Actress Beauty Gonzales stunned the public with the dress and jewelry she wore during the recent GMA Night Gala.
However, several academics noticed that Beauty was wearing a necklace, which came from the excavated jewelry used by ancient people to cover the eyes and mouth of the departed.
According to art critic and curator Marian Pastor Roces, the jewelry worn by Beauty was supposed to be displayed at government-owned museums or in the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas if it was legally excavated.
“Sure, the owners have been dead for a thousand years. BUT. This fashion victim is wearing mouth and eye covers: around 10 of them. Which is to say that the necklace was fashioned from excavations of many individuals. That is an astounding number of desecrated graves!” said Roces.
Historian Alvin D. Campomanes of the University of the Philippines – Manila explained the importance of the jewelry worn by the actress.
“Ayon sa mga antropólogo at historyador-pangkultura, sadyang sinusuotan ng mga ninuno natin ng mga gintong palamuti ang mga bangkay. Madalas, ginagamit itong pantakip sa mga bahagi ng mukha na may butas (i.e. mata, ilong, bibig) upang itaboy ang masasamang espiritung maaari pa ring pumasok sa katawan ng yumao,” the professor explained.
He also questioned how Beauty acquired the said jewelry.
As of writing, Beauty has yet to give any response to the criticism she received.
Netizens were also waiting for the National Historical Commission’s comment on the issue.