Ifugao tribe

Together with 5 other tribes, the Ifugao are called Igorot. They live in the north of the Luzon isle of the Philippines, in the middle of enchanting rice fields. Until the 1950s, they were headhunters. The Ifugao community knew 3 social classes: at the bottom of the social ladder are the poor (nawotwot), then the middle class (tagu), and finally the rich elite (kadangyans). The Ifugao knew no written literature. The many Ifugao myths were performed or sung. In these myths, it is described how the Ifugao view the world around them, and the genesis of the first man and woman. Furthermore, many religious rituals and practices were described, which were used to please the gods and spirits. Ifugao religion is a complex mixture of animism, worship of ancestors, and magic. The Ifugao believe that their faith is fully determined by the will of the gods. In order to keep these gods pleased, they were called on special occasions in Ifugao life, such as disease, marriage, or harvest. In order to heal the sick, the Ifugao know various rituals that were carried out by a priest (mombaki), comparable to a shaman. A prominent god is Bulul, the god of rice.

By now, authentic tribal objects of the Ifugao are extremely scarce and precious. They often find their ways to museums and exclusive galleries. Via contacts in the Ifugao community, I have managed to purchase a number of authentic objects that you can find in my webshop. Besides, there are a number of authentic objects that are somewhat less old. In the text, I will always indicate the age.