MANILA, Philippines—This study guide in Social Studies or History may be used with intermediate grades and high school students.

The 1,059 objects in the exhibit “Gold of Our Ancestors: Pre-colonial Treasures in the Philippines” are proof that the Philippines had a sophisticated culture before the arrival of the Spaniards. In the past, our country shared political, religious, cultural and economic ties with neighboring lands.

Before the visit

Discuss Philippine pre-colonial culture and society. What are their customs, ways, clothing, ornaments? Students can either read their history textbook or supplement by doing research in the library or on the Internet. What are our ancestors’ conceptions of life, death and the afterlife?

During the visit

The gold exhibit has three sections. The first section, “Austronesian Migrations,” shows our links with Austronesian-speaking peoples who migrated from China and then spread out to Southeast Asia and beyond. Instruct students to examine the objects carefully, such as the omega-shaped ornament known as ling-ling-o.

Where else in the world can similar pieces be found? Stress to the students that similarities in visual culture and language support the idea of shared origins in prehistory.

The second section, “Mortals and Deities Adorned,” shows the splendid jewelry and treasures that signify mortal power and wealth, and adorn representations of gods. Tell students to focus on the bird garuda that the god Vishnu uses to travel. What does the presence of this Indonesian symbol in Philippine soil mean? How about the headdresses of the dead people?

The third section, “Journey to the Afterlife,” explores ideas of our ancestors about what happens after death. Ask students to list the different funeral offerings and their possible functions. Tell them to sketch headdresses and masks, and ask them, for instance, why a mere funeral basket would be made out of gold.

After the visit

Link what the students have seen in the exhibit to the present day. Compare the jewelry of the Filipinos then and now, in terms of form, design, function. In what ways are they similar or different? Compare burial practices then and now. How are the pre-colonial ways similar or different to Christian burials today? What beliefs do these show?

Ask students to make sketches, models or essays on what they experienced while viewing the exhibit. Have them reenact their interpretation of a pre-colonial Filipino burial.

As a fitting conclusion to the lesson, ask students how their misconceptions about prehistoric Filipinos (for instance, that all our ancestors were very primitive) have changed because of this exhibit.

(Our thanks to the Ayala Museum Education Department for providing detailed resources and materials on which this lesson plan is based.)

TEACHERS: Submit your entries to the IIE Lesson Plan Contest for December and win the last of six laptop prizes. November winner will be published next week.