Summary
Highlights
The video introduces the ancient Batad Rice Terraces in Ifugao, showcasing their enduring resilience. It highlights the belief among the locals that these terraces are guarded by a deity from the underworld, known as the 'bulul'. Moises, a 73-year-old farmer, is shown tending his ancestral rice fields and his family's bulul, which he inherited.
Moises explains that the bulul, specifically a male and female pair, guard his home and ensure a bountiful harvest. According to Ifugao belief, these bulul represent the god of rice abundance and must be kept upright and cared for to maintain their power.
The legend of the bulul tells of a lame deity from the underworld who brought prosperity to the Ifugao people after marrying a mortal. However, when the people forgot him, misfortune befell them. The bulul, found hanging in a tree, instructed the people to carve replicas of him from a branch and perform rituals to honor him, ensuring prosperity.
Marlon Martin of Save the Ifugao Terraces Movement explains the deep respect ancient Ifugao people had for the bulul, considering them deities who magically increased rice. They were guardians of the rice granaries and also believed to cure diseases, particularly those affecting bones and blood, attributed to the 'curse of the bulul'.
Christianity's arrival affected the Ifugao people's perception of the bulul. Despite being Catholic, Moises continues the rituals, offering chicken blood to the bulul. He expresses concern over the increasing theft of bulul and the diminishing tradition among younger generations.
The price of bulul soared, leading to many being stolen and sold, as exemplified by a bulul sold for ₱36 million in Paris. This commercialization, coupled with the influence of American anthropologists, led to a decline in bulul numbers and their cultural significance among the Ifugao. Bulul are now often found in museums or sold as decorative items in souvenir shops, often without their true meaning being explained.
Marlon Martin's advocacy aims to encourage the remaining Ifugao guardians to continue valuing and using the bulul. He emphasizes authentic practice rather than performing rituals solely for tourists. Moises, despite offers to buy his centuries-old bulul, refuses to sell them, fearing the loss of tradition if abandoned by his family.