The Hornbill ‘Calao’ bird to the initiates of the Poro society is known as the ‘porpianong’ or "child of the
poro"
and were kept in a sacred grove where rites took place.
According to their creation myth, it was one of the first
animals on earth, together with the snake, chamelion, tortoise
& crocodile.
The hornbill was the first animal to be killed for
food.
Hornbills mate for life. The long beak symbolizes the
sexual organ and the bulbous belly, a pregnant woman.
Being
a creature of both heaven and earth, the bird is a link to their
ancestors.
24" in height x 9 1/2" width x 7" depth.