Bahay Tsinoy, the museum for the Filipino-Chinese or Chinese-Filipino, presents a long journey from the beginning arrival and their contribution to Nation building. One of the keyword that has been used is “shared” and it becomes one effort to say that Tsinoy is a part of this nation, a stakeholder of the Philippines, and contributes to the development of the Philippines. Surely, there is a problem with their identity so they have to create this kind of presentation at the Filipino-Chinese museum.
“Shared” is the main theme of the exhibit. It is the way to express achievement and to recognize their contribution since the first arrival in north Luzon. This “shared” also affects the way to describe identity. Instead of the trader (first arrival), the parian (under Spaniard), the mestizo (inter-marriage), Intsik, Tsino, or Chino, Tsinoy is a way to describe identity. Tsinoy embodies the meaning that the Chinese are Filipinos and that they live in the Phillipines. Therefore, “shared” and “Tsinoy” do not only represent their contribution and achievement but also responsibility as part of this Nation.
The exhibit narrates a particular storyline related to “shared”. This storyline can be found by arranging the story from the panels because it is shown chronologically with particular sub-theme in each period. The panels are “The Tsinoy, the Chinese who is Filipino: A Shared Destiny”, “Early Contacts: Shared Beginning”, “The Spanish Colonial Era: Shared Labor”, “Colonial Culture: Shared Hands”, “Emergence of the Chinese Community: Shared Life”, “In Defense of Freedom: Shared Sentiments”, “In Defense of Freedom: Shared Cause (The Japanese Occupation)”, and “The Chinese who is Filipino: A Shared Destiny”, consecutively. The panels provide a storyline of sharing, togetherness, and contribution even though they are not the native. Moreover, the exhibit on the 4th floor with the panel: I am Filipino shows their intention to become part of Filipinos.
Method of displaying the objects is dominantly shown by open objects to encourage closeness and rich sensation. The example of Shoreline Tableau statue is displayed similar to real activity trading and sense of friendship. There is a Chinese with a respectful gesture offering silk to a Filipino, and bartered things displayed openly to make the viewers get closer and feel the mutual-interactions happened. Beside the statues, there is Galleon ship, a miniature of parian activity under Spaniard, miniature of puerta del parian, miniature of St. Agustin Church, and miniature of sari-sari store. In completing the presentation, some of the objects are displayed by glass cases in the tables or walls and the using of multimedia in the 4th floor. The exhibits texts accompanying the objects are written in two languages: English and Chinese; emphasizing on the description and the role of those objects, particularly its social context. The combination between open objects, glass cases, and multimedia accompanying by texts bring together an important message about their contribution and identity as part of the Philippines.
My overall impression after observing the exhibit is that it shows an effort from the Tsinoy to re-build their identity that has been disrupted by the colonizer (Spaniard). I will say that for them America is not a colonizer because there is no explanation about what happens on American’s occupation. By giving the identity as the parian and put them outside Intramuros, the colonizer constructed message to isolate Chinese and put them as low-class society for about 300 years. I also note that most of the messages in each period show the Chinese contributions and achievement. This exhibit seems to be an effort to say that Chinese becomes part of the Philippines and to be recognized as Filipino (Tsinoy).
The kind of articulation using the term “shared” and closed by “I am Filipino” is anti-colonizers and it shows how the Chinese speak about themselves. More specifically, the idea is that the Chinese has already shared their effort and given contribution so they have the right as Filipinos. The phrases “already give and deserve to get” message would be more appropriate to be changed with the idea of non-transactional. I propose the idea of giving without retain, because the Chinese/Tsinoy already people of the Philippines, so they are Filipino and why have to declare it again. Moreover, I just wonder the idea of building Bahay Tsinoy because it might promote separation. Instead of Bahay Tsinoy better to show this kind of message in the National Museum to encourage the sense of integration and unity with in the Philippines.
I’d like to think that Bahay Tsinoy was created precisely because Tsinoy life and culture was not depicted at all in the National Museum. The closest that Nat’l Museum has gotten is to show archaeological findings of Chinese ceramics from shipwrecks, but still these Chinese stuff tend to depict the Chinese as foreigners that are detached from the development of national history.
Thanks…
Yeah…I saw that archival materials in Nat’l M.
Later, I knew that why they place a Bahay behind or near the Cathedral. Coz it’s the center ryt? So..after long..long contribution and what they got, it’s time to re-positioning their ‘position’.
Bahay Tsinoy is a good way to bridge the gap in understanding between Chinese immigrants and native-born Filipinos, including those of Chinese descent. Most Philippine history textbooks don’t even mention that most of the early Chinese immigrants (called “sangleys”) intermarried and sired a new race called “mestizo de sangley”. In fact, Binondo was the place designated for the Catholic “sangleys” (only those who converted to Catholicism were allowed to intermarry) and their mixed-race descendants, the “mestizos de sangley”. The Parian (until 1790) was the town for the ‘’sangleys” while Binondo was the town for the “mestizos de sangley”. Bahay Tsinoy should include the “mestizos de sangley” to complete the picture.
wow, thanks for it