Win32 is also ancient. It is the model of programming with handles and window message loops, that was inspired by MacOS (Classic) and that the OSX abandoned 15 years ago.
To consider you example with text, in Windows, you also have to use GDI+ or Uniscribe to have at least passable text (without shaping, that is). Or use DirectWrite, which is about as old as Pango.
Even OSX went through changes, AAT/OpenType wasn't available when QuickDraw GX was all the rage.
Win32 is more like Qt and if we could just fucking standardise Qt as THE API to target, everyone would be much happier. But of course then the Gnome devs won't be happy. The Linux desktop would be in a much better place if Gnome was dead.