It's unfortunate because the article is a well-written and well-researched investigative piece about Baguio's garbage woes. It's an article every i-Baguio should read. Sadly, many people will probably not read it because of the insensitive banner image they used for it.
Armand Camhol, an anthropologist from Ifugao, criticized the misuse of the "bulul" in his blog.
"The bulul is not a generic Cordilleran symbol, nor is it representative of Baguio or its urban problems. Baguio is originally and foremost the land of the Ibaloi, fellow Cordillerans but distinct from Ifugaos. Rappler’s careless use of the bulul erases crucial distinctions among Indigenous groups in the region. This is cultural appropriation: a media outlet using an Indigenous group’s cultural property without consent, for shock value. It is also deeply disrespectful to place the bulul amid trash, misleading readers into associating it with Baguio or garbage," Camhol wrote.
Read his whole critique at his page: 👉 Philippine Rituals, Religions and Realities- Armand Camhol.
Rappler has already changed the banner image if you read the article on their website probably in response to Camhol's call-out. It now features the "lion's head" instead of a "bulul".
