Intramuros Learning Sessions episode no. 40
Overview
If you believe that history is only written with pen and paper, think again. Bombs and bulldozers were and are as much part of history-writing and often proved much more effective in the long-run. Since the dawn of history, built heritage has been extremely political: Be it to claim ancient lands, to justify the oppression of one group by another, or to establish the dominance of one religion over another. Whether the fight is over power, religion, race, or class, built heritage since ancient times has been extremely contentious and remains such to this day. Drawing examples from all over the globe, Erik Akpedonu takes us on a journey through heritage history and illustrates how built heritage has been deliberately destroyed, and reconstructed again and again in the name of political ideologies, nationalism, religion, class struggle, political correctness, historical revisionism, justification of dictatorship and oppression, and many more. Concluding with a discussion how such politicizing of heritage has delayed the rebuilding of Intramuros for more than three decades, the talk illustrates that built heritage is never neutral, but is subject to many often conflicting interpretations.
- Guest speaker: Erik Akpedonu
- Moderator: Rancho Arcilla
About the Speaker: Erik Akpedonu
Erik Akpedonu teaches Art Appreciation/Architectural History and Philippine Colonial Art & Architecture at the Ateneo de Manila University.
He studied Architecture at the Lippe University of Applied Sciences in Detmold, Germany. As Research Associate at the Ateneo`s Institute of Philippine Culture, Erik Akpedonu has been conducting extensive surveys of historic Filipino architecture in Bohol, and in Metro Manila as Project Manager of the Architectural Heritage of Manila Project, 1571-1960.
He has published extensively on architecture, urbanism, culture, and heritage, and is co-author of Casa Boholana: Vintage Houses of Bohol (2011).
About the moderator: Rancho Arcilla
John Paul Escandor Arcilla, known professionally as Rancho Arcilla, is the author of the Intramuros Register of Styles (2021). He served as Chairperson of the Intramuros Technical Committee on Architectural Standards (TCAS) from June 2022 to May 2024. As TCAS Chairperson, Arcilla oversaw the review of all development, including new constructions, in the Walled City.
Arcilla was also the first Archivist of the Intramuros Administration. With a mandate from Atty. Guiller Asido, Administrator of Intramuros from 2017 to 2022, Arcilla established the Administration’s Archives and Central Records Section, serving as its first Section Head from July 2019 to June 2024.
He has an MA in Philippine Studies from UP Diliman and a BA in Asian Studies from the University of Santo Tomas. Arcilla specializes on colonial architecture.
In 2021, Arcilla was instrumental in the development of the Revised 2021 Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Presidential Decree No. 1616, the main framework and legal instrument in the management of Intramuros District. The architectural provisions of the IRR and the Intramuros Register of Styles (2021) is based on his MA thesis Walls within Walls: The Architecture of Intramuros (2021).
About the Intramuros Learning Sessions
The Intramuros Learning Sessions (ILS) is the educational lecture series of the Intramuros Administration (IA). The IA is an attached national government agency under the Department of Tourism.
Topics are interdisciplinary and cover themes related to Intramuros and Manila studies, Philippine studies, as well as cultural heritage studies. Pursuant to IA’s charter, the ILS aims to contribute to the strengthening of the Filipino’s national identity and sense of belonging and pride.
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