The National Historical Landmark Casa Gorordo Museum, Cebu’s first public museum marks its 40th anniversary in December resolute about touching lives and shaping the future, being the guide to the world that shapes Cebuano cultural identity.
The anniversary event on December 9, 2023, will emphasize the value of museums in nation-building and tourism in Cebu City, and its witnessing to the mission and vision of the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation, Inc. (RAFI), its mother institution.
The launch of the book “Out of Parian: Essays on Cebuano Heritage” penned by local historian Gavin Sanson Bagares is one highlight of the celebration. The book, according to RAFI Culture and Heritage Unit Director Florencio Moreño II, “is a pleasant deciphering of many enigmas about Cebuano culture and society.”
Out of Parian is a compilation of well-researched vignettes that author Bagares classifies under the realm of “history for dummies.”
Seven years in the making, the book is a fitting retelling of life in the Parian district where Casa Gorordo is located.
A classic “balay nga tisa”, the house was constructed in the 1850s by Alejandro Reynes y Rosales. Spanish Merchant Isidro Gorordo bought the house from the original owners. It was acquired by RAFI in 1979 and opened as a public museum in 1983 to promote enjoyment and awareness of Cebuano culture.
Casa Gorordo Museum has since engaged with the Cebuano community and visitors through various activities, including revered annual house traditions like the Sinug sa Casa Gorordo, participation in the Pasos on Holy Wednesday, Fiesta ni San Juan, display of the Christmas Belen and Gabii sa Kabilin.
Together with the recently-opened cultural hub The Kabilin Center, Casa Gorordo Museum continues to connect the contemporary with its past and facilitates a hopeful view of the future.
Casa Gorordo Museum is the centerpiece project of the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation, Inc.’s (RAFI) Culture & Heritage focus area. The Culture & Heritage Unit of the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (RAFI-CHU) through its three flagship programs – Casa Gorordo Museum, Research & Publications, and Gabii Sa Kabilin – aims to develop a strong sense of cultural identity among local communities by promoting awareness of their heritage and enabling them to articulate their stories.
