Tourism and the Transformation of Traditional Craftsmanship into Commercial Industry

Eulalie Dulnuan describes how the tourism boom in Ifugao sparked a surge in demand for ethnic-inspired crafts, particularly items featuring traditional imagery like bululs. As visitors sought cultural souvenirs—textiles with Indigenous motifs, carved wooden utensils, and figurines, such as the iconic hunter—local woodcarvers expanded their production to meet the growing market. This shift not only popularized everyday wooden items like spoons and forks but also introduced smaller, wearable forms of cultural symbols, including bulul-themed earrings and pendants. Dulnuan highlights how tourism transformed traditional craftsmanship into a thriving commercial industry.

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  • Eulalie Dulnuan wearing a white shirt and a necklace with multiple strands of beads, her hands are raised as if caught gesturing while talking

    Eulalie

    Dulnuan

    Tourism and Cultural Officer

    President of the Ifugao Intangible Heritage and Performing Arts Society