Bulol: The Rice God

BULOL: THE RICE GOD

The mythical Bulol is that thing which you see in the common wood carvings in Art communities/houses in the Cordilleras (You may have even bought souvenirs containing it in accessories or, perhaps those printed on shirts). The Bulol is an image of a sitting or standing male person and regarded as a deity that protects the ricefields of the Igorots or Cordillera mountain peoples, especially, the people of Ifugao.

Like most indigenous peoples, the Igorots are rich in myths and legends. These myths and folklores and literary constructs are expressed in visual arts, most commonly in paintings, carvings, and drawings. That is why the image is more of a symbol, rather than an artwork.

In mountain province, the same motif or image is called “Tinagtago” or “Tinatao” which literally suggests 'resemblance to people'. Palawan, a province outside Cordillera has the same symbol which they call "Monongol”, or the “Watcher of the dead”, the entity which brings the dead to their final destination through a “bangka” (similar to "Charon" of greek mythology).

Today, the “Igorotak” popular culture incorporates the traditional symbols (and it also has a market of its own). Thus, it also became a trademark to contemporary art, especially by young Cordillera artists.