Culture Shock PH

08/01/2025

DID YOU KNOW? 🤔

The Black Nazarene (formally Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno), whose Traslacion we commemorate every January 9, has one of the largest devotions in the country. This procession is attended by millions of believers each year.

The venerated image arrived in Manila from Mexico during the 17th century. While many believe its dark color is due to fire damage, it was actually carved from mesquite wood, a naturally dark-colored wood.

The procession symbolizes the transfer of the image from the San Nicolas Church in Intramuros to Quiapo Church sometime between 1767 to 1787. The present-day procession began in 2006 and the route was institutionalized in 2009.

01/01/2025

🚨PSA: The National Museum of the Philippines is now open 7 days a week!

𝐍𝐌𝐏 𝐍𝐎𝐖 𝐎𝐏𝐄𝐍 𝟕 𝐃𝐀𝐘𝐒 𝐀 𝐖𝐄𝐄𝐊!

The past year has been remarkable for us at the National Museum of the Philippines. So, to start 2025 with a bang, we are delighted to announce that the NMP Central Complex in Manila and our Regional Component Museums all over the Philippines will now be 𝐎𝐏𝐄𝐍 𝐓𝐎 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐏𝐔𝐁𝐋𝐈𝐂 𝐀𝐋𝐋 𝐒𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐍 𝐃𝐀𝐘𝐒 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐖𝐄𝐄𝐊! 𝐀𝐃𝐌𝐈𝐒𝐒𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐈𝐒 𝐅𝐑𝐄𝐄!

Universal access has always been our priority. By opening our museums every day and maintaining free admission, we aim to make our programs and services even more accessible to everybody.

We look forward to welcoming and serving you all this 2025!

25/12/2024

MALIGAYANG PASKO!🎄🏵️🎁

As we celebrate this joyous season, let's remember the rich traditions that make a Filipino Christmas truly special. From the colorful parols lighting up our streets to the heartfelt Simbang Gabi, may we continue to cherish and preserve our unique culture, heritage, and history.

How does your family celebrate Christmas? Share your traditions with us! ✨

19/12/2024

Last December 2-5, our founder Osep Reyes participated in the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative Summit 2024 held in the UNESCO World Heritage town of Luang Prabang in Laos 🇱🇦

In this feature by The Laotian Times, he emphasizes how promoting one’s own culture would benefit not only one’s country but the entire region.

On 2 to 5 December, the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) Summit 2024 brought together 100 young leaders from across ASEAN and Timor-Leste in th

04/11/2024

Celebrate the brightest festival in the Philippines on December 15!

Nothing says Christmas in the Philippine quite like the twinkling lights of parols. San Fernando, Pampanga's version stands out for their sheer size and artistry.

In this tour, you will get to:
🏵️ Visit the Giant Lantern Museum
🏵️ Experience designing your own parol
🏵️ Enjoy sumptuous heirloom Kapampangan dishes prepared by a renowned food historian
🏵️ Get to see behind the scenes of how the 20-foot tall lanterns are operated

Learn more about the tour and sign up at https://www.cultureshockph.com/giant-lantern-festival-tour.

See you there!

29/10/2024

It’s the most wonderful time of the year 🏵️

Our annual Christmas tradition is back! Celebrate the Giant Lantern Festival with your family and friends on December 15, 2024.

In this tour you will:
🏵️ Learn how the Giant Lanterns of San Fernando, Pampanga came to be and marvel at their dazzling performance
🏵️ Make your own parol souvenir
🏵️ Feast on heirloom Kapampangan dishes prepared by a renowned food historian

This tour is open to individual sign ups so BOOK NOW at https://www.cultureshockph.com/giant-lantern-festival-tour 🙌✨

Celebrate the brightest festival in the Philippines!

27/10/2024

In celebration of 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐏𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞'𝐬 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐡, we honor the rich cultural heritage of Palawan’s indigenous communities by sharing insights into the 𝑝𝑎𝑔𝑑𝑖𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑎, one of the Tagbanua's most significant traditions.

Deeply rooted in respect for nature and ancestral spirits, 𝑝𝑎𝑔𝑑𝑖𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑎 is a sacred ritual conducted by a 𝑏𝑎𝑏𝑎𝑙𝑦𝑎𝑛, a traditional healer and spiritual leader within the community. The 𝑏𝑎𝑏𝑎𝑙𝑦𝑎𝑛 acts as a bridge between the physical and spiritual realms, facilitating the connection between the living and their ancestors, deities, and nature. Through 𝑝𝑎𝑔𝑑𝑖𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑎, they mediate between the living and the dead and share messages of goodwill and moral guidance, bringing the wisdom of ancestors into the lives of the living.

The 𝑝𝑎𝑔𝑑𝑖𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑎 serves multiple purposes: it is performed during times of sickness, death, or natural calamities, as well as during periods of prosperity to express gratitude. For the Tagbanua, these ceremonies and offerings to appease spirits and deities have maintained the community’s harmony with the environment. Their deep spiritual beliefs and respect for nature have helped them ensure sustainable resources for generations, maintaining a lifestyle in tune with the natural cycles.

