Author: Earl Dan Dela Cruz Baua
Perhaps one of the greatest examples of Eastern and Western cultural amalgamation is the nation of the Philippines. Millennia ago, Negrito groups and Austronesian seafarers settled in the archipelago and made contact with Chinese and Arabian traders. Following this was centuries of Spanish occupation and American rule thereafter which unified the islands into one nation and introduced Western culture.
The result: a fusion of Asian and Western influences that is an essential part of The Philippines’ creation and identity.
This paper discusses the hybrid condition of the Tanghalang Pambansa and uses historical knowledge it to illustrate the dualities present in the architecture.