More than a month had already passed since this experience
and I know you would say that this post is kind of late. Personally, the month
of June was a period filled with drastic changes, tough circumstances,
overwhelming duties, and a time for crucial decision making that I couldn’t
even lift a book to read, pick a movie to watch or write anything for this
site. But since Gabii sa Kabilin (Night of Heritage) is an annual event, I
would consider this post not really overdue.
I’ve been living in Cebu City for almost five years already,
yet I’ve never been to many places in the province. As a writer, I should have
explored the city long ago but until now the city’s geography is still a
challenge, or maybe a dilemma, that will always forbid me to call myself a
Cebuano.
When one of my colleagues introduced us to Gabii sa Kabilin
or Night of Heritage, I was really excited. The funny thing about it was that,
the first idea that came to my mind was to eat peche peche, bibingka and other
traditional Filipino foods. But most of all, I wanted to experience
Cebu—historically and geographically.
True to its name, the event was an amazing tradition. It was
a magnificent gala of cultural shows, various exhibits, food fairs, bus and
tartanilla (horse-drawn carriage) rides, and other diverse activities that
happened in just six straight hours. Before the event culminated by midnight, I
could barely move my feet and legs from the excursion. I wasn’t able to find
peche peche, but we made it through eleven sites, rode tartanilla and learned a
lot of things about the journey of our land, our people and our culture.
Before I will take you on a journey with me through the
eleven sites that we visited during the historical tour, let me give you a
short overview of the Gabii sa Kabilin or Night of Heritage. Spearheaded by the
Ramon Aboitiz Foundation, Inc. (RAFI) Culture & Heritage Unit, this special
event, where people from different cities, provinces and countries, visit
museums and heritage sites in one night, is Cebu’s adaptation of Germany’s
Lange Nacht der Museum or Long Night of Museums, a much-anticipated event in
more than 120 cities in Europe and South America. For six years, Cebu has
remained the only metropolis in the Asia-Pacific region to hold such a
remarkable event.
Gabii sa Kabilin is held every last Friday of May in
celebration of the country’s National Heritage Month and International Museum
Day. So moving forward, you should mark your calendar for this will be an
annual affair to look forward to. With the increasing number of participating
museums and heritage sites, and featured sites, this activity promises to be
more exciting and relevant every year.
Actually, there were 33 participating museums and heritage
sites and 30 featured sites this year but unfortunately, we only made it to
eleven sites, and they were the following:
First Stop
Cebu Cultural Center (Gorordo Ave., Lahug, Cebu City)
What welcomed us at this premier cultural center of the
province of Cebu was a spectacle of diverse, creative and amazing art works by
the University of the Philippines Fine Arts students. The ingenuity, innovative
concepts and artistic gifts of these young and budding artists gave life and
value to simple materials that we, most of the time, consider too ordinary.
Second Stop
Fo Guang Shan Chu Un Temple (V. Rama Street, Calamba, Cebu
City)
A festive celebration and glorification of devotees both
from in and out of the temple met us with vitality and a speck hope. The place
was full of life and inspiring faces of individuals providing such a feeling of
assurance that life is full of surprises. We made wishes, offered flowers and
prayers to Buddha, witnessed jubilant dancers, listened to spiritually
enlivening hymns, searched for few souvenirs, and had seen art works and Chinese
delicacies displayed outside the shrine.
Third Stop
Museo Sugbo (MJ Cuenco Ave., Tejero, Cebu City)
I was thrilled to witness and went inside the largest museum
in the province of Cebu that showcased galleries tracing its history from the
pre-colonial period to the Japanese era.
This museum is housed in the 1870 Carcel de Cebu where the regional
branches of National Museum of the Philippines and the National Historical
Commission of the Philippines are also found. It was awe-inspiring to see the
exhibits that gave us both historical reminders and information. Various relics
took us to different times with the backdrop of cultural presentations and
performances.
Fourth Stop
Casa Gorordo Museum (Lopez Jaena St., Tinago, Cebu City)
From its ancient but refined structure to its complex but
accessible walkways, the Casa Gorordo Museum is an emblem of 19th century
Cebuano-Filipino lifestyle. It was built in the 1850s and became the home of
four generations of the Gorordo family, including Juan Bautista Gorordo, the
first Filipino bishop of the Diocese of Cebu. On that wonderful night, this
historic house museum featured various cultural performances, traditional song
presentations, food fair and interactive exhibit on textiles from the
neighboring provinces of Cebu that both delighted us and stirred our interest.
