The Ifugao, from the northern Philippine island of Luzon, carve rice gods of this kind, known as ‘Bulul’. They are made of the hard, heavy wood of the narra tree. These ‘Bulul’ rice gods are important for the prospering of rice, their staple food. They are worshipped with rice wine, the blood of sacrificed pigs etc. during harvest festivals. The Bulul sculptures are then placed in rice silos to keep an eye on the harvest. Bulul figures also play a role in other Ifugao ceremonies. They are passed down from generation to generation – along with the rice fields they are ‘responsible’ for.
The present sitting male Bulul is carved from a single piece of hard, heavy narra wood, and is in the style common to the Ifugao region of Lagawe. Its proportionally large head has a peaceful, meditative facial expression, small, rectangular eyes, a long, narrow nose, a rather protruding chin with a rectangular mouth and a round recess on the top of the head (for a ‘hairstyle’ or sacrificial offerings to be placed inside). The ears, which protrude to the sides, are drilled through, the arms and hands are crossed over and lie on top of the knees. It has relatively large feet, and sits atop a tall round base. In keeping with the style, there is a hole bored underneath the rice god’s erect penis. In some Bulul figures, a loincloth was held in place here – they were ‘clothed’. This Bulul has a sketched-out, long ponytail and transverse tattooing across his long, narrow back. The figure has some small damage due to age: an old crack to the right-hand side of the back, to the head and back, and to the right of the base, small, old pieces broken off from the back of the plinth, along with a hairline fracture to the front of the upper arm. However, this, along with this Bulul sculpture’s attractive, thick, shiny black sacrificial patina (which has only rubbed off in small areas), speaks to the frequent ceremonial use of this object.
Dimensions: 60 cm x 15 cm x 15 cm.First third of the 20th century. (ME)

Provenance: German private collection.

Lit.: ‘The People and Art of the Philippines’ von Casal, Trota Jose, Casino, Ellis & Solheim, Abb. 180, 183.