Only properly trained National Museum personnel are permitted to handle artifacts. When they do, they wear the appropriate gloves to ensure that moisture and particles of dirt accumulated on human hands are not transferred onto the surface of artifacts and permanently damage them.
I took this photo of Malot Ingel, a National Museum researcher from Vigan, in between transporting a basi container on display from the shelf to the table where we would be documenting it.
Guarding Heritage
Harry is one of the guards assigned to the National Museum site in Vigan. The museum's key exhibit is the series of paintings by Esteban Villanueva depicting the Basi Revolt of 1807.
Tata Corazon. Basi Maker. Ilocos Sur.
Tata Corazon is one of the better known basi makers in Ilocos. Basi is fermented sugar cane extract stored in burnay jars. Basi is produced in numerous small-scale backyard operations by Ilocano wine makers, each with his own way and preference as to the durarion of the fermenting period and ingredients and agents.
