The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-05-22
PHILIPPINES 1xa1B1Y.
Representative Collection at the
Buffalo Exposition.


Few exhibits in the Government build
ing attract more attention than the Phil
ippine collection In the North Pavilion,
Every American citizen who visits the
Exposition will have an opportunity to
see for himself how the Filipinos live.
what kind of houses they live In, what
clothes they wear, what they eat, how
they cultivate the soil, their fisheries,
their industries their trades and manu-
features, their games and amusements
and the thousand and one things that
make up their home environment.
Though the Government Board had no
special funds for a Filipino exhibit, 1t
took steps at an early date to represent
in an adequate manner the life of these
new wards of the nation. In the winter
of 1SS9-1900 Colonel F. F. Hilder of the
Smithsonian. Institution was sent to the
islands to gather up representative col
lection. Colonel Hilder spent several
months in the islands, and in the face
of very great obstacles, brought together
a rich collection. Having finished his
work he returned to Washington. where
he contracted pneumonia and died while
engaged upon catalogue of the collec-
ton.
One large portion of the exhibit con-
sists of agricultural implements and
products. There is the primitive plough
and rake used in the rice fields, knives
for cutting rice straw, rice sifters, bas-
kets and sleeves, models of rice mills. and
finally the rice itself.
Next comes the famous Manila hemp
in huge skeins, like f1axen hair, or made
up into ropes and cables. There are SUI
gar baskets and bales and native sugar
of various grades, tobacco. coffee, indigo.
dye-stuffs. cocoanut fibre and oil and
the beautiful and wonderfully delicate
pima cloth, made from pineapple fibre.
Most abundant of all is the bamboo,
which the Filipino adapts to every con-
ceivable use. There are bedsteads of
bamboo, chairs, tables. brushes. milk
jars, rakes RATS and strangest of all
musical instruments Hardly less inn
portant is rattan, of which the native
constructs baskets, balls, mats and nu-
merous other household articles.
The palm leaf is everywhere In evil
dence, for roofs, hats cloaks, fans, bas-
kets, etc.
The collection includes all kinds of fish
cry apparatus. lines, nets, RATS, boats,
baskets, etc.
The tools of the various trades are al
so well represented, such as a complete
carpenters kit, carriage and harness.
makers tools, mason's tools, a tinsmith's
outfit, farrier's implements, etc.
Visitors will doubtless find much to
interest them in the household utensils
and appliances, not the least curious of
which are the little earthenware stoves,
of which no well-appointed kitchen con-
tains less than half dozen. Then there
are spoons and bowls of cocoanut shell,
knives and forks of buffalo bone. grass
brooms. bamboo bird cages pottery, wa
ter bottles, baskets of every size and de-
scription.
Quite different side of life in the ISL
ands is shown by the gorgeous embroid-
cred silk and satin gowns worn by the
bellies Of Manila, lace mantillas. embroid-
cred and lace handkerchiefs and scarfs
necklaces, bracelets and other jewelry.
Intellectual products have not been
forgotten. There are books on all sub
1ects, printed In Manila, school books
and examination papers; printed music
including piece dedicated to Aguinaldo
Among the art products are shell, horn
and wood carvings
A reminder of the Spanish Government
is to be found in the collection of nos
tage stamps, coins and paper money tax
receipts, proclamations, etc.
There are also Spanish guns and other
weapons. Alongside of these are many
curious native weapons captured bv our
troops, armor made of buffalo hide
spears, knives and bolos, bows ana ar
rows and most singular Of all cannon
made of wood wound with wire.
The exhibit Is supplemented by several
hundred mounted photographs, coiored
pictures OF flowers and plants, and a
small collection Of animals.