The Gabii sa Kabilin or the Night of Heritage is an annual event showcasing the cultural heritage of Cebu. The event takes its inspiration from the Long Night of Museums in Germany where museums and cultural institutions remain open at night to make them accessible to potential patrons. A common entrance pass is made available to visitors who use it to gain access to all exhibits participating in the cultural event. The pass also offers complimentary public transportation to visitors.
Gabii sa Kabilin – image source: courtesy of Peter Parcon
The Gabii sa Kabilin shares the same concept where tickets are made available to visitors who want to join the event. The event is already on its tenth year with over forty museum and institutions in the four major cities of Cebu taking part in the event this year. The Gabii sa Kabilin aims to make museums appealing to local and foreign tourists as well as strengthen the idea that museums can enhance the understanding and appreciation of the history and culture of Cebu. It is a one of a kind cultural event in the Philippines and the whole of Asia.
Talisay City Hall – image source: courtesy of Peter Parcon
History
The Gabii sa Kabilin started in 2007 with only four museums participating in the event. These museums were Casa Gorordo Museum, Basilica del Santo Niño Museum, Cathedral Museum of Cebu, and Fort San Pedro. The event is organized by the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation, Inc. in cooperation with the Visayas Association of Museums and Galleries Inc. The event also enjoys the support of the local governments in Cebu and the private sector. Cebu City Ordinance 2327 passed by the Cebu City Council recognized the Gabii sa Kabilin as an important cultural event.
Rizal Memorial Library & Museum – image source: courtesy of Peter Parcon
Rizal Memorial Library & Museum – image source: courtesy of Peter Parcon
Forging Peoples
The theme for the Gabii sa Kabilin this year is “Forging Peoples.” The theme highlights the collections of participating museum and institutions as well as creates narratives to pique the interest of the participants. The main objective of the annual Night of Heritage is to awaken the curiosity of participants on what Cebu has to offer in terms of history and culture. This curiosity will encourage them to visit the participating sites on other days since it is not possible to visit all of them during the event.
Museo de Talisay – image source: courtesy of Peter Parcon
Museo de Talisay – image source: courtesy of Peter Parcon
Museo de Talisay – image source: courtesy of Peter Parcon
Aside from the exhibits, visitors were treated to cultural presentations and other activities in participating sites. The City Walk segment of the event gave visitors the opportunity to go on a walking tour in the downtown area where a number of participating venues are located. Some streets were closed for the event to allow visitors to freely walk from one venue to another. Tartanilla rides were also available for visitors to experience this once ubiquitous method of transportation in the Queen City of the South. Eight bus routes connected the different museums and sites that participated in the event.
Tres Alinos – image source: courtesy of Peter Parcon
Museum of Naïve Art– image source: courtesy of Peter Parcon
The featured sites during the Gabii sa Kabilin were the National Historic Shrine Liberation Monument, Carbon Market, Colon Street, Magellan’s Cross, and the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño. Did you join the Gabii sa Kabilin on May 27? Tell us about your experience on the comments section below.
National Historic Shrine Liberation Monument – image source: courtesy of Peter Parcon
Magellan’s Cross – image source: courtesy of Peter Parcon
Basilica Minore del Santo Niño – image source: courtesy of Peter Parcon
University of the Philippines Cebu– image source: courtesy of Peter Parcon
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