Author: National Museum of the Philippines

Bulul and the Socio-Cultural Significance of Rice

The value of rice in the Philippines goes beyond its role as a staple food in the country and other neighboring countries in Asia. In its many forms and state, rice is deeply embedded in the daily routines as well as in rituals and festivities among several ethnolinguistic groups in the Philippines. As we end the celebration of National Rice Awareness Month, we highlight today the socio-cultural significance of rice by featuring the most popular effigy associated with it – the bulul/bulol of the Ifugao in northern Philippines.

Bulul/bulol are carved anthropomorphic figures serving as granary idols believed to protect against pests and assure good harvest for the Ifugaos in the Cordillera. They are effigies of one’s ancestors and guardian spirits. Once they are given proper rituals by the descendant community, their status becomes bulul, transcending beyond being tag-tagu or human figures devoid of any social constructs or signification.

Christian missions in Ifugao in the 19th century, though sporadic, resulted in the scarcity of the bulul as some families began to discard them; its production was reduced if not halted, making it difficult to obtain them starting from the 20th century. Among the tradition-bound Ifugaos, only wealthy families could afford to commission and maintain a bulul since the required rituals are often lavish. This situation led some locals to re-appropriate tourist art from the market by performing new libations of blood and grease for ritual use. Various opinions on what makes a bulul “authentic” have surfaced, primarily due to its different production methods, yet some of these may have become conceptually “authentic,” having been superseded by the ritual performance and the ascribed value given by the descendant community.

The rise in demand for the currently limited number of original bulul (i.e. those that underwent ritual and were actually used by the community for their intended purpose) in antique shops from the early 1960s to late 1970s triggered the production of imitations and replicas. Some of the newly carved figures were buried in mud or ground to achieve the old and dark color of the wood. These bulul are often prized possessions as these have been passed down from generations. Acquiring them often required owners to spend for costly rituals to sort of remove their attachment to the divine. Moreover, retiring a bulul also obliges them to build and ritually cleanse another statue to serve as the deity’s new dwelling place.

This level of importance that we accord to the bulul/bulol has been the motivation for us at the National Museum of the Philippines to include them in our National Ethnographic Collection, along with hipag (war deities) and other anthropomorphic figures. While continuing debates on the authenticity of a bulul and expertise on Ifugao culture abound, what remains clear is the unceasing respect of our indigenous people for our ancestors, for nature, and for their sense of community. The bulul/bulol will forever be a testimony to the artistry and craftsmanship of the Ifugaos which we hope is still being passed on to the younger generations.

Learn more about the Philippines’ rice culture by visiting the newly upgraded Pakhey, Humay, Palay: Rice, Biodiversity and Climate Change gallery at the 4F, National Museum of Anthropology.

#Bulul
#RiceAwarenessMonth2022
#MuseumFromHome

Article and poster by the NMP Ethnology Division

© 2022 National Museum of the Philippines

Fossils in Paleoclimate Studies

Did you know that scientists can reconstruct the Earth’s past climates thousands to millions of years ago? 

As we celebrate Global Warming and Climate Change Consciousness Week (Nov 19-25), let us learn how fossils are used in determining ancient climates and how they teach us about climate change. 

The study of past climate is known as Paleoclimatology. While we can’t go back to the past to see what the ancient climates were, luckily, nature has provided us with climate proxies. These proxies are imprints from our past that preserve our climatic history. Some proxies that we use in paleoclimate studies include shelled organisms and plant fossils. 

One standard method for determining ancient climates is by analyzing the chemical composition of shells of fossilized marine animals like forams (shelled microorganisms). The oxygen isotopes in shells give an indication of the temperature changes in the ocean over the last millions of years. Their abundance may also indicate ancient environmental conditions, wherein they typically proliferate in warmer weather.  Clamshells also have annual growth bands. The space between each band depends on the environmental conditions during the time when the growth bands were forming. 

Meanwhile, we know that plants cannot root in an inhospitable environment.  In each environment, they develop specific characteristics to help them adapt and survive.  These make them a reliable indicator of their climate and ecology. Typically, plants in tropical regions have smoother and larger edges, while plants that live in cooler regions are more jagged and have smaller leaves. When these are fossilized, we can get an idea of what climate they lived in. 

The Earth’s climate changes over the past millions of years are due to several factors operating together. The changes in the position of continents may close off or open up new routes of ocean currents, which can then change the distribution of temperature over the Earth’s surface.  Sea-level changes in response to mountain building and continental drift may have also caused paleoclimate changes. Generally, the sea level is high in times of warmth. Other factors that contribute to climate change include variations in atmospheric chemistry and the Earth’s orbital position to the Sun. 

The Earth’s climate has undergone extreme changes over its geologic history. And by studying past climates through fossils, we can better understand how climate will change in the future. 

Text and image by the NMP Geology and Paleontology Division

© National Museum of the Philippines (2022)

60TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE TABON CAVES ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESEARCH AND OPENING OF THE STORIES OF ORIGINS EXHIBIT

As we come to the close of our celebration of Museum and Galleries Month, we also commemorate the 60th anniversary of archaeological research at the Tabon Cave Complex in Quezon, Palawan. 

The Tabon Cave Complex (or simply Tabon Caves) was discovered by Robert Fox and the National Museum team during their exploration of the limestone formations in the municipality of Quezon. Interviews with the Pala’wan informants led them to explore Lipuun Point, where they discovered several caves rich with archaeological materials scattered on the floor. 

