas ni Rizal really opened a lot of ideas and realizations (but I shall tell about them on a separate post).

Picture Taking outside the Ayala Museum (looks like a family picture, huh!)

I’d like to focus on the efforts and contributions made by the Ayalas in reviving and preserving the Philippine History, Art, and Culture. I don’t know much about their genealogy, but judging their looks I could tell they’re more Spanish than Filipino. Whether it’s a gesture of paying back to the Filipinos (if they are indeed Spanish) or just plain nationalism, the establishment of the Ayala museum is surely a big help in curing the chronic forgetfulness of this country.

Last year (if I remember it well, fingers crossed), Kay and I “vowed” to go museum hopping within the country. Sadly though, museums are either far or costly. We opted to go the Myth of the Human Body museum in Taguig, but we got too busy, so it doesn’t have a check mark yet on the list. We were, however, fortunate to visit the Chrisologo Museum in Vigan, Ilocos Sur. The museum was basically converted from the mansion of the Chrisologos. It was fine but the problem with family museums is that, well, most of the exhibits are about the family. I learned a lot from that visit, especially on the influential political powers of the Chrisologos in the North—the volunteer “curator”/tour guide was a retired government employee who was a “loyalist” of the family, she told us.

Also this summer, I was fortunate enough to walk around the De La Salle University-Dasmariñas Museum. For a school museum, it was superb. The museum is a replica, so to speak, of a Spanish colonial era mansion. I have to admit that I got impressed with student volunteers, as well, who took the role of the tour guide explaining to us the different features of a Mansion during that time. It was a little disappointing, though, seeing the reality that discrimination is greatly reflected with the way rooms are designed. There’s even a separate hall or corridor from which the muchahas and muchachos are supposed to pass (yeah, they’re not supposed to walk through the same area that visitors/guests walk).

The Ayala museum, erected within the heart of the Makati Business district (specifically within Greenbelt, across Glorietta), houses various exhibits. At present, they have a tripartite exhibit that focuses on Philippine treasures, namely: the Golds of our Ancestors, Embroidery, and Pottery. Glenn, Kay, and I had a quick look last Saturday. It was unfortunate that we didn’t have enough time to scrutinize the exhibit because it was late in the afternoon (we visited the place right after we attended Dr. Ocampo’s talk).

Ayala Museum Lobby currently showcases Manga paintings

Walking through the exhibit gave me chills—a different kind of excitement—because of the richness of our culture. The feelings were mixed. Happy because of what I have earned; sad because of what we have lost. I couldn’t help thinking what this country would have been if we weren’t colonized. I really don’t know, but I’m sure that we would have thrived as an economically strong nation because of the natural wonders and resources that we have (provided we managed it appropriately, of course). I can’t help but blurt out my disappointment regarding the way I learned history. I was part of the millions who were victimized by the “Magellan discovered the Philippines in 1521” claim published in sick textbooks. If there’s anything that he has discovered and found, it’s neither the Philippines, nor civilization, it’s opportunity—opportunity to loot.

I could still clearly recall Dr. Martin’s passion as she lectured. I was a freshman in PNU then. Luis Lim was my seatmate (and because he’s really into history, he wasn’t making much noise during lectures unlike what he usually does). Dr. Martin mentioned about the checklist of evidences of civilizations. I can’t remember everything but what remained in me is her discussion of the “megalithic structures”. She argued that we already have the civilization prior to the Spanish Colonial rule (contrary to what they claim) because the Rice Terraces were already there before they came. This means we already have the knowledge for Agriculture and Architecture or Landscaping.

The Golds that we have seen in the Ayala museum is another proof that we really have a Civilization even before Westerners came. In fact, they probably got the shock of their lives when they saw “savage” people wearing bahags, or topless women adorned with golds from head to foot.

The GMA 7 documentary (Philippine Treasures) also contributed in making the youth (hopefully) become more interested about history—something a lot worthwhile than planting fake plants or killing silly pigs using angry birds.

Facade of Ayala Museum 

It was a good start, and Kay and I hope to visit more museums before the year ends. I just pray that the government will do extra efforts in improving state-run museums so that it would be more interesting and accessible to low-income Filipino families; so that kids would have a decent place to visit for “education” tours; so that teachers and school administrators would stop being stupid by bringing kids to Mall of Asia for a fieldtrip.

Learning is a right and not a privilege. If we lose the appetite for learning, we might end up in Mausoleums rather than Museums.