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Matrimonio Luna

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  In this wedding photo, the bride is seated, concealing her noticeable height advantage, in compliance with the societal norms of the time, which emphasized male dominance, even in physical stature. This photograph encapsulates the dynamics of their union, ultimately leading to the tragic murder of the wife. This is the wedding photo of Juan Luna, widely regarded as the greatest Filipino artist that ever lived. It is said that Juan Luna negotiated an additional sum for his masterpiece "Battle of Lepanto" with the commission responsible for enhancing the Spanish Senate. The extra income from this deal was lavishly spent by Luna on a grand tour of Venice in 1886, intended as a honeymoon gift for his wife, María de la Paz Pardo de Tavera, known as Pacita. Luna made sure that Pacita would feel her significance to him and the deep love he held for her, bringing her to a pedestal of admiration and affection. Yet, half a decade later, love unmasked itself, revealing an ugly, multi-

Paghuhukay Arkeolohikal Sa Barangay Pinagbuhatan Pasig

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Isang halimbawa ng  14th Century Ming Dynasty trade ware nahukay sa Pilipinas (Wiki) Noong taong 1952, sa kasunduang ng gobyernong nasiyonal ng Pilipinas at munisipalidad ng Pasig napasakamay ng American industrialist Harry Stonehill ang parte ng lupang sakop ng Barrio Pinagbuhatan, Pasig-- Kilala ang malawak na kapaligiran noon sa isang parte nito na tinatawag na "Sitio Patukod". Lumipas ang ilang buwan, sinimulan din ang sistematikong paghuhukay sa nasabing lugar upang magtayo ng mga pundasyon sa isang planta ng salamin. Sinasabing ito ang magiging pinaka malaking planta ng gawaan ng salamin sa buong Timog Silangan Asya. Tatawaging Republic Glass Corporation (RGC). Subalit sa paghuhukay ng pundasyon ng isang area ng planta, natagpuang may mga artifacts pala na nahuhukay dito. Hindi agad ito naipalaalam sa mga taong maaring makagawa ng pag- aaral dito maging ang munisipyo ng Pasig ay hindi agad-agad nakapagbigay ng ukol na pagkilos upang mabigyan kaalaman at maisalba din an

Katipunan Vignettes: Troadio Bonifacio and the Two Filipino Pearl Divers

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  Who was Troadio Bonifacio? The Katipunan Supremo, Andres Bonifacio, had three brothers—Ciriaco, Procopio, and Troadio. Both Ciriaco and Procopio were active participants in the Katipunan movement alongside their elder brother. Unfortunately, the two of them, together with Andres, met their tragic end during the power struggle that ensued after the Tejeros Convention. Meanwhile, we know little of Troadio. Who was he? Was he also somehow connected with the movement his elder brother founded? According to Hermenegildo Cruz, the author of the quasi-biography of Andres Bonifacio titled "Kartilyang Makabayan: Mga Tanong at Sagot Ukol Kay Andrés Bonifacio at sa KKK," Troadio Bonifacio played a crucial role in the acquisition of a printing press for the Katipunan. In Chapter 8, Question 43 of the book, it is noted that Troadio, the youngest Bonifacio brother, returned from Australia accompanied by two fellow Filipinos named Francisco Castillo and Camilo Iban. Checking Teodoro Agonc

Narcisa Rizal Lopez, "SISA" -- (1852-1939)

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One of the last photos of Jose Rizal's sister Narcisa, taken a couple of years before her passing in 1939. In a newspaper interview, Narcisa mentioned that the character of Sisa in the Noli Me Tangere was actually based not only on her name but also on the life she had as a mother. She confided that she received a letter from her brother telling her that he was adopting her nickname for one of the characters in a novel (Noli Me Tangere) which he was writing that moment in Berlin. She believed it was perhaps her experience of losing two children in infancy that triggered her brother to do so—the sorrow of a mother, with all her loyalty to her husband and devotion to her children. But the character of the searching Sisa was rather prophetic. Years later, Narcisa would then look around the "arrabales" (outskirts) of Manila, trying to locate where the Spaniards brought the remains of her executed brother. Searching around like a fool perhaps? Like Sisa? Narcisa Rizal Lopez

The Story of the Benlliure Bust of Juan Luna

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Photo of Juan Luna in his Paris studio. The Benlliure bust of Luna could be seen on display . Is this the one we have now in the National Museum? Definitely not. What Luna had in his studio could be the very first bust Benlliure created from the original mold he made for Luna in 1884. Judging from it's color, it could also be a plaster cast. But if you look carefully, you can still see that the "cuello" (neck) is depicted with a suit. Now, sometime in 1920, a group of Spanish artists who were friends of Juan Luna approached Mariano Benlliure and asked the renowned sculptor to make another copy from the old cast of the Luna bust. It is a common practice among sculptors to keep the original cast of their works. From that prototype, Benlliure then did a retouch and made the "cuello" naked. However, he did not change the old signature or monogram, so it still carries the date 1884. This retouched bust was actually part of the so-called gifts from this group of Spani

The Brass Band Tradition of Pasig: A Historical Overview

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   Introduction The late 19th century until the early years of the American occupation witnessed Pasig's thriving and renowned brass band tradition. However, over time, this vibrant cultural heritage slipped into obscurity, fading from the memory of the Pasigueños.The purpose of this article is to rekindle the narrative of Pasig's brass band tradition, shedding light on its historical, cultural, and musical significance. By examining the tradition's roots in the fusion of Catholicism and Western music, its role in religious and communal contexts, and its eventual decline, we aim to celebrate and re-establish this lost legacy. Harmony of Faith and Music: The Arrival of Western Musical Tradition Pasig's musical journey was intertwined with the arrival of the Catholic faith and Western music in the Philippines. The Catholic Church, a harbinger of both Christian beliefs and Western culture, played a pivotal role in introducing traditional European music to the archipelago.

Inventions of Isolation

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  It is well documented among the great yogis of Varanasi, India, that they possessed this uncommon skill - the ability to control their fart. It is said that before they go to their marathon meditation, they prepare their bodies from the arduous task by controlling first their diet. Lentils and beans are prevented. After that, there will be no more food intake--fasting. Then they will finally go to a trance-like hibernation. Of course, without the inconvenience of releasing air. A story goes about an Austrian professor 's experiment on soul levitation or this out of body experience done among the monks of a Tibetan temple at Lhasa. One particular monk was said to have mastered the ability to use an animal-vehicle (vahana). His soul could enter the body of an animal, acquiring its skills and of course, the instinct plus emotion to see the world around. One day, after another experiment, the monk went back to his earthly body in pain and in anguish. It was later discovered that d