FAQ's

Q: Where did the Luzon tribes come from?

A: The most famous Philippine population theory is Otley Beyer's wave theory, but there are also others. For a very good summary of the theories, click the button on the right:

Q: How can you tell a real object from a fake?

A: In most cases it is easy to discover tampering. To distinguish between real and fake items, the first step is to know what the real item looks like. Real items are found in museums, of which you will find a list on this website (ask to see the archives). As a rule of thumb, there are very few people who are able to produce good Luzon fakes, but many people who are good at selling bad fakes. High quality fakes are only found in the high price category. For high price hardwood sculpture, expert experience is required to distinguish between real and fake. But, experts on Luzon tribal art are few and far between because it is a relatively small field.

Q: How come there are so many Luzon objects on the market associated with headhunting?

A: Some retailers find it easier to sell items when they are associated with headhunting. Be ware of descriptions that dwell on morbid qualities such as headhunting. Some goods are merely “kitchen utensils” marketed as “decapitation devices”. Authentic headhunting objects are rare.

Q: How come Luzon items often seem less tribal in comparison with – for example – African and PNG items?

A: For historical reasons, African and PNG tribal art have been absorbed into popular literature and film, creating a tribal art stereotype associated with “primitive”. (Although Luzon largely has escaped this bashing by Euro-American media, American colonial attempts to indoctrinate were actually made by producing propaganda depicting PNG tribes as Philippine). Be ware of stereotype objects that have never been described in Philippine historical literature. Invariably they are concocted.

Q: Why do Luzon tribes not produce masks?

A: Masks are used in rituals, celebrations or entertainment to indicate that the wearer is representing another person than one self. In no instance does Luzon tribal culture demand such use. Some Luzon tribes perform rituals where the performer acts out the role of an enemy. In this case a mask is not required, because the enemy is a person much like oneself in appearance.

Q: How come Luzon tribal art is so expensive considering how few people know about it?

A: When compared with similar quality material from other cultures, Luzon tribal art is much more reasonably priced. However, the process of bringing authentic artefacts to market is extremely costly, and supply is limited. Therefore, be ware of fire sales. Unfortunately, authentic, high quality items are rare, and they are rarely cheap.

Q: Why is a new Ifugao Bulul (effigy for agriculture ritual) considered fake even if made by an Ifugao carver.

A: It is up to the individual collector to decide one’s personal basis for what is real and what is fake. However, a popular criteria is tampering, i.e. trying to increase the value of the object by changing its appearance. Another is functionality – has the object actually been used for its intended purpose? Some collectors consider new Bulul as fake because they are made to look old, and have never been used in a ritual. When the ritual is no longer performed, there is no need to make a new effigy. Bulul produced today is for decoration only.