Earplugs

The #NationalMuseumPH continues the #NationalWomensMonth2022 celebration with another important material culture used as personal adornment to complement the traditional attire during performances and special occasions, as well as indicate status in the community—the earplugs. Piercing of the earlobes and outer rim of the ears at an early age is a common practice done to accommodate multiple earrings for aesthetics and as rite of passage. 

Ivory earplugs are one of the highly prized personal ornaments in Mindanao. At a young age, Bagobo children’s earlobes are pierced to produce a small hole. A piece of twisted banana or hemp (abaca) leaf or a small round stick is then placed in the hole to act as spring, which causes the opening to continually expand until the earplugs (pamarang) can be fully inserted. The earplugs worn by women are usually made of wood with designs inlaid in silver or brass and are attached to strands of colorful beads connected under the chin while men wear undecorated wooden earplugs. The ones worn by affluent men were large ivory earplugs acquired from Borneo through trade with the Chinese and Moros. 

The Manobo groups use a needle for ear piercing. A thread of abaca fiber is then inserted and kept in place by a piece of beeswax at both ends. The holes may be enlarged to accommodate larger ear ornaments by inserting small pieces of a rattan leaf’s midrib at intervals of 2 days until the holes reach the desired size. This process is usually done as soon as the wound of the initial piercing heals. After which, coiled pandan leaves are fitted to help increase the size of the earlobe perforation, especially among women, since the piercing hole expand naturally over time. 

Aside from ivory and beads, bark, bamboo, and mother of pearls are some of the materials used by some ethnolinguistic groups in the Philippines in creating earplugs. The Negrito women wear earplugs made of bark of certain trees to serve as fragrance while Pala’wan women wear them as a status symbol. Earplugs are also part of the ritual exchange among the Pala’wan.

#NationalWomensMonth
#Earplugs

Text and poster by the NMP Ethnology Division

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