Nanay loved jewelleries

I’m sorry I can’t tell you more about it, I don’t know the history of them
Mum via facetime 2021

I forget Mum was only in her twenties when she left the Philippines, so a lot of my enquiries come to a dead end. From then on she was immersed in a completely foreign culture, working full time and learning to adjust to a new life.

This mysterious necklace was another familiar treasure in Mum’s jewellery box. It was so unusual, I remember thinking it’s something very old and serious like her rosary beads, but it was also sunny and floral and looked like golden lace.

It’s a Tambourin necklace / Relikaryo – bit of research shows exact spellings and names differ slightly but that’s what I’m calling it! They were made and worn during the Spanish colonial era and became popular around mid 18th century I think. Filipino artisans were already highly skilled in gold filigree which enabled the Spanish to use artifacts like these to spread Catholicism. They were based on the rosary and often had relics related to saints inside the pendant. Post-Spanish rule designs were more inspired by nature like Mum’s which houses a flower.

This one belonged to my Lola (Grandma) but we don’t know where she got it from. Mum said she used to wear it during fiesta or when she went to church, usually with a mestiza dress.

Nanay loved jewelleries! she gave it to me just before I left for England, she said I’d get more use out of it and actually it was good because the agency told us to bring national dress with us, nice smart things to wear to be presentable. So I brought some Mestiza dress and Kimona… actually I’m wearing it in that picture of me sitting in the flower bed outside the nurse’s home!
Mum via facetime 2021

“OHHHHHHH YESSSS there IS a photo of you wearing it! I know the one you’re in yellow, or pastel colours, big hair…”

So we searched for this photo but found others.

Mum clearly liked to pose in or by flower beds in the hospital grounds!

We did spot it being worn by her friend – a fellow Filipina nurse while they were dancing at a hospital event. They used to borrow each others clothes and accessories for dances.