Summary
Highlights
The video introduces Plaza San Luis, a cultural complex housing various establishments including Casa Manila. Casa Manila, built in 1981, is a replica of an ancestral house, serving as a lifestyle museum to exhibit the domestic life of the Filipino principalía during the Spanish colonial era. Visitors are instructed to use a door knocker to announce their arrival, mimicking historical customs.
The tour begins with the zaguan, or corridor, where carriages would drop off passengers. The ground floor walls are made of Adobe and volcanic tuff, similar to the walls of Intramuros. The patio, featuring Piedra china flooring, served to cool the house and was also used as a garden.
The mezzanine, also called entrez swellow, literally meaning 'between floors', housed extended family members. The capilla, a unique feature, is shown. The bachelor's room is highlighted, featuring a bed made by the famous 19th-century Chinese carver, A Thai. His beds were considered a status symbol, alongside other common furniture like wooden chests.
The dispacho, or home office (also known as mean oficina), was where the homeowner conducted business transactions with clerks and accountants. During the colonial era, wealth was primarily derived from haciendas (lands) and galleon trade, with most principalía being landowners.
The Kassala, or stair landing, was used for informal entertainment and afternoon snacks (merienda). Decorative wooden panels (d'avola da) were used for air circulation. The sala was reserved for entertaining important guests, designed to display social status. This room hosted late afternoon parties (to lea's) and dance gatherings (bayless), where adults discussed politics and business, while young ladies showcased their musical talents.
The oratorio, or prayer room, was where the family gathered for nightly rosary prayers, signifying affluence. The quarto principle, or master's bedroom, demonstrates traditional Filipino hospitality, as the master would offer this room to important overnight guests. The children's room is noted for its carousel-designed ceiling.
The comedor, or dining room, showcases the family's collection of silver, glassware, and porcelain. It typically included a punka, a string-pulled fan for ventilation and pest control. The cocina, or kitchen, features a bangerra (slatted wooden dish rack) for air-drying dishes and a platera (dish cabinet). Cookie molds, including one depicting St. Nicolas de Tolentino, the patron saint of bakers, are also shown.
The latrina, or toilet, is a two-seater, flushed by drawing large buckets of water. The bathroom includes two sizes of banaras (bathtubs), indicating the family's wealth and reliance on servants for bathing assistance. The azotea, an open-air balcony, provides a view of the aljibe, or water cistern, which collected rainwater or stored potable water.
The video concludes by inviting viewers to visit Casa Manila virtually or in person to discover more about Filipino ancestral homes.