Photograph, 9.6A86

Photograph | 9.6A86 | Luzon

Sophia Sancon

The carabao (water buffalo) is the Philippines’ unofficial national animal for good reason. They are common sights in rice fields, pulling their weight in farming livelihoods with their physical labor. To the Filipino farmer, they are more than just draft animals. Their durability has placed them front and center in countless festivals throughout the Philippines, and they are widely recognized as symbols of strength and perseverance. Still, at the end of the day, even these hard workers deserve a day to take a dip in the water after a long day of work!

My dad loved telling me and my younger brother stories from his childhood before bedtime. The carabao appeared in these stories frequently, though my dad and his family never lived on a farm. The carabao was always something my dad would come across in daily life, whether seeing them in the rice fields or carrying carts for the merchants selling their wares along the street. Whenever our family had the opportunity to visit the Philippines, he'd always point out the carabaos in the countryside, and that really brought the stories he shared to life! The carabao has become associated with the simplicity my dad grew up in. His family never had much, but some of his fondest memories were always rooted in the scenery and environment he grew up in.

Courtesy of the Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture. To search the Arts & Cultures collections, please visit our online database here.