Object Name: Hiwang

Provenance: Banaue, Ifugao
Wood, animal tooth, rattan, cloth
H 6.5 cm
MK Collection

The hiwang is a personal charm carried by Ifugao men in the butong or hip bags (Quintos 2013). There are many types of hiwang, among them the hopal (made of animal bone or teeth). Pieces of hiwang are usually bound in rattan to prevent others from seeing them. This hiwang is of the binahu type. Made of dog teeth and mandible, it is tied to a gong handle with a thin strip of cloth.