Highlighted in this ritual are the 𝑡𝑎𝑏𝑎𝑑 (rice wine) and the traditional 𝑘𝑎𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑖𝑛 (swidden) farming. It also highlights the invocation of 𝐷𝑖𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑎 𝑘𝑎𝑡 𝐴𝑚𝑦𝑎𝑛, a deity called upon at the end of the wet season to bring the 𝑎𝑚𝑦𝑎𝑛, the hot and dry northeast wind. This wind is essential for burning clearings in preparation for planting. Yet, it is also a time for caution, as the 𝑎𝑚𝑦𝑎𝑛 is believed to carry 𝑠𝑎𝑙𝑎𝑘𝑎𝑝 spirits, which bring epidemic diseases to Earth. During bountiful harvests, the Tagbanua people offer their gratitude to 𝑀𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑖𝑛𝑑𝑢𝑠𝑎, a powerful deity, through the 𝑝𝑎𝑔𝑑𝑖𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑎, thanking him for their prosperity. Following the rice harvest and continuing until the new clearings are made, the 𝑏𝑎𝑏𝑎𝑙𝑦𝑎𝑛 performs a series of three 𝑝𝑎𝑔𝑑𝑖𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑎 ceremonies for 𝑀𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑖𝑛𝑑𝑢𝑠𝑎. This ritual not only celebrates abundance but also reinforces their connection to the spiritual world, creating a cycle of respect and harmony that sustains the Tagbanua’s way of life.

The 𝑝𝑎𝑔𝑑𝑖𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑎 is a beautiful testament to the Tagbanua’s cultural heritage and environmental mindfulness, preserving their sacred traditions and maintaining balance in their communities. Let us honor and respect this tradition, recognizing it as part of the profound legacy of the indigenous people of Palawan.

22/10/2024

Our guests from the ASEAN University Network-Quality Assurance (AUN-QA) have a tight work week in Manila. They only had one free day so we showed them around Intramuros and the National Museum of Anthropology 🤩

If you have guests, make time for a Manila tour! Our WHISPERS OF THE WALLS: Intramuros Walking Tour is perfect for first-timers in the country, those who are into history, or have limited time in the city.

Visit https://www.cultureshockph.com/intramuros-walking-tour to learn more!

22/10/2024

💙❤️🤍💛🇵🇭

14/10/2024

02/10/2024

The CCP VAMD joins in the celebration of Museum and Galleries Month (MGM) this October! 🖼️

With the theme "Honoring Traditions, Fostering Innovation," discover the past, present, and future of Filipino art through our ongoing and upcoming exhibitions and programs:

📌 "The Possibilities of Luminance (Gallery XXVII) and Man and Nature (Gallery XXVIII): Selections from the 21st Century Art Museum (21AM) Collection, at the National Museum of Fine Arts

📌 "Impressions (6th floor hallway, Ceremonial Hall and Conference Room) and Viewpoints (2nd floor hallway): Selections from the 21st Century Art Museum (21AM) Collection, at the Senate of the Philippines

📌 “On Site: Printmaking Open Studio Series” at the Bulwagang Roberto Chabet, 3/F Tanghalang Ignacio Gimenez on Oct 4, 5, and 12

📌 “On Site: Association of Pinoyprintmakers Annual Exhibition” at the Bulwagang Roberto Chabet, 3/F Tanghalang Ignacio Gimenez, opening on Oct 19

📌 “Kwentong Kahoy: Selections from the 21st Century Art Museum (21AM) Collection” at the Sevina Park Pavillion, Oct 30 onwards

For more information about , check out the National Commission for Culture and the Arts’ (NCCA) MGM 2024 Agency Kit at https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1HLintswG9AgGzE9gdnulTt4WH7Nxi-bH

02/09/2024

Our Pampanga Food & Heritage Tour always hits the spot 👌🏼 Happy to have shown around Rotary Club members from Taiwan, Hong Kong, and the Philippines!

Enjoy this great bonding experience too with your family, friends, and colleagues! Message us to learn more 💌

04/08/2024

Mabuhay ka, Carlos Edriel Yulo! Congratulations! 🇵🇭🥇🤸🏻

17/06/2024

Part of the Philippines’ diverse culture is the Islamic faith that has been embraced by many indigenous groups, particularly in the southern islands.

Eid’l Adha Mubarak to our Muslim brothers and sisters! 🌙

12/06/2024

“I can sum up the state of the nation in two words, free and hopeful. We are free because we decided collectively to be free. Nothing could stand in the way of our freedom thereafter. And we have reason to be hopeful because now we realize that united we have the power to accomplish what we wish.”

– Corazon Aquino

Maligayang Araw ng Kasarinlan, Pilipinas! 🇵🇭

30/04/2024

Looks promising! Would you visit this museum? 🙋🏻‍♂️🙋🏻‍♀️

Here's something for the history buffs! 🏛️

A P1.2-billion modern museum called the Mactan World Museum is set to rise inside the 30-hectare The Mactan Newtown township in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu, developer Megaworld confirmed. https://trib.al/8Qgvm5X

03/04/2024

Check out these pop up food stalls when you’re in Manila City 🥘