GMA NEWS:
When 24 Oras news anchor Mel Tiangco came face to face with the Golden Tara, considered by some experts as one of the most spectacular finds in Philippine archeology, she was intrigued. Was it worth going all the way to Chicago, USA to see?
“She was very small!" Tiangco told GMA News Online about the statue, showing its height with her thumb and index finger. “I thought, ‘What's spectacular about this thing?’"
But the Golden Tara grew on her after she spent a few moments with it. She said she couldn't help but be entranced by the object's “serenity."
Depicting the image of a Vajryana Buddhism deity, the Golden Tara now resides in the Field Museum in Chicago, USA, far from Agusan del Sur where it was originally found. Image screencapped from Philippine Treasures
Then you fall in love with her," said Tiangco. “The more you look at her, the more she becomes beautiful."
The 5-inch-tall golden statue shares the section with precious gems and diamonds. But since it’s displayed miles away from Agusan del Sur, where it was found, few Filipinos get to witness the item's beauty.
This Sunday night, however, viewers will be treated not only to the sight of the Golden Tara from its current home at the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago, but also to stories of other intriguing historical finds from all over the country.
GMA News and Public Affairs will air ‘Philippine Treasures," a special documentary about some of the most important relics from the Philippines’ literally rich pre-colonial past. The documentary is hosted by Mel Tiangco, with reporting by Mariz Umali, Cesar Apolinario, Tina Panganiban-Perez, and John Consulta.
Program Manager Lee Joseph Castel said that he got the idea for the documentary after a spontaneous trip to the National Museum.
“Na-fascinate ako masyado sa mga artifacts doon, so naisip ko parang wala pang gumagawa ng special tungkol sa historical artifacts dito sa Pilipinas," Castel told GMA News Online. He also shared that the National Museum itself is also suffering from the lack of funds.
Motivated to change the perception that Filipinos lack a sense of history, the production staff withstood long journeys and heavy rains, and even braved rebel-infested areas, in search of the country’s almost-forgotten treasures.
CONTINUE READING FROM ORIGINAL [SOURCE]
Information Courtesy of GMA News / ROEHL NiÑO BAUTISTA / -PF/HS
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