Bowl Duyu

This bowl is made of one piece of hard wood. Among the household objects of the Igorot, the star-shaped bowls dinalo or duyu of the Ifugao occupy a special position. They are utensils for shamanic use and are used for healing rituals canao, in which the fate of a sick person is read from the innards of a sacrificed chicken. The bowl serves the shaman and the people present as a drinking vessel for rice wine. This bowl was used by high-ranking members of a clan, priests, healers and fortune tellers or by high-ranking families but also for daily meals. The bowls were mainly used at the rice wine festival. Often the bowls have two small side bowls carved for salt and side dishes.

The radial or star-shaped design corresponds to the locking button of the precious prestige bolos of the Bontoc and Kalinga. This is usually made of giant clam (Tridakna giga). It is interesting to note that the chest decoration for warriors of some South Sea island groups also consists of the closure button of the Tridakna giga with an applied sunwheel-shaped tortoise shell motif. Almost similar pieces of jewellery as in Ifugao can be found on the Admiralty and Santa Cruz Islands (called tema there) east of New Guinea. Jewellery with slightly different motifs is common on the Tabar, Solomon and New Ireland Islands. It is not clear whether the design is based on the sun motif; it is possible that it was influenced or inspired by the surya (sun) emblem, one of the symbols of powerful Indo-Javanese empires from the 13th to the 16th century, which exerted an immense influence throughout the archipelago.

Various boxes, crates and tins made of solid hardwood are produced by the Igorot for ritual or profane purposes. The shamans used to store their utensils in boxes made of one piece, with a lid and often decorated on the narrow sides with figures carved out of the wood. Dog and lizard representations are often found. Profane wooden boxes or crates are used for storing jewellery, tobacco or betel cutlery. They are also often decorated with lucky charms carved in relief.