Mga sinaunang palayok, iningatan at ibinalik bilang pagkilala ng isang pamilyang Australyano sa kasaysayan ng Pilipinas

Sa isang turn-over ceremony na ginanap sa Konsulado ng Pilipinas sa Sydney, opisyal na ibinalik ng mga anak ng yumaong Australianong publisher at pilantropong si Kevin Ernest Weldon sa Pambansang Museo ng Pilipinas ang 17 earthenware artefact—mga sisidlang iningatan ng pamilya Weldon sa loob ng mahigit limang dekada.

Seventeen ancient earthenware pots, believed to be over a thousand years old, have been returned to the Philippines by the Weldon family of Australia.The Philippine National Museum plans to study the artefacts further and feature them in a public exhibition to highlight cultural heritage and international goodwill.

Key Points

• Si Kevin Ernest Weldon ay isang kilalang Australianong publisher at pilantropo, tanyag sa mga mahalagang akda tulad ng The Margaret Fulton Cookbook at The Macquarie Dictionary, at ginawaran ng Order of Australia noong 1994.
• Noong dekada 1970, sinimulan ni Weldon ang Filipino Heritage book series kasama ang Pilipinong manunulat na si Alfredo Roces, na layuning gawing mas madali sa publiko na ma-access ang mga ulat sa kasaysayan ng Pilipinas.
• Bilang bahagi ng pagsuporta sa arkeolohikal na pananaliksik ni Dr. Robert Fox sa Pilipinas, tinanggap ni Weldon ang 17 palayok na pinaniniwalaang nagmula sa Southern Tagalog region. Dinala nya ang mga ito sa Australia noong panahon ng Martial Law sa Pilipinas.
• Matapos ang kanyang pagpanaw noong 2023, nagpasya ang kanyang mga anak na sina Cecile, Leonie, at Harold na ibalik ang makabuluhang koleksyon sa kulturang ito sa Pilipinas. Ang opisyal na pag-turn over ay ginanap sa Philippine Consulate sa Sydney, kasama ang mga kinatawan mula sa National Museum of the Philippines.

listen to the podcast

'It's the right thing to do': Australian family returns millennia-old Filipino pottery pieces to the Philippines

SBS Filipino

12:30Filipino

After the passing of Kevin Weldon in 2023, his children—Cecille, Harold, and Leonie—felt a shared conviction that it was time for the artefacts to return to their country of origin.

We like to think that we’ve become part of their story, and that my father’s legacy—his courage to keep a story alive when Martial Law threatened to silence it—travels back with them.

Cecille Weldon

Left: National Museum archaeologist Taj Vitales carefully inspects and prepares the ancient pots for transport. Right: Weldon family heirs sign the deed of donation with Jeremy Barns of the National Museum of the Philippines and Philippine Consul General Charmaine Aviquivil, during the official handover ceremony in Sydney on May 30, 2025. Photo by Edinel Magtibay/SBS Filipino

📢 Where to Catch SBS Filipino

🔊 On Air – Tune in to SBS Filipino on radio stations across Australia and website live stream, and TV Channel 302 from 10 AM to 11 AM AEST daily.

📲 Catch up episodes and stories – Visit sbs.com.au/filipino or stream on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Youtube Podcasts, and SBS Audio app.

📣 Follow Us on Social Media – Stay updated by following us on Facebook and Instagram.