Halad Museum joins 4th run of youth heritage event

CEBU, Philippines - Of the given figure, around 200 students of the University of San Carlos visited the Jose R. Gullas Halad Museum (The Visayan Music Museum) on V. Gullas Street corner D. Jakosalem Street.

Ms. Audrey Dawn Tomada, museum director, said that the students got so engrossed with the indigenous musical instruments that they stayed longer on the third floor.

Aside from working on the preservation of Cebuano music, the museum is also taking an initiative to serve as a repository of Philippine tribal music.

Come October 25 and 26, it will host a soil painting workshop to be led by six artists from the Higaonon Tribal Community Artists group. This is in line with the observance of October as Indigenous People's Month.

"A minimal fee of P600 will be required to cover the cost of materials. Those interested may call our landline (268-2579) to avail of limited slots this early," Tomada announced.

A short lecture will precede the activity. This is to orient the participants on indigenous music and the humble beginnings of soil painting that has now slowly carved a name for Bukidnon as the "soil painting capital of the Philippines."

Patterned after the Gabii sa Kabilin, KKK served as a platform for youth participants to tour museums and heritage sites and avail of rides (bus and horse-drawn carriage) with one ticket.

The event was aimed to connect theoretical lectures on history, society, culture and heritage through visiting museums and heritage sites, demonstrate the value of museum and heritage sites or institutions as tools for education, encourage a dynamic dialogue between heritage groups, host communities and young people in the promotion and protection of the sites, and develop a sense of pride for cultural identity.

The 4th run of this youth heritage event also featured a KKK cosplay (costume play). Some participants came in Katipunero outfit; some in kimona and patadyong. There was one spotted in Kempetai uniform, one in American soldier garment. Another donned the attire that strongly represented Dr. Jose Rizal, while another played Maria Clara.

Aside from the Halad Museum, the participants visited 17 other museums and heritage sites - Casa Gorordo Museum, Cathedral Museum of Cebu, Cebu City Museum, Cebu Normal University Museum, Fort San Pedro Museo Sugbo, Museo Parian sa Sugbo, Sacred Heart Church - Alternative Contemporary Arts Studio, University of Southern Philippines Foundation-Rizaliana Museum, Basilica del Santo Niño, Cebu Heritage Monument, Colon Obelisk, Magellan's Cross, Plaza Hamabar, Plaza Independencia, Plaza Sugbo, and San Nicolas Church.

Tour guides were youth-volunteers of the barangays where the museums and heritage sites are located.

KKK is initiated by the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation, Inc. in partnership with the University of San Carlos - Department of Anthropology, Sociology and History.

KKK is a program under Culture and Heritage, one of the focus areas of RAFI, which aims to help communities understand, value, and share their cultural identity with others. —Photo by Aldo Nelbert A. Banaynal (FREEMAN)