Nayong Pilipino: A Walk Through History and Culture

I am so lucky to be invited to the Familiarization and Orientation Tour of the Nayong Pilipino. I intend to have a good time so as to give myself a break from the past week's drama which sent me to an emotional roller coaster ride. And fortunately, I did had a good time. I just try to learn, to savor the pieces of information that I got and acted as if it was the first time I had been there.

Program for the Famtour/Orientation

I have not been to the old Nayong Pilipino in its former location in Paranaque City, but I have been here, in this new location in Clark Freeport Zone and I could say that this time, I was impressed.

Lucky also to have the Executive Director of the Nayong Pilipino Foundation Atty. Jun Anota as our guide. I can say that he sure does know his Philippine History. I learned a lot from him. I can see the passion in his eyes when he talks about the changes the park will be going through in the next years to come.

Garland for the special guests

The Orchidarium

Nayong Pilipino is not just a theme park, but an educational institution as well. Science has now become an integral part of the park, and can even be a model environment structure to combat climate change. It has added fountains in the park to add moisture to the orchidarium. This orchidarium will be better than that of Singapore once the plants are in full bloom come August. After a video presentation on propagating orchids, guests were given first-hand experience in artificially pollinating an orchid. The orchidarium is also home to the rarest orchids in the world.

Executive Director Atty. Jun Anota explaining how the pollination of orchids is done.

Guests have first-hand experience in pollinating orchids.

This fountain has many purposes, one is to maintain the moisture inside the orchidarium.

Rarest orchid..:)

The Villages

Nayong Pilipino has replicas of some of the more known villages of ethnic tribes in the Philippines.  Among them were the Aeta Village, Kalinga and Ifugao Village. I felt a sense of pride to know the ingenuity of the Filipinos , of being great architects even in ancient times. The houses that they built were earthquake proof, such as the Maranao's and the Kalinga's houses. Did you know that Kalinga Apayao once became the capital of the Philippines around the 1900's when Gen. Aguinaldo retreated to the north? The very house that the general stayed at has a replica in the Villages.

An authentic Kalinga lass sits at a replica of their houses. Notice the ingenuity of how the houses were built.The stone stove sits in the middle of the house, which also serves as a heater, giving off heat to the whole house,cooking the rice and smoking the meat which were placed on the top level of the stove.

An authentic Ifugao man sculpts which is one of their main sources of income..

and the ladies weave...

The Historical Houses 

A Maranao house..earthquake-proof and typhoon-proof.

Stepping inside the replica historical houses in Nayong Pilipino, one cannot help but be amazed. Imagine getting inside the house of Jose Rizal, Apolinario Mabini and Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo. Or hear mass in the Barasoain Church. These houses played a very important role in fighting for the independence that we are all enjoying today.

Inside Jose Rizal replica house, behind me is a bust of our national hero.

"Ang hindi magmahal sa sarilingwika, ay higit sa hayop at malansang isda."- Dr. Jose Rizal
"He who doesn't love his own language, is worse than an animal and a stinky fish." (my literal translation)

Replica's of Jose Rizal's compositions.

Replica of Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo's house, the seat of the First President of the Philippine Republic.

Behind me is a replica of Emilio Aguinaldo's house.

Museum of Weaves

This is a new addition to the park. This museum contains artifacts of the different weaves of our forefathers. Too bad the tradition has stopped and has not been passed on to the younger generation. It is sad that the most beautiful weaves and materials used to come from our country. The designs were just so intricate and the weaves were so fine that only experts with dainty hands could have woven those elegant pieces of silk.

OIC of the museum, Anica Alcopra.

Woven pieces usually used by the Tausugs.

The details,design and weave is very intricate deserving to consider this our culture's treasures.

The treasures of the Philippine's can be seen not only in the fineness of these artifacts, but specially in the smile and beautiful faces of it's people.

I'm proud of my culture, I'm proud of my heritage. I am proud to be Filipino.

See more of our culture in my next post Nayong Pilipino: A Cultural Presentation.

Keep the faith,

-Mei