Among these caves is the magnificent Tabon Cave, where the earliest direct evidence of modern humans (Homo sapiens sapiens) in the Philippines was recovered. The fossilized skull cap and the tibia (leg bone) fragment were among the remains found in Tabon Cave, which were declared as National Cultural Treasures (or NCTs). Other outstanding artifacts recovered from the Tabon Caves were the Manunggul Secondary Burial Jar, jade lingling-o ornaments, and the Duyong shell adze – all of which were also declared as NCTs.

To mark the commemoration of this landmark exploration, our Archaeology Division, will open an exhibition titled Stories of Origins: The Beginnings of Archaeology at the Tabon Caves at the NMP-Tabon Caves Site Museum in Quezon, Palawan. The Stories of Origins exhibit will take you back to the early stages of the Tabon cave excavations through a series of photographs from the archives of the Archaeology Division, taken from 1962 to 1970. It will also showcase selected archaeological objects recovered from early archaeological investigations conducted. 

The Stories of Origins opens on October 28, 2022.

#MGM2022
#TabonCavesArchaeology60thAnniversary
#StoriesOfOriginsExhibit

Article, photo, and posters by Timothy James Vitales | NMP Archaeology Division

© 2022 National Museum of the Philippines

165th Birth Anniversary of Juan Luna

165th Birth Anniversary of Juan Luna

The #NationalMuseumPH celebrates the 165th birth anniversary of Juan Novicio Luna #OnThisDay in 1857, with yesterday’s successful run of “Performing Luna,” a performance-led tour of the Spoliarium Hall and the Far East Bank and Trust Company Hall where the masterpieces of Luna, are exhibited. The audience could imagine how Luna lived his personal life and artistic career through the presented musical and dance performances. The tour started with a prayer performance of “Ave Maria,” by French composer Charles Guonod which depicts the sufferings of the three Marys in the Bible: Mary the Mother of Jesus, Mary Magdalene, and Mary of Cleopas, which complements the suffering depicted in the Spoliarium. After the prayer, the audience was entertained by a solo guitar performance of “Konsiertino sa Gitara” beside the painting “El Asesinato del Gobernador Bustamante” by Luna’s friend, artist Felix Resurrección Hidalgo. 

The extensive performance-led tour is in the Far East Bank and Trust Company Hall (Gallery VI) or the Andres and Grace Luna de San Pedro Memorial Hall. The performance tour has five stations. Each station had musical and dance performances with pieces composed by Filipino and French composers. The songs chosen relate to the masterpieces created by Luna during his time in France. The performance tour, staged at 10 am, 11:30 am, and 1:00 pm, lasted for more than an hour each and culminated with the audience joining the performers in singing “Happy Birthday” to Juan Novicio Luna.

The student-artist-scholars provided outstanding performances from the Far Eastern University (FEU) Dance Company: Mariah Repe, Ronieth Dayao, Mya Samonte, Ferdinand Yago, and Elaine Perez, with their artistic director, Mr. Eduardo Malagkit.  The musical performers are scholars of the Friends for Cultural Concerns of the Philippines (FCCP), namely: Donna Klariz Baluyut (soprano), Joshua Angelo Mondares (tenor), Madeline Jane Banta (pianist), Giuseppe Andre Diestro (cellist), and Jerico Zoleta (guitarist).

The #NationalMuseumPH extends their heartfelt thanks to Mr. Martin Lopez, Director of the FEU Center for the Arts and FCCP President, our musical and dance performers, and most especially, our audience, who made this performance-led tour in celebration of Juan Luna’s 165th birth anniversary a success. 

Article and photos by NMP Fine Arts Division. Additional images by Mr. Martin Lopez of FEU Center for the Arts.

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Senior Citizens in Nature Craft Workshop

As the National Museum of the Philippines gears toward a universally inclusive and accessible museum, the Botany and National Herbarium will conduct a “Senior Citizens in Nature Art Workshop” which aims to engage the elderly in nature-based activities that will enhance their appreciation of other significant use of plant structures, develop new skills for leisure and pastime, and create crafts that may also be utilized for livelihood. Selected members of the Office of Senior Citizens Affairs in local government units in Metro Manila will be invited to participate in the workshop with a special guided tour of the National Museum of Natural History on October 25, 2022.

Art Workshop with Arthur Tselishchev

Happy Museums and Galleries Month!

Join us for a FREE Drawing and Watercolor Workshop by Ukrainian artist Arthur Tselishchev at the President Sergio Osmeña Function Hall, Second Floor, National Museum of Fine Arts on the following dates.

October 25 | 9 am-4 pm – Charcoal and Sanguine Drawing

October 26 | 9 am-4 pm – Pen and ink drawing

October 27 | 9 am-4 pm – Watercolor Painting / Pastel Drawing

This art workshop is open to 17 years old and above with some background in drawing and painting. Slots are limited. It is on a first-come-first-served basis. Participants may choose an activity or participate in all the activities by registering through this link: https://bit.ly/PreReg-Arthur-Tselishchev or scan the QR code in the poster. 

Arthur Tselishchev is a Ukrainian visual artist. He is best known for his academic drawing and painting, urban and figure sketching, and digital painting. He earned First Class Diploma from an art school and a university degree with honors and had won international competitions. Tselishchev worked and travelled internationally and has launched exhibitions in the Philippines and abroad. He collaborates with architecture and design firms and conducts workshops for animators and artists. Tselishchev’s expertise in the visual arts is an excellent opportunity for other artists, students, and hobbyists to be mentored, learn and improve their skills in art.