From the Casa Gorordo museum it was just two minutes to Yap Sandiego Ancestral house. This house is one of the oldest in the Philippines, built in 1680 from wood and coral stone. I am not sure if I have noticed the coral, but that’s the information I got.
Yap Sandiego Ancestral house @Cebu City
Anyway, inside it was fantastic with so many knickknacks, I was taking pictures all the whole time I explored the interior.
courtyard @Yap Sandiego Ancestral house
the lamp has some mighty angels on the shade as well Yap Sandiego Ancestral house
I talked with one of guides there and I mentioned that the house reminded me a bit of the Kongsi houses in Malaysia. The Yap house is a mix of Chinese and Spanish. The Spanish part is especially noticeable in the many religious statues. Like the niño statue that I missed in the Basilica in the morning because the line up was forever. Here at Yap Sandiego Ancestral house there was not just one replica, but two.
replica number one @Yap Sandiego Ancestral house
replica number two @Yap Sandiego Ancestral house
Overall there was a lot religious objects in the house. Catholicism was and is a big part of the Filipino culture.
Jesus surrounded by all kinds of angels @Yap Sandiego Ancestral house
a small altar @Yap Sandiego Ancestral house
The museum guide told me that the Filipinos are so called due to Philip II of Spain. Before that there were just different tribes on the islands. But with the colonization the Philippines got a national identity stamped on. The people from Cebu are more Polynesian for example and belong to the Hawaiian people. It does make sense, the Filipinos all appear a little bit different if you take the time to really look.
dancing in the courtyard @Yap Sandiego Ancestral house
Mary and maybe Philipp II @Yap Sandiego Ancestral house
In any case Magellan arrived first in Cebu but was shortly afterwards killed by a tribal chief. The Spanish came back in the form of Legazpi and established a presence in Cebu. Only a couple of years later did they end up founding Manila. Quite interesting, don’t you think? Yours, Pollybert
America left its mark as well @Yap Sandiego Ancestral house
