In solidarity with and celebration of the 2021 Quincentennial Commemorations in the Philippines, Gateway Gallery brings this year’s second installment of KulturaSerye which retraces the pre-colonial life of the early Filipinos immediately before and during the early years of Western contact. 

Michael Charleston “Xiao” Chua returns for KulturaSerye to engage Gateway Gallery’s audience with the talk Batek, Bagani, Boxer: Pagsaysay sa Sining ng Ating mga Ninuno.

The Quincentennial marks the 500 years of the first circumnavigation of the world and the arrival of a Western expedition in the country. The talk will unravel the distinct lifestyle in the islands through various material manifestations such as tattoos, clothing, ornamentations, and other accessories. 

Professor Chua asserts: “Taliwas sa unang inakala na walang pananampalataya, kultura at sopistikasyon ang ating mga ninuno, may larawan mula sa 1593 Boxer Codex ang naglalarawan ng ating mga gamit, sinuot, at mga simbolong mahalaga sa atin. Gamit ito at iba pang nga arkeyolohikal na mga kagamitan na nahukay, ating titingnan ang sining ng ating mga ninuno upang bigyan kahulugan ang kultura at kabayanihan ng ating mga ninuno, bilang paggunita sa ika-500 taong Tagumpay ni Lapulapu laban kay Magellan.” 

Professor Xiao Chua of the History Department of the De La Salle University is a Filipino historian, academic, and television personality. He is best known for his blogs and videos on Philippine history, his Xiao Time segment for a news program, and his regular appearances as commentator in television and radio on historical topics and burning social issues. He has written the book Bayani Biographies: Andres Bonifacio, and currently writes for the The Manila Times through his regular column Walking History. He is currently finishing his Doctorate in Anthropology in the University of the Philippines, Diliman. 

The free KulturaSerye webinar will be aired on April 17, Saturday, at 2 PM from the Gateway Gallery Facebook page (GatewayGalleryPH). Viewers are encouraged to join and share in the discussion. Some game prizes will also be given during the talk. The show will be moderated by UP Los Baños lecturer John Carlo Santos. KulturaSerye does not require pre-registration. Certificates of attendance will be provided to those who complete the webinar. The official media partner of KulturaSerye is The Philippine Online Student Tambayan (Facebook Page: phstudenttambayan). KulturaSerye is supported by the J. Amado Araneta Foundation.

To know more about KulturaSerye, feel free to contact Gateway Gallery at 8588-4000 local 8300, [email protected], or via its social media pages: Facebook (GatewayGalleryPh), Instagram (gateway.gallery), Twitter (gateway_gallery), and YouTube (Gateway Gallery).

Gateway Gallery is the art museum of Araneta City. Managed by J. Amado Araneta Foundation, it is located at the 5th Floor of Gateway Tower, Araneta City, QC.