Cyberfair Project

Museums provide a vivid background of the rich history of Philippines because they unveil different artifacts, relics, antiques, miniatures, paintings, pictures and other historical pieces. The University of San Carlos Museum hosts the Spanish Colonial, Ethnographic, Archeological, and Natural Science galleries that showcase the cultural development of the Philippines. The Spanish Colonial section contains evidences of the Catholic heritage in the Philippines. It displays religious pieces and wood carvings that originated during the Spanish era. Most of the pieces in this section came from Argao and other towns in Cebu. The Ethnographic section displays tools and weapons that our ancestors used during their time. Some ancient costumes and musical instruments can also be found in this section. It also exhibits information about practices such as teeth mutilation and cranial deformation. The Archeological section located at the center of the museum exhibits burial artifacts of our ancestors. According to Ms. Marlene Socorro Samson, the museum curator, the Kulaman jars are the oldest collections of the museum. Kulaman jars are limestone burial jars that contain the ashes of our dead ancestors. This section also includes boat coffins and jars of the earthenware. The burial practices only show the pre- Hispanic Filipino’s conviction in life after death. The early pottery is also exhibited in this section which the ancient Filipinos trade with the neighboring countries. Ms. Samson made mention that the Natural Science section is the most visited section of the museum. It includes the display of preserved rare and endangered species in the Philippines like the monkey- eating eagle which really capture our attention. This section also contains preserved species of butterflies that came from the other countries. The African egg is the newest of all the collection of the museum. Other preserved animals are different kinds of spiders and diverse species of aquatic and terrestrial animals. The museum helps us to enrich the knowledge we had with our culture and history. We learned a lot from the museum and it touches our lives as Filipinos. It gives us the chance to discover what was really our past, the gems that we should treasure and will be treasured from generation to generation. The University of San Carlos Museum first opened in 1967 through the efforts of Fr. Rudolf Rahmann, SVD, a German anthropologist and former president of the university. It became a general museum during the 1970’s and from then on, it included in its section the Spanish colonial gallery and a natural science gallery. The existing collection found in the museum nowadays came from the faculty and students of the university. Ethnographic materials from the Bukid Mangyans were the first of collections in 1953. Since then, many anthropologists have contributed to the museum’s ethnographic section. Some of the archeological finds exhibited in the museum include the limestone burial urns from Kulamana Plateau in 1963 as well as in Fort San Pedro in Downtown, Cebu in 1969. Other artifacts are imported prehistoric trade ware ceramics from Pila, Laguna and important earthenware burial goods from Magsulot, Bacong in Negros Oriental in 1979. Entomological and geological items are found in the natural science gallery which is also famous for its butterfly collection. The university’s alumni, friends, faculty and students continue to contribute in the museum’s growing number of collections through their donations and expeditions.

by:
Mary Grace Cabalida
Danesa Lerio
Olga Marie Soon