Philippine Historical Association: Public history is in the DNA

Last of three parts

THERE is a joke that Dr. Carlos P. Tatel of the UP Department of Anthropology loves to tell about the ways in which historical organizations go about naming the topics for their conventions. The Philippine Historical Association will title a conference on José Rizal "Teaching Rizal in Philippine History." The Philippine National Historical Society, known for local history, would have titled it "Rizal in Dapitan." The Adhika ng Pilipinas, a cultural history organization known for picking local concepts, would have titled it (in the style of Dr. Vicente Villan), "Buut ug Gahum: Si Rizal sa Kasaysayang Pilipino." Bahay Saliksikan ng Kasaysayan-Bagong Kasaysayan (Bakas), an advocate of the Pantayong Pananaw school of thought would have added to the title, "Ang Dalumat ni Rizal sa Kasaysayang Pilipino at ang kaugnayan nito sa Mundong Malayo-Polynesiko."