tangkil (Armband)

About this object

History of use

Worn on the upper arm. Men would wear a pair of these during ceremonies and rituals, such as the begnas ritual for rice production.

Narrative

Collected by Geoffrey Hainsworth in 1981 during a trip to northern Luzon. While there he visited Los Banos, Baguio, Bontoc, and Banaue. Hainsworth worked at UBC from 1968, where he founded the Centre for Southeast Asia Studies, retiring as its director in 2001.

Physical description

Boar tusk armband, with small bulul figure (rice deity). The main armband section is made of curved boar tusks, with the ends attached together using rattan basketry strands, to form a circle. At one side of the band, a small male wooden figure is attached, using rattan strands threaded through holes in the base and around the legs. The figure is in a sitting position with his knees up. The figure has a round bundle of black and grey feathers projecting upward from his head.
Tangkil boar’s tusk armlet (sometimes referred to as an upper arm bracelet or armband) with a small standing wooden “Bulul” figurine from Ifugao tribe in Northern Luzon, Philippines.
Worn on upper arm by men. Made of boar’s tusk. Men wear a pair of these during ceremonies and rituals such as the begnas ritual for the rice production. This material is now considered an heirloom. Nowadays, this ornament is popularly reproduced and worn during cultural festivals.