Pre-Hispanic PH traditions to be ‘revived’ at Chicago museum

Philippine tattoo expert Lane Wilcken demonstrates the ancient art that almost was lost during Spanish and American colonial regimes. FIELD MUSEUM

CHICAGO—The nearly lost arts of Philippine traditional tattoos and script writing will be resurrected at the “Pamanang Pinoy” event on Saturday, Dec.3, at this city’s Field Museum, coupled with another free adobo tasting sponsored by the museum’s “Friends of Co-Curation.”

Lane Wilcken of San Francisco and Kristian Kabuay of Las Vegas will lecture and do hands-on demonstrations for these pre-Hispanic traditions that were almost banished during the 300 years of Spanish colonization followed by 48 years of American occupation of the Philippines. A Question & Answer will follow both presentations.

Friends of the Field Museum Co-Curation will also bring back their popular sampling of pork and chicken adobo made from the recipes in the booklet, “Co-Curating Adobo,” which was originally launched in October. Steamed rice will also be available free.

Copies of the booklet are available for sale –in time for the holiday gift-giving. A new batch of adobo chefs will be present to sign copies of the booklet. Additional copies are available online: http//friendsofcocuration.com/.

The Field Museum has been working in partnership with the local Filipino American community in a series of cultural events these past years in curating some 10,000 Philippine cultural items in its collection.

Co-Curating Adobo is available for sale in time for the holiday gift shopping. FIELD MUSEUM

The collaboration has opened an opportunity especially to younger members of the community to volunteer and learn about their Filipino heritage through cataloguing and archiving of information about the artifacts.

The expansive collection grew mostly during the American colonization of the Philippines when scholars did anthropological and scientific studies and exploration in their highly diverse colony in Southeast Asia.

Philippine script expert Kristian Kabuay draws rare characters on paper; his demonstration will be reprised on his Dec. 3 presentation in Chicago. FIELD MUSEUM

For this special event, the Field Museum is waiving its usual $29/person entrance fee for everyone who pre-register by emailing at: [email protected]. Mailing address: The Field Museum, Philippine Anthropology Collections, 1400 Lakeshore Drive, Chicago 60605.

(To enter the museum for this event, use the West or South entrance of the Museum. The Maori House where the event will take place is located at the upper level of the museum by way of the Pacific Spirits Exhibit. Parking is available at $22/ vehicle. For public transportation, take CTA Bus # 140 at Michigan Ave. to the Museum Campus or from the exit of Roosevelt train station of the Red, Orange or Green Line.)