RESEARCH DATA:

The wooden spoons of the Cordillera, known by various names such as pakko/pa-o (Ifugao), idu (Applay), and ichu (Bontoc), hold a revered status. Among the distinctive designs, spoons with standing or squatting figures as handles represent a variation in Cordilleran spoon artistry. While the origins and associations are diverse across the Cordillera, Mittersakschmoller (2009) suggests that spoons with figurative handles, like these, were likely crafted by skilled artisans from Ifugao, Bontoc, Kankana-ey, and Kalanguya.

The diverse design variations in Cordilleran spoons reflect the artistic freedom of specialist carvers, allowing many artisans to develop unique styles and designs (Mittersakschmoller, 2009).