Batling
LOCAL NAME:
Batling
ENGLISH NAME:
Ilongot headhunter’s earrings
DESCRIPTION:
A pair of earrings crafted from the red hornbill's beak (Buceros hydrocorax), adorned with brass plates and complemented by miniature red, black, and white glass beads as well as shell beads, delicately attached and dangling from each end. Each earring is equipped with a metal hook designed to attach to the wearer's earlobes.
COMMONLY USED BY/IN:
Ilongot
MATERIAL COMPOSITION:
Hornbill’s beak, Beads, Brass metal
ITEM CONSTRUCTION:
Beadwork, Carving, Metalwork
DIMENSIONS:
Identical pair of earrings
Hook
Length: 3.5 cm
Body
Length: 10 cm
Fringe:
Length: 6 cm
Middle beaded string Length: 12 cm
ACQUISITION YEAR:
2021
DISPLAY STATUS:
BURC
RESEARCH DATA:
Known as batling, these earrings are exclusively worn by Ilongot men and hold profound cultural significance. Reserved for those who have successfully engaged in headhunting, the batling serves as a visible marker of the wearer's esteemed status within the community, signifying their entitlement to respect. According to Maramba (1998), the red hornbill earrings carry symbolic weight beyond their association with headhunting. The red color represents youthfulness, embodying qualities such as concentrated anger, energy, happiness, good health, vitality, and alertness in the wearer. Additionally, obtaining and wearing this pair of earrings signals an Ilongot man's readiness to embrace adulthood, marriage, and parenthood.
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