BULUL

Bulul is a wooden carved image of a man and a woman either seated or mounted which is originally found in the northern part of Luzon particularly Region CAR. In Ifugao (and maybe other provinces of Region CAR), it acts a very important role in rice production. It involved customary actions done by the Mumbaki  (native priest) from planting rice up to the protection and bountiful harvest in the rice fields. Having been surrounded by old folks in the province, I saw how they performed the ritual that included "baya" (rice wine) and the killing of pig while the Mumbaki murmured or chanted words (like he was doing speaking tongue) to stir its power. The bulul got its power from the dead ancestors spirits who dwell in it. It must be regarded with care and respect otherwise outbreak indication of diseases will be evident.

The Rice God and GoddessThese were carved by ama. He used an old Nara wood that used to be the pillar of our old native house. The wood is even older than me..i'm still young though :) 
I found these in our dirty kitchen when I went back home for a vacation. Wondering why they differ in color? It is because the male just came out from the chimney. (It has been placed there to get the usual colour of a bulul)

male bulul

One of my folks once told me that the Bulul represents wealth, happiness and well-being. He related many stories about it and among those that still lingers to my mind up to now is the story about a native old man who went to the forest to look for firewood.

As the man walked and searched for woods, he noticed an old wood prodded in the soil almost covered by damp withered leaves. He curiously picked it and was so surprised upon recognizing it was a bulul. He examined it and was very sure it was an antique and thought it was once belonged to some ancestors. He secretly kept it as he  didn't want his neighbors to know.

One day, there was an American tourist who was looking for antiques to buy. The old man invited the tourist to his house and showed the antique. Even if he knew it was forbidden, he still happily sold the bulul for a few thousands only thinking it was a huge amount of money. The foreigner brought the bulul to his country and after a few days, the native old man got sick for several days. He asked for the Mumbaki to cure him by performing baki in his house. After the baki, he was advised to return something he took from the forest or else it would cost him his life. The man admitted what he did. He died several months after. 

female bulul

All the villages became aware of it so when another tourist came to buy for antiques, they did not sell anything to him. 


Now, there are a lot of souvenir items displayed and sold in the north especially in Ifugao. They’re nice decorations and good souvenirs too.