Kabigat with the Head of Chal-chal’s Son

by Bulan Embong | From Issue One (Fall 2025)

A digital illustration that resembles a classical Caravaggio painting of a woman holding a severed man’s head with a tattooed hand. Her skin is brown, her dark hair disappears in the dark background. She is bear chested, wearing Bontoc red, white and black patterned clothing, beads around her neck and head, and lingling-o earrings.

Bulan Embong, often credited as Mankadavi, is an Indigenous Filipino artist with Benguet Igorot roots, currently residing in Treaty 6 territory (Alberta, Canada). Igorot folklore and history are common subjects in Embong’s work, along with vibrantly coloured clothing and textiles. They explore Indigenous themes in their work by using contemporary means such as digital illustration. Embong has done work for the Philippine Village Historical Site in Clayton, Missouri. 

Kabigat with the Head of Chal-chal’s Son is a digital painting that illustrates the Bontoc origin of headhunting. Inspired by Caravaggio’s David with the Head of Goliath, this piece reinterprets the classic painting through an Indigenous Filipino lens. The central figure, Kabigat, appears in several Cordilleran beliefs. In this Bontoc story, she is the Moon, while Chal-chal is the Sun. After cutting off the head of Chal-chal’s son, she looks at it with melancholy, representing her regret. Her act marks the beginning of the bloody cycle of headhunting amongst the humans of the Earth. 

Many Cordilleran groups practiced headhunting in the past before the Spanish and American colonial periods. It was done for a multitude of reasons, such as a rite of passage, rituals, wars and tattooing practices. The Bontoc tale of Kabigat is simply one of many interpretations of the origin of headhunting. This work is a part of Embong’s “Igorot Classics” series, which reinterprets many famous historical paintings into Igorot folktales or cultures. It creates a bridge between popular culture and Igorot traditions, helping both Filipinos and non-Filipinos learn more about Indigenous peoples. 

“In an era where many Indigenous folktales are fading with the passing of our elders, I believe it is crucial to reclaim these stories in ways that resonate with our community today. With my practice, I provide a unique Indigenous perspective that is often pushed to the side within the Filipino community.” - Bulan Embong