Bulul

The bulul is a carved ancestor figure of the Ifugao people of northern Luzon. It usually sits with arms crossed over raised knees. Male figures may wear a loincloth, and female figures a wrap skirt, earrings and anklets. Makers often carve a male and a female as a pair. Wood such as narra or ipil is the traditional material. Over time, food offerings and ritual stains darken the surface.

The bulul guards the rice crop. Families keep it with the rice, in the house or the granary, so that the harvest will be good. It is also used in healing rites, and it passes to the first child of a family. The Ifugao, and the Kalanguya, are known as skilled carvers. Ritual words are not recorded, as they belong to the community.

Old pieces now sit in museums. A bulul said to date from the 15th century is in the Louvre, and others are shown in Bontoc, Mountain Province. Today most bulul are made for visitors, although some families still buy one for ceremonies.