Fifth Stop
Yap-Sandiego Ancestral House (Tinago, Cebu City)
From Casa Gorordo Museum, we took a short walk to
Yap-Sandiego Ancestral House in Old Parian District. I was flabbergasted,
rather surprised to see, for the first time, a live fire dance performance
alternating with foreign dances that were quite entertaining and mesmeric.
Inside this house museum, we saw the lifestyle of 18th and 19th century Cebu.
There were various items and furnishings that reminded us of the antediluvian
era—obsolete yet very significant and valuable.
Sixth Stop
Plaza Parian-Aboitizland Handurawan sa Karaang Sugbo
(Parian, Cebu City)
Over-sized effigies of heroes and notable historical figures
greeted us on this miniature piazza which was transformed by Aboitizland into a
lively joint of heritage and amusement. Unfortunately, we didn’t catch the
trivia night, the Sinulog dance presentation and the poetry reading, but some
of us were able to relish the best of local cuisines and traditional Filipino
foods.
Seventh Stop
Museo Parian sa Sugbo (Zulueta St., Tinago, Cebu City)
It was astonishing to note that while renovation of the site
was still on-going, the event coordinators or the curators were still able to
manage to transform the museum into one remarkable place—where everyone could
explore and experience Filipino history and culture—and at the same time
preserve the important remnants of its former residents, the Jesuits who did
missionary work in the Diocese of Cebu. I was overwhelmed not only at how the
people behind this site have maintained the place for so many years. More than that, I was surprised to hear
cultural songs from an old lady whose voice was I thought I could only hear in
music records.
Eighth Stop
USPF-Rizaliana Museum (Mabini St., Señor Sto. Niño, Cebu
City)
It was both an educational and inspiring stopover where we
got the chance to refresh our thoughts and learn more about the Philippine’s
national hero since the University of Southern Philippines Foundation—Rizaliana
Museum lodges the largest collection of Jose Rizal’s memorabilia outside
Manila. We got to see few of his articles of clothing, his letters to his
colleagues and friends, and his sketches of his sisters. Some USP students also
served some of Pepe’s favorite foods with pleasure and enthusiasm.
Ninth Stop
Cathedral Museum of Cebu (Mabini cor. Urdaneta Sts., Señor
Sto. Nino, Cebu City)
On this ecclesiastical museum, a wide array of religious
relics from various parishes of the Archdiocese of Cebu astounded us. The
exhibit was a showcase of valuable pieces that depict Filipino religiosity,
faith and veneration. Images of different saints, various religious items and
other informative materials helped us to learn new things. There was also a
photo exhibit during the Canonization of San Pedro Calungsod and the national
thanksgiving ceremony.
Tenth Stop
Plaza Independencia
A refreshing walk by a plaza which was populated with people
from all walks of life, listening and watching the musical performances by a
band, was fascinating. I was enthralled by the soothing melodies and the happy
faces of people enjoying such a wonderful and unforgettable evening. Plaza
Independencia reminded me of personal freedom and the infinite promise of
surprise, excitement and worthwhile memories to forever cherish.
Eleventh Stop
Fort San Pedro (San Roque, Cebu City)
It was my first time to get inside Fort San Pedro. Old but
still sturdy, this oldest and smallest triangular-shaped fort in the
Philippines was one of the best historical sites I have visited. It somehow
intrigued me as to how it served the Filipino revolutionaries at the close of
the 19th century and how it is being maintained as an enduring legacy of the
Filipinos. Inside, we had seen photographs of Old Cebu and other historical
resources that allowed us to see the tremendous progressive changes that
occurred over the years. This site ended our tour with so much to prize.
It took us more or less six hours to complete visiting those
eleven, out of 33, historical or cultural sites during the Gabii sa Kabilin
(Night of Heritage). We were all exhausted, but we really had fun and
meaningful experience. It was a night to remember because I had lots of “first
times”, including my first tartanilla ride, my first in all eleven stops, my
first to see a live fire dance, my first inside Fort San Pedro and my first
cultural journey with my colleagues in one beautiful and extraordinary night.
No comments:
Post a Comment