Two Distinct Traditions
Philippine wood carving encompasses two major traditions that developed independently in different regions. In the lowlands, the town of Paete in Laguna province has been creating carved religious figures since the Spanish colonial period, earning it the official title "Carving Capital of the Philippines" in 2005. In the highlands, the Ifugao people of the Cordillera mountains have maintained their own carving tradition for centuries, creating Bulul figures to guard their rice harvests.
While both traditions work with native hardwoods and produce sculptural pieces, they differ significantly in purpose, style, and cultural context. Understanding these differences helps visitors appreciate and identify authentic pieces from each tradition.
Paete: The Carving Capital
Paete's carving tradition dates to the Spanish colonial era when friars commissioned local craftsmen to create religious images for churches. The town's location along Laguna de Bay provided access to timber and transportation routes, helping establish it as a center of production. By the 19th century, Paete's carvers had developed a reputation for exceptional skill.
The primary technique used in Paete is called Ukit, a form of relief carving where figures emerge from a flat wooden panel. This style is particularly suited to creating santos (saint figures), crucifixes, and decorative panels for churches and homes. Paete carvers are also known for their Taka craft, papier-mache figures traditionally depicting animals like horses and birds.
What Paete Produces Today
- Religious figures: Santos, crucifixes, nativity scenes, and church decorations
- Decorative items: Wall panels, furniture, picture frames, and household objects
- Taka figures: Papier-mache animals and characters
- Custom commissions: Portraits, corporate logos, and architectural elements
Ifugao Bulul Tradition
The Ifugao people of the Cordillera mountains have carved Bulul figures for centuries, long before Spanish contact. These stylized human figures serve as rice guardians, placed in granaries and homes to protect the harvest and bring prosperity. The Ifugao believe that Bulul figures gain power from ancestral spirits through ritual ceremonies.
Authentic Bulul figures share certain characteristics. They typically depict seated figures with arms crossed over raised knees. Male figures may wear loincloths while female figures wear wrap skirts. Over time, ceremonial applications of blood and food offerings create a dark patina that distinguishes ritual pieces from those made for sale.
Cultural Context
In traditional Ifugao society, Bulul figures are not merely decorative objects. They are consecrated through rituals that transfer ancestral power into the wood. Once empowered, the figures are believed to:
- Protect stored rice from theft, pests, and spoilage
- Ensure successful future harvests
- Guard the household against misfortune
- Serve as intermediaries to ancestral spirits during ceremonies
Materials and Techniques
Both traditions primarily use native Philippine hardwoods, selected for durability and carving properties:
- Narra: The national tree of the Philippines, prized for its rich red-brown color and fine grain
- Ipil: Dense hardwood with natural resistance to decay
- Kamagong: Also called Philippine ebony, valued for its dark color
- Molave: Extremely hard wood used for pieces requiring durability
Paete carvers use a variety of hand tools including chisels, gouges, and mallets, with different blade profiles for various cutting tasks. The wood is typically carved green (freshly cut) as it is softer and easier to shape, then allowed to dry slowly to prevent cracking. Final finishing involves sanding and often painting or application of gold leaf for religious figures.
Ifugao carvers traditionally used simpler tools, often a single knife-type blade called a wahay. Modern carvers may use more varied tools, but the aesthetic remains distinct from lowland carving styles, favoring simplified geometric forms over detailed realism.
Visiting Paete
Paete is located approximately 100 kilometers southeast of Manila in Laguna province. The town center is compact enough to explore on foot, with carving workshops and shops lining the main streets. Visitors can watch artisans at work and purchase directly from producers.
The annual Ukit-Taka Festival in February and September celebrates the town's carving heritage with exhibitions, competitions, and demonstrations. This is an excellent time to see the full range of local craftsmanship and meet master carvers.
What to Look For
- Examine the quality of carving detail, particularly in facial features and drapery
- Check for solid wood construction rather than composite materials
- Ask about the wood species used; genuine hardwood pieces will be heavier
- Look for smooth, careful finishing that preserves the wood grain
Buying Authentic Bulul
Genuine ritual Bulul figures are family heirlooms that are rarely sold. Most Bulul available in shops and markets are commercial reproductions made specifically for sale. This does not make them inauthentic as crafts, but buyers should understand the distinction.
Commercial Bulul vary widely in quality. Better pieces are carved from solid hardwood using traditional techniques and proportions. Lower-quality pieces may be made from softwood, roughly finished, or deviate from traditional forms. When shopping:
- Purchase from sellers who can identify the carver and their community
- Expect to pay more for pieces from recognized carvers like those designated by NCCA
- Be skeptical of claimed antique or ritual pieces without clear provenance
- Support community cooperatives that ensure fair compensation for artisans
Contemporary Carvers
Both traditions continue to evolve through contemporary artists who honor traditional techniques while creating new work. Rey Paz Contreras, an Ifugao carver, has exhibited internationally and received recognition for pieces that interpret traditional Bulul forms through a contemporary lens.
In Paete, younger carvers increasingly work on commissions beyond religious imagery, creating furniture, corporate sculptures, and decorative pieces for modern interiors while maintaining the technical skills developed over generations.
