The National Museum of the Philippines announced the successful culmination of its extensive
repatriation efforts that began several years ago. This paved the way for the safe return to the Philippines of the Sally A. von dem Hagen Collection of Limestone Burial Jars from the Kulaman
Plateau. This significant donation was initiated by Peter, Stephanie, and Antoinette von dem
Hagen in recognition of their late mother’s lifelong custodianship of these objects of Philippine
antiquity, spanning over four decades.

The 52-piece collection was presented to the media through a turnover activity at the National
Museum of Anthropology on 7 May 2024. Now integral to the National Archaeological
Collection, their provenance traces back to when they were originally purchased in the early
1970s by Mrs. Sally A. von dem Hagen, an American businesswoman living in Manila. Known for
her appreciation for antiquities, she was sought out by a group of Dulangan Manobo individuals
who had come across these limestone ossuaries during a hunting expedition in Cotabato’s
Kulaman Plateau. Mrs. von dem Hagen, recognizing the profound cultural significance of these
objects, agreed to acquire as many as possible and, over time, established relationships among
members of the Manobo community in the area of what is today part of the province of Sultan
Kudarat. When she departed the Philippines for the United States in 1979, she brought her
beloved collection with her.

Earlier this year, the NMP Office of the Director-General organized the shipment of the
limestone objects from Los Angeles, California where they were under the temporary care of a
non-profit organization, the Filipino-American Service Group, Inc. (FASGI) and Dr. Stephen B.
Acabado and the Cotsen Institute of Archaeology at the University of California, Los Angeles. An
exhibition held at the FASGI Bayanihan Center facilitated conversations among the
Filipino-American community, highlighting the ethics of collecting material culture, issues of
repatriation and empowerment, culture and history, and heritage engagement. Upon arriving in
Manila on 25 March 2024, NMP’s Archaeology Division supervised the collection’s unboxing,
inspection, and curation. A team from the University of the Philippines-Manila led by
anthropology professor Dr. Ma. Teresa G. de Guzman also conducted a brief blessing ritual to
welcome these artifacts.

These burial jars were carved out from limestone abundant in the region. They were shaped in
either a round or quadrangular fashion and decorated with vertical fluting or geometric designs.
The lids, however, have diverse designs, ranging from simple gabled roofs to elaborate
anthropomorphic features. These jars stored human bones as a secondary burial vessel.
Kulaman limestone jars remain the only movable limestone ossuary among mostly
clay-fashioned burial jars. Despite differences in raw materials, the vessels nevertheless
represent the widespread jar burial tradition in the Philippines and Southeast Asia during the
Metal Age, approximately 2,800 to 1,000 years ago. Very little is presently known about the
people who created the Kulaman Plateau limestone jars and who utilized them for their burial
rites, as well as whether the Dulangan Manobo communities of the area are descended from or
related to them, and this awaits further scientific research, which the NMP intends to facilitate
in collaboration with the communities and key partners.

The NMP expresses its sincerest gratitude to the von dem Hagen family for their enthusiasm
and dedication throughout the process of return, as well as to FASGI and Dr. Acabado for their
unwavering support in making this collection more accessible to the Filipino people for
generations to come.

The National Museum of the Philippines proudly presents the exhibition “Leaves, Lace, and Legacy: The Art of Lenore RS Lim” exhibition, in celebration of National Women’s Month. Opened on 22 March 2024 at Gallery XVII (Special Exhibition Hall dedicated to Women’s Art) of the National Museum of Fine Arts, the exhibition highlights the artistic journey of Lenore Raquel-Santos Lim, a Filipina visual artist renowned for her contributions to Philippine arts. 

“Leaves, Lace, and Legacy” features Lim’s exploration of the intricate realm of printmaking, presenting the recurring motifs of decaying leaves, handmade laces, and wedding veils. It showcases her artworks that pay homage to nature conservation and Philippine maternal traditions while engaging in a meaningful discourse on womanhood and human rights.

Lim adeptly merges traditional techniques with contemporary technologies. The exhibition showcases some of her notable printmaking techniques such as chine collé, computer-aided design serigraphy, etching, giclée, lithography, and photo etching.

During the opening reception, NMP Director-General Jeremy Barns called the exhibition “a feature of Lim’s beautiful stories as told through her art” before thanking the artist for the generous donation of several Gifts to the Nation.

Afterwards, Deputy-Director General for Museums Jorell Legaspi gave a curatorial overview of the exhibition, before sharing a brief account of Ms. Lim’s life and works.

This was followed by an emotional message from Ms. Lim herself, recounting the days spent in the then Legislative Building waiting for her father to finish his work. “It feels like coming home after a long absence from a place so dear to me. And what a beautiful home it had become,” Lim said, describing the exhibition as a “full circle” moment for her. Lim later gave a guided tour of the exhibition to the attendees.

Born in 1946, Lim pursued a career as an art educator until she transitioned to a career as an artist in the 1990s. As a pioneer of computer-aided art in the Philippines, she has received various recognitions, including the Pollock Krasner Foundation Grant and the Pamana ng Pilipino Presidential Award. She also founded the Filipino Music and Art Foundation BC, which supports aspiring Filipino artists.

Celebrate National Women’s Month by visiting this new exhibition. We are open Tuesdays to Sundays, from 9 A.M. to 6 P.M. Admission is FREE!

On February 1, 2024, the National Museum of the Philippines held the soft opening of its component site museum at the Tabon Cave Complex and Lipuun Point in Quezon, Palawan. Gracing the event were Governor Victorino Dennis Socrates, Second District Representative Jose Alvarez, Quezon Mayor Joselito Ayala, the members of the provincial board, and other government officials from partner agencies.

In his welcome address, Director-General Jeremy Barns praised the local government of Palawan’s long-term partnership with the NMP and expressed his confidence that with the enduring collaboration, “we [will] continue to soar high in our efforts to preserve this cultural and natural landscape for generations to enjoy”.

The local government of Palawan responded with their words of gratitude with Gov. Socrates calling the museum “a huge investment that will help the tourism industry in Palawan and make us conscious of our heritage”. He conveyed the gratitude of the people of Palawan for the NMP’s dynamism in making the museum a reality. Mayor Ayala on the other hand recognized the collective efforts of the local and national governments in preserving the Tabon Cave Complex. He also reiterated the call for the people of Quezon to encourage visits to the site.

Meanwhile, UNESCO National Commission of the Philippines (UNACOM) Secretary-General Dr. Ivan Henares updated everyone on the steps that are currently being undertaken for the nomination of the Tabon Cave Complex and all of Lipuun Point as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. He highlighted Tabon’s “outstanding universal value” and the enormous assistance of the NMP in the nomination process through its many years of continuing research on the site. 

To cap the program and to invite the audience to view the new exhibitions, Deputy Director-General for Museums Jorell Legaspi gave an overview of each gallery, weaving together the narratives which have been shaped by decades of research and NMP presence in Palawan.