Bulul, also known as bul-ul or tinagtaggu, is a carved wooden figure used to guard the rice crop by the Ifugao (and their sub-tribe Kalanguya) peoples of northern Luzon.
15th century bulul with a pamahan (ceremonial bowl) in the Louvre Museum
The sculptures are highly stylized representations of ancestors and are thought to gain power and wealth from the presence of the ancestral spirit.[1] The Ifugao are particularly noted for their skill in carving bulul.[2]
Bul'uls are used in ceremonies associated with rice production and with healing. The creation of a bulul involves alwen bulul ritual by a priest to ensure that the statue gains power.
The bul'ul is treated with care and respect to avoid the risk of the spirits of the ancestors bringing sickness. The figures are placed together with the rice in the house or granaries to bring a plentiful harvest. The bulul is important to Ifugaos because they believe they can protect and multiply the rice and help make the harvest abundant.
Form
Male and female Bulul statues are often found together, with sex-related symbols such as the mortar for the female and pestle for the male.[3] Male bulul may sometimes be depicted with loincloth, and females with tapis (wrap skirts), earrings and anklets.[4] Although the form varies, the bulul is commonly represented as seated on the ground, with arms crossed over his upraised knees.[5] The bulul has a simplified form, and is traditionally carved from narra or ipil wood. The bulul is touched by hands dipped in the blood of a chicken or pig in a ritual called tunod during the rice planting season.[4] Over time the blood imparts a dark color to the figures, overlaid with a patina of grease from food offerings.[6] Bulul are handed down to the first child of a family. Typically the older statues have beetle holes made by insects in the granary.[7]
Bulul are nowadays mostly manufactured for the tourist trade, but a local family may buy such a bulul and use it for ceremonial purposes, thus in a sense adding authenticity.[6] However, an Ifugao former "mumbaki" (shaman) stated that the last traditional rituals were held in the 1960s.[8] Some of the carvers, such as Rey Paz Contreras, have become well-known artists, with their work exhibited and sold widely in the western world. Contreras uses discarded wood from the railways for his carvings of Bulul and other Anito (guardian deity) figures.[9]
^William A. Dyrness; Veli-Matti Kärkkäinen; Juan Francisco Martinez (2008). Global Dictionary of Theology: A Resource for the Worldwide Church. InterVarsity Press. p. 64. ISBN978-0-8308-2454-0.
^Damon L. Woods (2006). The Philippines: a global studies handbook. ABC-CLIO. p. 201. ISBN1-85109-675-2.
^Virgil Mayor Apostol (2010). Way of the Ancient Healer: Sacred Teachings from the Philippine Ancestral Traditions. North Atlantic Books. p. 124. ISBN978-1-55643-941-4.
^ ab"Unraveling the Bulul's Spiritual Origin". The Finest Writer. Retrieved April 3, 2011.
^Sri Owen (2003). The rice book. frances lincoln ltd. p. 54. ISBN0-7112-2260-6.
^ abDutton, Denis (2003). "Authenticity in Art". In Jerrold Levinson (ed.). The Oxford Handbook of Aesthetics. New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN978-0-19-927945-6.
^. Tribal Mania. Archived from the original on October 20, 2008. Retrieved April 3, 2011.
^Anderson, Eric (2010). In the Shape of Tradition: Indigenous Art of the Northern Philippines. Leiden: C. Zwartenkot Art Books. pp. 99–126. ISBN978-90-5450-009-4.
^Alice Guillermo (2001). Image to meaning: essays on Philippine art. Ateneo de Manila University Press. p. 88. ISBN971-550-376-4.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Bulul.
"Bulul images".
January 09, 2023
bulul, also, anito, also, known, tinagtaggu, carved, wooden, figure, used, guard, rice, crop, ifugao, their, tribe, kalanguya, peoples, northern, luzon, 15th, century, bulul, with, pamahan, ceremonial, bowl, louvre, museum, wooden, images, ancestors, museum, b. See also Anito Bulul also known as bul ul or tinagtaggu is a carved wooden figure used to guard the rice crop by the Ifugao and their sub tribe Kalanguya peoples of northern Luzon 15th century bulul with a pamahan ceremonial bowl in the Louvre Museum Wooden images of the ancestors in a museum in Bontoc Mountain Province Philippines The sculptures are highly stylized representations of ancestors and are thought to gain power and wealth from the presence of the ancestral spirit 1 The Ifugao are particularly noted for their skill in carving bulul 2 Contents 1 Use 2 Form 3 See also 4 References 5 External linksUse EditBul uls are used in ceremonies associated with rice production and with healing The creation of a bulul involves alwen bulul ritual by a priest to ensure that the statue gains power The bul ul is treated with care and respect to avoid the risk of the spirits of the ancestors bringing sickness The figures are placed together with the rice in the house or granaries to bring a plentiful harvest The bulul is important to Ifugaos because they believe they can protect and multiply the rice and help make the harvest abundant Form EditMale and female Bulul statues are often found together with sex related symbols such as the mortar for the female and pestle for the male 3 Male bulul may sometimes be depicted with loincloth and females with tapis wrap skirts earrings and anklets 4 Although the form varies the bulul is commonly represented as seated on the ground with arms crossed over his upraised knees 5 The bulul has a simplified form and is traditionally carved from narra or ipil wood The bulul is touched by hands dipped in the blood of a chicken or pig in a ritual called tunod during the rice planting season 4 Over time the blood imparts a dark color to the figures overlaid with a patina of grease from food offerings 6 Bulul are handed down to the first child of a family Typically the older statues have beetle holes made by insects in the granary 7 Bulul are nowadays mostly manufactured for the tourist trade but a local family may buy such a bulul and use it for ceremonial purposes thus in a sense adding authenticity 6 However an Ifugao former mumbaki shaman stated that the last traditional rituals were held in the 1960s 8 Some of the carvers such as Rey Paz Contreras have become well known artists with their work exhibited and sold widely in the western world Contreras uses discarded wood from the railways for his carvings of Bulul and other Anito guardian deity figures 9 See also EditLarauan and Likha Tagalog counterparts of bululReferences Edit William A Dyrness Veli Matti Karkkainen Juan Francisco Martinez 2008 Global Dictionary of Theology A Resource for the Worldwide Church InterVarsity Press p 64 ISBN 978 0 8308 2454 0 Damon L Woods 2006 The Philippines a global studies handbook ABC CLIO p 201 ISBN 1 85109 675 2 Virgil Mayor Apostol 2010 Way of the Ancient Healer Sacred Teachings from the Philippine Ancestral Traditions North Atlantic Books p 124 ISBN 978 1 55643 941 4 a b Unraveling the Bulul s Spiritual Origin The Finest Writer Retrieved April 3 2011 Sri Owen 2003 The rice book frances lincoln ltd p 54 ISBN 0 7112 2260 6 a b Dutton Denis 2003 Authenticity in Art In Jerrold Levinson ed The Oxford Handbook of Aesthetics New York Oxford University Press ISBN 978 0 19 927945 6 OLD SEATED BULUL WITH RITUAL OFFERING BOWL Tribal Mania Archived from the original on October 20 2008 Retrieved April 3 2011 Anderson Eric 2010 In the Shape of Tradition Indigenous Art of the Northern Philippines Leiden C Zwartenkot Art Books pp 99 126 ISBN 978 90 5450 009 4 Alice Guillermo 2001 Image to meaning essays on Philippine art Ateneo de Manila University Press p 88 ISBN 971 550 376 4 External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Bulul Bulul images Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Bulul amp oldid 1123570298, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
