Bu ’lul (c)
LOCAL NAME:
Bu’lul (c)
ENGLISH NAME:
Anthropomorphic figures
DESCRIPTION:
A pair of seated bu’lul elevated by two metal stands on a rock.
COMMONLY USED BY/IN:
Ifugao
MATERIAL COMPOSITION:
Wood, Rock, Steel, Cowrie shells
ITEM CONSTRUCTION:
Woodcarving
DIMENSIONS:
Height: 42 cm
ACQUISITION YEAR:
2021
RESEARCH DATA:
This pair of carved wooden anthropomorphic figures depict a male and a female bu'lul seated on a rice-mortar shaped wooden base. Whilst often crafted in male-female pairs, some bu'lul statues are also androgynous (Palencia, 1998). Each figure is seated with arms folded over their knees. Typically carved by relatives, these bu'lul are bestowed as gifts to married couples in Ifugao. Placed within the newlyweds' home, they serve as protective guardians.
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