Dhadiya/KoEni

Generously donated by BOTE Museum, Kathmandu Valley, Nepal, in celebration of the 80^th anniversary of FAO and the inauguration of the Museum

Dhadiya is a fishing equipment used for trapping fish by Indigenous Peoples’  in Nepal like Tharu, Majhi, Mushar etc. It is made up of locally available bamboo and reeds. It is conical in shape, with its large circular opening facing the direction of the water flow. The trap is placed in a river or small canal, allowing water to pass through while trapping fish inside. Multiple dhadiyas can be placed in a row along the canal to increase the catch. A similar fishing trap called koini, shares the basic form of the dhadiya but differs in its internal trapping structure. These fishing traps can be seen in every fishing household used to catch fish. The catch is either cooked, sold to the hotels or dried for later use. This basket is used in monsoon time in rice field and also small water in river.

Author: Tharu Community, Nepal

Bamboo

Mal KodiHoney hunting ladder 

Generously donated by Kurumba and Irula-Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, India in celebration of the 80^th anniversary of FAO and the inauguration of the Museum.

Mal Kodi (Alu Kurumba language name; Mal = Ladder + Kodi = Climbing plant). Made from woody climbers from the forest, this ladder is used to collect wild honey (Apis dorsata) from cliffs in the Nilgiris. This is a miniature model. The original ladder is 50 m long. The honeybees are part of Alu Kurumba and Irula traditions. Before harvesting the honey from the cliff ,  honey hunters prepare themselves by observing a fast and keeping themselves pure. Honey is offered to the forest deities, is used as medicine and forms an important item of ancestor worship. It is not to be used at death rituals or coming of age rituals since it is a sacred product.

Author: P. Chandran and his family members who belong to the Alu Kurumba Indigenous Peoples. A similar rope ladder is also made by the Irula Indigenous Peoples’ of the same region using different species of trees and climbers.

Woody bark of climber

Bamboo Vessel

Generously donated by Kurumba and Irula-Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, India in celebration of the 80^th anniversary of FAO and the inauguration of the Museum.

Bidur ande (Alu Kurumba language name; Bidur = Bamboo + Ande = Vessel). Container made from bamboo that is used to store harvested honey or carry it back from the forest to the house. Honey hunting/gathering tools are not to be made in metal, only with natural products from the forest.The water carried for rituals like ancestor worship are to be carried in sacred vessels like this. Bamboo shoots are a delicacy and eaten often. When the bamboo flowers, the grain is collected and eaten like a rice. This type of a bamboo vessel is used among all the Indigenous Peoples’ of the Nilgiri biosphere reserve. It is used to carry liquids like honey, oil and even as a water bottle when going to the forest for long periods of time.

Bamboo. Bidur  (Kurumba name)

Bambusa bambos (Latin name)

Sawng 

Generously donated by Hakha Indigenous Peoples, Chin, Myanmar,  in celebration of the 80^th anniversary of FAO and the inauguration of the Museum.

Woven from ratten, Sawng is used for storing fish right after fishing out from rivers and streams. With its ventilation and water-draining structure, Sawng helps keep fish fresh for several hours. For durability and strength, Sei is smoked when not in use.

Ratten

Keuku

Generously donated by Lai Indigenous Peoples, Myanmar, in celebration of the 80^th anniversary of FAO and the inauguration of the Museum.

Dried bitter gourd is a commonly used kitchenware for preparing and serving food widely. This set of Keuku is from Lai Indigenous Peoples’  from Chin state, North-western Myanmar. Due to its nature of durability and lightness, dried bitter gourd is used for several purposes, including storing drinking water, storing seeds and other condiments like chili powder and turmeric power, and honey.

Krapaem

Generously donated by Indigenous Peoples Karen, Thailand, in celebration of the 80^th anniversary of FAO and the inauguration of the Museum.

Krapaem is a type of basket used by the Karen people. A tool commonly used to hold rice and other grains. It is made from bamboo and rattan . It is smoked to protect against insect bites and increase strength and durability. It is used with a shoulder strap made from hemp and rattan.  It comes in different sizes based on the preference of usage.

Bamboo and rattan

Sei

Generously donated by Hakha Indigenous Peoples, Chin, Myanmar,  in celebration of the 80^th anniversary of FAO and the inauguration of the Museum.

Woven from rattan, Sei is produced in different sizes. Sei is a fishing tool sed mainly by Indigenous women and young members of the community. For durability and strength, Sei is smoked when not in use.

Rattan

Nungpi earthen black pot with wooden spatula

Generously donated by Tangkhul Naga Indigenous Peoples, India, in celebration of the 80^th anniversary of FAO and the inauguration of the Museum.

Nungpi black pottery holds a central place in the Tangkhul Naga Indigenous Peoples’ food system—not just as cookware but as an object of collective reverence and tradition. These pots have long been used for preparing and serving staple foods, brewing rice beer/wine, and storing grains, salt, and water, deeply embedding them in daily nourishment and special occasions. Their heat retention and cooking quality are believed to enhance both the flavor and safety of food, better than conventional vessels. The wooden spatula is for stirring the pot as well as for lifting the hot lid while cooking. Nungpi pots are closely linked with cultural rituals and communal gatherings, particularly during key rituals such as seed sowing festivals, weddings, and religious ceremonies. 

