RESEARCH DATA:

This particular wooden bowl is called duyu among the Ifugao, as well as the Kankana-ey speaking communities in Mountain Province. This is used in ceremonial practices as a vessel for serving wine and food (Ellis, 2009). These are placed alongside with the bu’lul during rituals as symbolic tokens of offerings of food that are placed inside the ritual containers. These include tapuey (rice wine), and animal blood dripped on these wood carvings. Duyu can be small or huge depending on the size of the wood used to carve it. To maintain the quality of duyu, it is customary to wash and disinfect the bowl after each meal (Ellis, 2009). A hallmark of the duyu is its glossy black finish, achieved by carefully applying soot from cooking fires and duck fat or lard onto the bowl (Ellis, 2009).

REFERENCES:

Ellis, G. R. (1981). Arts and peoples of the Northern Philippines. In The people and art of the Philippines (pp. 183-263). Museum of Cultural History, University of California.