At the Asian Civilisations Museum in Singapore, the main show is ‘Land of the Morning: The Philippines and Its People’
WHAT DOES A PHILIPPINE SYMBOL of democracy have in common with a mouthwatering street fare of steamed chicken, sliced cucumbers, chili-garlic sauce and ginger relish? They may seem poles apart, but they’re definitely iconic enough to be featured prominently as symbols of Asia’s rich, multi-layered heritage in several exhibitions ongoing in Singapore.
On view at the Asian Civilisations Museum along the banks of the idyllic Singapore River is the new exhibit that will make Filipinos proud. “Land of the Morning: The Philippines and its People” opened last October and runs until Jan. 10.
For this show alone, an entire gallery of this 14,000-sq m museum was devoted to capture the influences that shaped Philippine culture from the precolonial era until today. It explores the identity of the Filipino people, described as “warm, resilient and synonymous with the People Power movement.”
Riding on the resurgence of the “Cory magic,” one of the notable sections of the exhibit features 1986 Edsa memorabilia of President Corazon Aquino and Sen. Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino. Showcased is a Ninoy T-shirt emblazoned with the phrase “Hindi ka nag-iisa” on the back; yellow ribbons printed with “I (heart) Ninoy”; “Ninoy forever, Marcos never” pins; “Cory for President” souvenirs and headbands; ID cards of PDP-Laban volunteers and Cory’s Crusaders.
More than just a display of knickknacks and curios, the People Power display aims to explore the Philippines’ “democratic revolution history.” Indeed, the country has had a long record of uprisings from as far back as the Spanish colonial period. This is an invitation for introspection on where this struggle for freedom has led us today.
Roman Catholic influence
An exhibit on Philippine culture is not complete without a look at the influences of Roman Catholicism. On display is a 19th-century carroza from San Agustin Church in Intramuros, Manila. It is made of silver sheets and adorned with shells, and carries the image of Mary and the Infant Jesus in ivory with silver gilt, velvet gown and gold threads.
There’s also an 18th-century altar from Leyte from the Ayala Museum Collection. The style is described as “tropical baroque” as it incorporates local foliage in its design and is built to withstand the humid weather.
There are many other interesting objects on display that are worth traveling to Singapore for, including a 1980s white-and-black terno with black beads and crystals designed by Ramon Valera for former First Lady Imelda Marcos, and a Pacita Abad lithograph titled “Filipina: A Racial Identity Crisis” (1992) from the Singapore Art Museum collection.
For a different taste of Asian culture, you can pay a visit to the palatial National Museum of Singapore that stands majestically along Stamford Road. Reopened after a major renovation, the colonial building attracts visitors for its Lifestyle Galleries that feature four separate sections devoted to food, fashion, film and photography.
Most popular is the Food Gallery which takes a unique look at the history of hawker food or street food in Singapore. It started in the 1900s out of necessity. There was a 10:1 male-female ratio in Singapore then, and so, with no one to cook their meals, the male population was forced to eat out. The answer was hawker food—hot, comforting and cheap.
On display are various cooking implements including a vintage street food cart. Today, Asian street-foods have become mainstream favorites, such as Hainanese chicken rice, satay (barbecue), bah kut teh (pork in hot broth), laksa (spicy noodle soup with prawn and coriander), roti (flat breads).
There’s an interesting section in the Food Gallery which looks like a mad science laboratory filled with rows upon rows of smoky jars illuminated in various hues. It’s actually a showcase of the spices, condiments and fruits typical to Asian cuisine. Visitors can smell the lemon grass, screwpine (pandan), star anise, curry, chilis.
Fashion Gallery
The Fashion Gallery is a look at the evolution of Singaporean women’s clothing. As women became more involved in society, the workplace and political affairs, the loose-fitting clothes gave way to more figure-hugging styles inspired by Parisian haute couture. One of the interesting displays is a vintage Warhol-inspired dress imprinted with the iconic Campbell soup logo—a shift from conservatism to consumerism in Singapore.
Take a peek inside the Photography Gallery and see vintage photographs of Singaporean families. There’s nothing typical about these pictures. There’s one that shows a polygamous marriage in the early 1900s, Caucasian children with their Chinese amahs, and mixed or intercultural marriages which was taboo a century ago.
In a way, these exhibitions are reflections of how far Asian society has evolved, and many more aspirations that have yet to be achieved.