Locally sourced black serpentine stone and special clay

Takamat and sokang

Generously donated by Kapitan Indigenous PeopleS’, Talwai village of Alor Island, Indonesia, in celebration of the 80^th anniversary of FAO and the inauguration of the Museum.

Takamat and sokang are both used as a container to store betel and areca nut. Chewing betel and areca nut is a daily habit of the community. Takamat is usually put on the table for the guests while Sokang is carried everywhere while doing activities. Sokang in a much bigger version is used for storing the harvest and seeds in harvest time. The women carry sokang on their head while going to the field at harvest time and fill the basket with their harvest produce. A few months before harvest season the women would together go to the forest to look for different kinds of bamboo and plants for takamat and sokang materials. 

Bamboo

Tinawon

Generously donated by Ifugao Center for Living Cultures, Philippines, through Living Story Landscapes, in celebration of the 80^th anniversary of FAO and the inauguration of the Museum.

Tinawon is the collective name of heirloom rice varieties traditionally grown in the province of Ifugao, Philippines. The term literally translates as “once a year”, referring to its long growing cycle - usually planted between December and February and harvested from June to August. These long-season varieties are chemical free, grown organically through ancestral methods. According to Ifugao mythology, tinawon rice, also called Skyworld rice, was a diving gift from Liddum, the god of plenty, who entrusted it to humankind after two brothers, Wigan and Kabigat, shared the gift of fire with the gods (Featr, 2025).  Among its varieties, tinglu or imbuucan, stands out for its sticky texture, rich aroma, and cultural importance. The entire agricultural process is guided by the mumbaki (native priest and ritual specialist), who performs twelve rituals to maintain harmony between people, land, and spirit. According to Ifugao Community Heritage Galleries (2022) during harvest season, when the ripening grains turn the terraces a reddish hue, the community celebrates with offerings, bayah (rice wine) fermented with bino'bo' (yeast cake) and thanksgiving rights called atang.

Rice

Bulul

Generously donated by Ifugao Center for Living Cultures, Philippines through Living Story Landscapes, in celebration of the 80th anniversary of FAO and the inauguration of the Museum.

The bulul is a carved wooden figure deeply embedded in the socio-cultural and spiritual life of the Ifugao people, an indigenous group rooted in northern Luzon. It embodies the community’s reverence for rice as both a staple and a sacred crop (Metropolitan Museum of the Art, n.d.). Beyond its role as a granary guardian, the bulul symbolizes fertility, protection, and continuity - beliefs deeply rooted in the Ifugao’s rice-based culture. Traditionally carved from narra and ipil, these anthropomorphic figures come in different postures such as seated, squatting, and standing with arms resting on bent knees, often displayed in male-female pairs to represent balance and abundance. 

Each stage of its creation begins with the careful selection of a tree, then after the harvesting of wood, a skilled carver will sculpt the bulul. Once the carving is finished, the consecration ritual will follow wherein the myth of Humidhid, the first creator of bulul, will be chanted. The figure is anointed with the blood of a sacrificial pig, offered and fed rice wine and cakes, and kept briefly in the house of the owner before being installed in the granary to guard the crops (Bilyonaryo News Channel, 2025). 

During harvest time, it is reawakened with more offerings of wine, food, and animal blood to renew its power. Variations of bulul include those Hapao-style ones with bent knees and a grooved base, early bald carvings, or those adorned with hair or ear holes for rice stalks. Through the years, Christian influence, the lure of tourism, and ongoing debates on the authenticity of the bulul  have transformed its production - from sacred ancestral figures to commodified art pieces, some pieces aged, or re-sanctified to regain spiritual value (National Museum of the Philippines, 2022). 

Lingling-O

Generously donated by Ifugao Center for Living Cultures, Philippines through Living Story Landscapes, in celebration of the 80th anniversary of FAO and the inauguration of the Museum.

The lingling-o is a precolonial ear and neck ornament from the Cordillera region in Northern Luzon. Often made from gold, silver, copper, and brass, it takes the form of an almost “C” shape which is called hubong/uvong in Ifugao (Museo Kordilyera, n.d.). The form symbolizes the union of feminine and masculine energies - the outer curves symbolizing the uterus and the inner space signifying the phallus. Maramba (1998) explained that the inward pointing “C” shape embodies fertility, and its intricate versions with double headed extensions are symbolic rendering of the female reproductive organ. The babaylan, balian, or katalonan, spiritual leaders of early Philippine societies,  used Lingling-o in rituals to bless those desires fertility and prosperity (National History Museum Los Angeles County, n.d.).

Tolge

Generously donated by Ifugao Center for Living Cultures, Philippines through Living Story Landscapes, in celebration of the 80th anniversary of FAO and the inauguration of the Museum.

The tolge is a traditional women’s skirt crafted from hand-sewn bark cloth. The design is closely associated with gammit - an ornate variation used in weddings and ritual dances. Usually features red, black, and white tones, other color variations also exist, showcasing the rich variety of materials, patterns, and techniques that evolved throughout Ifugao history (Rubinos, 2023). Traditionally worn by members of the Kadangyan social class, its design is notable for its rich symbolic decoration: motifs of rice and mountains applied using bodhohan or hinukwit  (supplementary weft), reflecting its elevated status and wearer’s heritage (Museo Kordilerya n.d.).

Hand woven