Ambeth R. Ocampo's Blog, page 262

will be speaking and signing books in University of San Jose Recoletos Cebu, Aud...

will be speaking and signing books in University of San Jose Recoletos Cebu, Audio visual room, main campus this monday September 26 at 10am

My Inquirer column today on prehistoric jade tools.

My Inquirer column today on prehistoric jade tools.


Indigenous 'indio genius' | Inquirer Opinion
opinion.inquirer.net
Friends who have been to SM malls the past few days report long lines at the entrances that have nothing to do with a mall-wide sale. Rather the "blue guards" are now doing their jobs more "seriously" and, in the Philippines, that means doing things slowly to inconvenience customers.

A photo by Wig Tysmans worthy of a glossy sosyal magazine. Near famous with Nati...

A photo by Wig Tysmans worthy of a glossy sosyal magazine. Near famous with National Artist Bencab and the elegant Josine Elizalde grandaughter of Rizal's friend Trinidad H. Pardo de Tavera.


Near Famous

While in exile in Dapitan Rizal wrote, what is said to be the first psychologica...

While in exile in Dapitan Rizal wrote, what is said to be the first psychological essay in the Philippines, "On the cure of the bewitched" a monograph on the mangkukulam. It comes with some drawings like this depicting a woman doubled up in pain saying' Jesus! naglalata aco cun ano pa man ang nasa loob asuang yata." Rizal interviewed mangkukulam and herbolarios to understand their work and cure victims.


Smile

My Inquirer column today on vintage Philippine cigarette labels.

My Inquirer column today on vintage Philippine cigarette labels.


Cigarettes and Filipino nationalism | Inquirer Opinion
opinion.inquirer.net
Overheard this joke about a man who returned a freshly bought pack of cigarettes that had the warning: "Smoking causes impotence." He handed it back to the tindera saying, "give me the one that causes lung cancer." This made me wonder why some "pasaway" are contesting No Smoking ordinances enforce...

The iconic black "Vienna [bentwood] Chair" was designed by the German-Austrian c...

The iconic black "Vienna [bentwood] Chair" was designed by the German-Austrian cabinet maker Michael Thonet (1796-1871) and met international success after its introduction in the 1851 London Worlds Fair. It was so popular it was even made in the Philippines before the war as seen in this photo showing the elegant curved frame of the chair to be finished with a seat of sulihiya or a cushion.


History

Filipinos are famous the world over for musical talent. Then as now Filipino ban...

Filipinos are famous the world over for musical talent. Then as now Filipino bands are everywhere, Rizal's encounter with a Pinoy band abroad reminded me of this 19th century studio photograph of a Filipino band.


History

Thanks to everyone who braved the crowds, the rain, and the traffic to get to th...

Thanks to everyone who braved the crowds, the rain, and the traffic to get to the Manila International Bookfair yesterday. I started signing books in the Anvil booth at 3.30 and finished over four hours later. Tired but not complaining, thank you too for buying my other books from UST Publishing.

This. Is. Not. A. Blog. (But Ambeth Rocks)marilil.wordpr...

This. Is. Not. A. Blog. (But Ambeth Rocks)
marilil.wordpress.com
This is not a blog. But friends still ask me about the lecture of Dr. Ambeth Ocampo last Saturday at the Ayala Museum. What can I tell you? Ambeth rocks. And I sooo love his topic ( QUERIDAS...

There is a world of difference between pre-war studio pictures from Manila and t...

There is a world of difference between pre-war studio pictures from Manila and those taken in the late 19th century. The mood, the texture, the way people pose is a completely different sensibilty. I cant pinpoint why or how? One of my favorites was taken by a mirror, very creative, as it provides two views of the same sad-looking woman in her finery.


History