The Museo Antiqueño is found at the historic Old Capitol of Antique, which remains one of Antique’s most impressive public structures. The building was reconstructed after World War II through a grant from the American government.
The Museo Antiqueño began with the opening of the EBJ Gallery on October 30, 2006. The exhibition was culled from the Evelio B. Javier Memorabilia, which was originally displayed at the New Capitol Lobby. The memorabilia included pictures and personal belongings of Governor Javier, who was assassinated on February 11, 1986 at the provincial park.
The main gallery was opened on April 27, 2007 during the celebration of the Binirayan Festival. The gallery, themed as the Antiqueño Gallery, was constructed through a Sentro ng Sining grant from the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA). The exhibition in this gallery is divided to showcase Antique’s natural heritage, material culture, lifestyle, and arts.
On December 8, 2007 a new section was opened adjacent to the EBJ Gallery. This multi-media room is named the Lola Masing Gallery for Culture and Peace, dedicated to Tomasa Salinog, a comfort woman from Antique, who refused to accept the Asian Women’s Fund offered by the Japanese Government. This gallery is designed as a mini-library, exhibition space, and projection room.
The Museo Antiqueño collaborates with the Provincial Library and Archives Division to complete its services as an alternative educational institution. The different galleries and facilities like the courtyard act as exhibition or performance spaces. An extension of the of Museo Antiqueño is the Governor’s Trail found at the EBJ Freedom Park right across the Old Capitol.
The Museo Antiqueño is managed by the Binirayan Foundation,Inc.
The Antiqueño Gallery
Peoples of Antique. The Karay-a people of Antique trace their roots to the Ati, who were the original settlers in Antique. Sometime in the 13th century, a group of seafaring people which the Ati call the Bisaya – probably the Bornean Malays referred to in the Maragtas legend – arrived and established their settlement along the shore. As they were by nature friendly and diplomatic people, they traded with the Sangleys or Chinese traders, exchanging their products for silk, porcelain, and iron farm implements.
Intermarriages between the Ati and the Bisaya produced a new breed of Karay-a. They lived on hunting, farming, fishing, pottery, weaving, and ship building. When the Spaniards came and colonized through the cross, those who refused Christianity took to the mountains. They were known as the Sulod, Bukidnon, Mundos or Montes. These names, however, were only labels for the non-Christians, to distinguish them from the Ati. The Karay-a today trace their roots to the Ati, the Bisaya, the Chinese, the Spaniards, the Americans, and the Japanese. This ethnic and racial mix makes the rich heritage of the Antiqueño.
Flora and Fauna. The mountain ranges separating Antique from the rest of Panay used to be a sanctuary for wild plants and animals. But the practice of kaingin or slash and burn farming has robbed the mountains of their lush forest cover, and affected Antique’s watershed areas. At present the significant natural habitat to protect Antique’s varied forest ecosystem can be found at Sibalom, Valderrama and Pandan-Libertad areas. Some of the important flora and fauna, which are considered endangered are found in Antique: the uruy (Rafflesia speciosa), the dulongan (rhinoceros hornbill), the usa (Visayan mouse deer), and the baboy talonon (wild pig).
Antique’s mountains and forests had been not only a rich source of food for the people, but also shaped the people’s character and way of life. Many of the Bisaya preferred to live in the mountains; they were called the Iraynun, Irayanhun, or Bukidnon, meaning of the mountains. The Iraynun today live in the mountain ranges of Valderrama.
The Ati were the inhabitants of Panay before the Bisayans. They were dark-skinned and of small build, with kinky hair. They were half-naked, wild, and had no permanent homes, nor any permanent settlement. They neither plant nor reap. Armed only with bow and arrow, which seemed to be their only possession, they were expert hunters of deer or wild boar. They would stop and build temporary shelter for the night or only long enough to eat their kill. The Ati in Antique today live in settlements in Hamtic, Tobias Fornier, and San Jose.
The Karay-a House. The typical Karay-a bamboo house is a fine example of the classic bahay kubo (cube house) that can be found throughout the rural Philippines. The typical Karay-a house uses indigenous materials like grasses and palms. The folk artistry is shown in the intricate latticework made of bamboo. Most houses are one-room affairs and slightly raised above the ground. The space below is used to keep farm animals and implements. The front stairs usually leads to a porch that serves as the living room area, while the main interior is used for eating and sleeping. The kitchen is most often an extended room at the back, and serves as the storage room as well.
Ritual and Faith. The samba is a traditional communal rite performed by the maaram for the good of the community. These are done to ask the favor of the native spirit dwellers to protect the community from calamities and ensure good harvest. In coastal communities it is performed to ask the spirits for a good catch and avert disasters at sea. Rituals are also performed before the construction of a house, and to heal illness. The Karay-a believes that the world is co-habited by spirits and the relationship with them must be favorably maintained, lest they find communal life in trouble.
Faith and Colonization. Upon the coming of the Spaniards, most Antiqueños succumbed to the new faith proffered by the colonizers. The first church in Antique was established in 1581 at Hamtic. The Augustinians built beautiful churches in the province, and Christianity introduced some of the most enduring traditions such as the Lenten rituals, the Flores de Mayo, the komedya during fiestas, and other communal activities that colored much the provincial lifestyle.
The Sea: A bridge to other cultures
Blocked by mountain ranges from the rest of Panay, the sea connects Antique to other cultures. It was through the sea that the Malays came to settle in Antique. Like the mountains and forests, the sea also shaped the Antiqueños into hardy people. Fishing, boat building, and sea-faring, which most often mean battling with the harshness of the sea, are a way of life.
Most of the towns in Antique are found along the coast. The sea is a major food source for most Antiqueños. The pinakas, hawul-hawul, baog, lamayo, pinindang, ginamus, and tinuum, are ways to preserve fish and other seafood. Salt-making is also common along the shoreline communities.
The Antiqueño folklore is replete with images of the sea. The Hiniraya epics collected from the hinterlands of Valderrama tell of noble heroes on their magical boats. The Olayra legend talks of a golden boat sailing around the world. Such is how the sea has shaped the imagination of the Karay-a.
Museum Visiting Hours: 9:00 AM – 12:00 AM, 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM Weekdays, By Appointment Only on weekends and holidays.
For inquiries, call Binirayan Foundation, Inc. 036-5407343.
