Ivory Worship

Demand for religious objects made of ivory contributes to the slaughter of African elephants. Increasingly, the world turns to substitutes for piano keys or religious artifacts once made of ivory. Not so in the Philippines: Customs agents regularly seize tons of illegal ivory bound for the third largest Catholic nation in the world. Bryan Christy, writing for National Geographic, targets a peculiar ceremony in the Philippines that involves altar boys and undressing a religious icon known as the Santo Niño de Cebu, Holy Child of Cebu. Millions of Filipinos pay tribute to the statue by investing in ivory tokens, expecting blessings in return. Likewise, Thais demand ivory amulets blessed by monks. Filipino and Malaysian Muslims assist with supply, and “Today’s ivory trafficking follows ancient trade routes – accelerated by air travel, cell phones, and the Internet,” Christy writes. The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora has failed to protect the herding animals admired for their strong family bonds, intelligence and memory. – YaleGlobal