The National Museum of the Philippines and Gokongwei Brothers Foundation, Inc. launched the Elizabeth Y. Gokongwei Ethnographic Stoneware Resource Center
There are numerous ways one can learn the Philippines’ rich history. There is the Filipinos’ hand-looming and weaving tradition, where folktales and age-old customs are threaded onto unique tapestries. Kundiman and other ethnic songs not only take you back to the country’s past but also provide a melodic exploration of how diverse Filipinos’ musical heritage is. Tales about nobility and bravery can be seen on indigenous tattoos. One can also learn more about the Philippines through its ceramic and pottery culture. While many of us are familiar with the palayok, there is still more to uncover in this field. And lucky for us, we don’t need to book a journey around the archipelago just to discover them.
On June 10, the National Museum of the Philippines (NMP) unveiled its latest space dedicated to the country’s stoneware and earthenware heritage. Dubbed Elizabeth Y. Gokongwei Ethnographic Stoneware Resource Center, the project is made possible with the help of the Gokongwei Brothers Foundation (GBF).
Named after the late Gokongwei matriarch, the space features over 1,000 jars, plates, and bowls from the National Ethnographic Collection dating as far back as the 15th century, from the different ethnolinguistic groups in the country, including Bontok, Ifugao, Ibaloy, Ilokano, Gad’dang, and Pangasinense communities in northern Luzon; Tagalog, Pala’wan, and Tagbanua communities in central and southern Luzon; and Maguindanao, Maranao, and Tausug communities in southwestern Mindanao. It also includes 73 Ilokano stoneware pieces that are part of the long-term lease of the Ilocos Sur Historical and Cultural Foundation Collection to the NMP.
With its mission of shaping the minds of the country’s future movers, the GBF believes in the power of quality education and its ability to pass on cultural aspects and heritage to the next generations. Through this facility, the GBF and the NMP aim to encourage students, educators, and researchers to learn more about the way of life of early Filipinos.
“We enculturate our youth so they can seamlessly become productive members of our society, enriched by the fabric of our national identity,” said GBF general manager Lisa Gokongwei-Cheng.
Apart from knowing Filipinos’ stoneware and earthenware and how they were used, museum goers can also expect to learn more about the Philippines’ early trades and relationships with its Asian neighbors with pieces made from different countries are also on display.
Special tours and a 360-degree virtual reality exhibit, among others, are being implemented to maximize the reach of the resource center. Also in the pipeline is an accompanying book titled “From Kiln to Kin: The Philippine Ceramic Heritage,” a full catalog documenting the pieces inside the resource center.
The Elizabeth Y. Gokongwei Ethnographic Stoneware Resource Center is located at 5F East Wing of the National Museum of Anthropology in Manila. Check it out below:
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