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Bacolod's magical
world of dolls
By Cynthia O. Valdes

IMAGINE a world with no wars, no disease, no pollution, no currency crises, no street children, no drug abuse, no sordid sex, no hunger, no perversion, no cruelty and sadness.

Picture a world in miniature. A global village peopled by dolls and puppets, toy soldiers and marionettes, acrobats and gymnasts, musicians, carousels and clowns, teddy bears and stuffed toys.

Conjure up images of a Mexican pueblo, a Peruvian marketplace, children dancing around a May pole, Canton opera and Shakespearean theater, wayang kulit in a Javanese shadow play, Simbang Gabi and puto bumbong.

It would be a magic kingdom, an enchanted land--''sugar and spice and everything nice,'' ''all things bright and beautiful''--as only a child's fantasy world can be.

A weekend in Bacolod to attend a wedding brought with it an unexpected bonus: a visit to the Negros Museum and a chance to view a collection of more than 2,000 colorfully crafted toys arranged in a winding gallery.

As its twists and turns led to one surprise after another, the viewer is transported to another time and place. Fancy yourself in the shoes of Alice in Wonderland. Embark on a journey to the Land of Oz.

At the same time that they are magical and unreal, the settings are also familiar and friendly. Tucked in a crowd watching a puppet show are clay dolls of homegrown Negrenses Toto and Inday.

Though the toys are enclosed in glass cabinets, the viewer is enticed to participate. Sitting on shelves outside the cases are sample toys to pull, shake or fondle. No unfriendly signs of ''Don't Touch'' visible anywhere. A refrain from ''The Sound of Music'' wafted in.

This assemblage of dolls and toys in folk-art style--from over 60 countries, from Africa to China to Zimbabwe and Zulu, including rare ones from the Republic of Georgia, Uzbekistan, Russia, Morocco and Egypt--was lovingly gathered and presented for the museum by a US-based Filipina and her daughters with family roots in Negros.

That individual pieces are annotated and described in the guide book (no distracting text is allowed in the display) thoughtfully provided by the museum staff, is a credit to this collector who apparently is not only well-traveled but also well-informed and an avid researcher.

Both children and adults will surely discover in this refreshingly novel museum not only a playful make-believe world, but also pick up, in a most unexpected and pleasant way, a cultural and historical note.

The Negros Museum is located in the former Provincial Capitol Building, Bacolod City, Negros Occidental. It operates under the auspices of the Negros Cultural Foundation Inc., with tel/fax (034) 433-4764; or e-mail negmus@bacolod.net