SAN NICOLAS, Ilocos Norte, March 22 (PIA) – The discovery of artifacts in this second class town continues to conserve its cultural heritage for future generations.
Initially, the National Museum had already declared several structures and a site as protected properties due to its heritage and cultural significance in the town’s history.
These are the Roman Catholic Church including its convent (now the Santa Rosa Academy), the 14 via crucis structures (the 14 Stations of the Cross), the San Nicolas Central School building, the municipal hall, the Valdez-Lardizabal house and the Nagrebcan archaeological site.
To drumbeat the town’s heritage conservation program, a cultural mapping project was realized through the initiative of the San Nicolas local government with the aid of the UST Center for Conservation of Cultural Property and Environment in the Tropics.
“We have a heritage conservation project because we believe that our culture is the foundation of life and spirit of a town as we can use this culture for sustainable development of San Nicolas,”said Richie Cavinta – the town’s tourism officer.
He added the conservation program is likewise aimed at raising the awareness of the residents about the importance of their place.
Archaeologists from the national museum are now studying the recently discovered artifacts by the cultural mappers in Nagrebcan, also referred as Barangay Santa Monica, in which the place was theorized to be the former site of the poblacion or town center of the old town of Sarrat before it was burned during the insurrection of 1815.
“San Nicolas is considered as heritage town because it is rich with tangible and intangible cultural properties,” Cavinta added.
For her part, San Nicolas town Mayor Melanie Grace Valdez said that initial artifacts discovered in Nagrebcan archaeological site are added evidence that can prove the rich history of cultures and heritage of the town.
“Tracing our history, heritage and cultures is very significant in knowing our identity,” Valdez said.
She said the searching of other materials in the identified archaeological site of the town is continuing.
Earlier, the National Museum team also conducted site visits in a number of heritage sites and structures in the town, including a plateau in Barangay Bugnay where the team found Chinese ceramic shards.
These recovered artifacts from the site will soon be displayed inside the planned town’s museum with the guidance and recommendation from the National Museum.
To strengthen the cultural heritage literacy program of San Nicolas town, the local government initiated the setting – up of heritage corners in all of its schools and barangay halls to promote the importance of cultural heritage in development and nation-building. (MCA/FGL,PIA-1 Ilocos Norte)