In this year’s cultural celebration of Gabii sa Kabilin, Casa Gorordo Museum has partnered with CIT-U’s CAMVAS and UP CEBU’s FASO for “Open Secret“, the museum’s first Black Light Pocket Exhibit, Ginoong Pilipinas for their Barong Night, Cebu Busker’s Association for a night of music at the CGM Garden, and renowned Cebuano designer Protacio Empaces, Jr., the brothers Nikko and Nikki Ricaplaza, and Edwin Ao for “Kinaiya/Kinaiyahan”, the museum’s 2nd pocket exhibit.
Casa Gorordo Museum promised a night of newfound knowledge, wonder, and pride in Cebuano heritage through the GSK 2023 theme of “Pagpanag-iya: Owning Our Story”.
“Open Secret: Glimpses of Folklore in Revolution and Resistance” celebrates the commemoration of the 125th Anniversary of Philippine Independence and Filipino folklore, neon paintings from budding artists in the Cebu Institute of Technology’s Multimedia Arts program and University of the Philippines’ Cebu’s Fine Arts Program were displayed on Ballesteros Street.
“Kinaiya/Kinaiyahan: prisms of ownership, personality and nature”, the 2nd pocket exhibit, is a provocative presentation of the interplay between culture and nature. It uses historical materials and art pieces to trace how local communities related to or detached themselves from their environment. The exhibit’s centerpiece is an old map of the city. Around this focal element is a selection of portraits of personalities, digitally constructed mosaics of the modern cityscape, and flora and fauna that serve as backdrops to the creative works of the exhibit’s collaborators.
Cebu Busker’s Association, the first city ordinated busking organization in Cebu, also serenades the flowing crowd at the Casa Gorordo Museum garden. Performers under CBA: Tyrone Ranido, Johnley Baking, Dan Escasinas, Edgar Butalid, Mayelle Ching, Cerj Michael, Ramil Ayuman, and Rommel Tuico sang pop hits and original compositions to the crowd who came from the museum, Bo’s Coffee, and the pocket exhibits.
While all of that was happening, fifteen finalists from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao showcased the best of Philippine Culture, Heritage, Arts and Tourism, and competed for the Ginoong Pilipinas’ Barong Night.
“It was time for us to hold the Barong Night of Ginoong Pilipinas at Casa Gorordo during the annual Gabii sa Kabilin (Night of Heritage) because the theme for the event this year was “pagpanag-iya” or ownership. We felt that promoting the Barong Filipino is one way of promoting ownership of our culture.” Florencio Moreno II, Museum Curator, Casa Gorordo Museum said.
This is the first partnership between Casa Gorordo Museum and Ginoong Pilipinas. The fifteen participants from Ginoong Pilipinas were also featured on the Heritage Walk after the Gabii sa Kabilin 2023 opening ceremony. Jerrico Ponce won the Barong Night Competition. The award was given during Ginoong Pilipinas 2023 “Coronation Night” which was held at the Il Corso Lifemalls, Central Piazza Amphitheater, on May 20, 2023. He also emerged as the 1st Runner Up.
“Gabii sa Kabilin is always well-attended by young people and by having the Barong Night segment of the pageant, the two pocket exhibits: Open Secret, and Kinaiya/Kinaiyahan, and Cebu Busker’s Performance, we were promoting owning our Cebuano story through the interconnectedness of revolution, music, art, and folklore”, Florencio Moreno II added.
Casa Gorordo Museum is a program of the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (RAFI) under its Culture & Heritage Unit which aims to promote enjoyment, awareness, and sharing of local culture to the world. One of the Philippines’ largest social development organizations, RAFI is working in the fields of leadership, education development, cancer awareness, culture, disaster prevention and response, and micro-finance. To know more about RAFI and its programs, visit www.rafi.org.ph.