CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY?A museum fostering kinship among the three major culture groups in Mindanao?the ?lumad? (indigenous peoples), Moro and lowland migrants?has drawn many viewers here, from historians and art enthusiasts, to students and common folk.

The Museum of Three Cultures showcases the history and artistry of the Maranaos of Lanao (Ranaw), the Matigsalug, Higaunon and Tigwa Manobo tribes of Bukidnon, and the lowland Visayan migrants of Iligan and Cagayan de Oro cities.

Located on the Capitol University campus here, the museum opened on May 2, the 82nd birthday of the school?s founder, Laureana San Pedro Rosales.

It ?mixes together the artifacts of three cultures, each of different religious persuasions. It?s a statement in itself that the three can be dialogical kin ? that Mindanao coexistence is possible,? said the curator, Dr. Antonio Montalvan.

The museum was dedicated as a special birthday gift to Rosales, also the private collector of most of the Maranao artifacts on display. ?It is also the offering of Capitol University to the people of Mindanao,? Montalvan added.

The restoration and cataloguing of the artifacts prior to the opening took about a year, he said. The preparations engaged the services of Maranao artisans from Tugaya, Lanao del Sur, and that of a lighting expert from the National Commission on Culture and the Arts.

?Three Cultures? is the only museum in Mindanao that has earned membership in the Paris-based International Council of Museums, the curator noted.

Bridge of peace

Montalvan, an anthropologist, said the museum could serve as a bridge to peace since it reminds and educates Mindanaoans about their historical ties.

?It is not common to have a full Maranao gallery in a Christian city like Cagayan de Oro. So far it has been an eye-opener to the Maranaos [who see this] not only as Muslims but as a culture group with a beautiful sense of artistry. It is changing people?s perceptions,? he pointed out.

For its main attraction, the museum?s Posaka Maranao Gallery displays Rosales? collections acquired in the 1950s, during her educational apostolate in Lanao. They include Maranao brass ware, weaponry, musical instruments, textiles, ceremonial paraphernalia and other accessories. The items bear okir designs, geometric and flowing, vine-like patterns that are the hallmarks of Maranao artistry.

Maranao centerpiece

The centerpiece of the Maranao collection is the Danganan, a Muslim ceremonial sword symbolizing the power of the Sultan. The museum features a total of seven Danganans, the biggest about 15 feet long.

The most prized of the seven, however, is a 10-foot sword that once belonged to Sultan Malimala who reigned some 300 years ago. The okir motif is carved on its brass, beak-shaped handle.

Dioramas depicting a Maranao enthronement ceremony and the interior of a sultan?s Torogan (Royal House) have also been crowd-drawers.

The Torogan miniature contains, among others, the sultan?s bedroom?his bed enough to accommodate his many children?and intricately designed tapestry conveying images from the annual Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca.

The tapestry was known to be used in olden times as a canopy for the sultan?s bed, meant to remind him of the Muslim faithful?s quest for everlasting life.

?Many Maranaos who have seen the Posaka gallery felt honored that their culture is being given this much importance. And that?s precisely what we want to achieve, [to show] that material culture is capable of [promoting] dialogue among people,? Montalvan said.

?Lumad? section

For the lumad section, members of the Matigsalog-Antigua tribe donated pieces of indigenous artifacts, from everyday household items to weaponry.

The section also exhibits antique photos of the Higaonon people living in tree houses along Bukidnon?s Pulangi River. The photos were taken by an American scholar from Chicago University in 1910.

Another section dubbed the Galerie Rawari provides a venue for contemporary artists representing the three cultures. The gallery was named after the river that meanders through the Matigsalug and Manobo lands of southern Bukidnon.

In a separate room, researchers and students may also access archival photographs and documents from the Spanish and American periods, as well as memorabilia of past local political figures.