Kimberly Ann C.

Legardo BSCEN – II
GEC 105 – Readings in Philippine History

Gintong Pamana
(A Reaction Paper)

Philippines was indeed a country with rich culture in pre-colonial period. One
could just comb the dirt lightly and find gold as the size of walnuts and eggs according
to Magellan’s expedition recorder, Antonio Pigafetta. The Gintong Pamana
documentary exhibited the golden treasures collected by a bulldozer operator who
accidentally dug gold pieces and was identified to be established before the
colonization.

As I watched the documentary film, it gave me doubts about my assumptions

about Philippines. I thought that Philippines is a poor country with poor culture as what
was presented in some other stories that Filipinos are indolent and dependent to others,
specifically in the colonizers. I didn’t know that Filipinos before had their own way of life.
And their way of life was totally grand and elegant. I was amazed by the collections and
one could really tell that Philippines was totally a rich country. Seeing the belts,
figurines, the four-kilogram gold halter made me think and question if how can they
make such fine and polished jewelries and ornaments. People that inhabited here in the
island of the Philippines were already advanced enough in their craftmanship to
produce such refined artifice.

It is such a great opportunity to watch this kind of film for it widens everyone’s
knowledge about the country and awakens every Filipino spirit. It made me become
proud of my own country not just because of its physical riches but because of its
affluent creativity. Before the colonizers came, we were already a developed and rich
country. It is a sign that we were not idiot and indios. It is a shame for those who thinks
that our country will be nothing without the colonizers.

We Filipinos are always searching for our identity. People are complaining that
we are not exquisite or natives, uncivilized and messiest but at the time when we see
the surreal treasures, we realize that it is already the core, which is who we are.