Inspiration Over At The Ayala Museum Part 1

It was a wish come true for geeks and nerds all over the metro when Ayala Museum had a free museum day last July 19. I was particularly excited because I've been wanting to visit this museum with Ray for almost 2 years now but we never got around to because the entrance is  a little pricey (p600 per person.. update: wow just learned that the price is now p425 for non residents and p225 for residents!!! nice!!). And so when Ayala Museum announced they were having a free entrance day, we just could not let the opportunity go!

We arrived a little after lunch and we had Nica and her officemate with us. The lines were loooong, almost three thousand people flocked to the museum that day! Nevertheless the it wasn't too uncomfortable, and friendly ushers were there to guide people around.

They had a unique style of registration, where you only get to enter once you tweet or post on your Facebook the answer to this question: How do you inspire everyday? My answer was: "in hindsight, I realize too that living an impassioned life would be the best way to #InspireEveryDay " Nuuks! :p

Crossroads of Civilizations

We started at the fourth floor, and I was very excited to share the amazing Gold of the Ancestors exhibit with Ray and Nica. The legacy of our pre-hispanic ancestry just never fails to make me feel awe-struck by the grandiose of the whole culture. There's also this tragic realization that these dignified people were reduced to mere slaves when the Spaniards came and that's just sad. They erased almost all traces of this culture from the succeeding generations of a large percentage of Filipinos, and that these relics are the only proof that a time like this really existed. However, it still makes me smile thinking that at the very core of each and everyone of us, a link remains that binds us to these amazing people.

It's a pity we couldn't take photos, but I do understand this policy because these items are too precious  that it would be blasphemous to damage them by mere camera flashes. So as a sign of respect I attempted no such thing (okay I think I remember attempting once but decided against it lol!)

I just got this one from their website:

Me and Nica were going giggly over the various gold earrings and other adornments. Some earrings had smileys!! Yes they had a concept of smiling icons!  Everything was gold: studs, dangling earrings, elaborate necklaces, and even kitchen-ware. Imagine! Most of these were retrieved from burial places of the old ancestors, as it was part of their tradition to bury personal belongings of the deceased with them.

They also had this practice of using golden masks to cover the faces of their dead, and they did this using random patterns and designs. It was  super amusing to see all of it!

The most awe-inspiring item for me would have to be the 'sacred thread'. It's like a 'sablay' similar to the ones used during graduation, but is made of an intricate embroidery of golden strings and it weighs almost 4 kilograms. It was awarded to individuals who have achieved a high spiritual state and among the most elite in the caste system.

Photo from http://gogirlcafe.jennyo.net/2010/philippine-art-at-the-ayala-museum/

Filipinos back then were heavily influenced by Hindu and Chinese cultures, but one must note that gold accessories were used even by those from the lower hierarchy of the caste system. The more golden accessories with more intricate patterns and details, the richer you were.

I love seeing how people are just amazed by all the gold that surrounded us. Kung napakinabangan lang talaga natin 'to edi ang yaman na natin! I really think this is a must visit for every Filipino, especially those who think that we're such an inferior race. We couldn't get enough of it!

I wrote a part 2 of this blog because it's really long, here's the rest of our Ayala Museum experience: Inspiration Over At The Ayala Museum Part 2