The figure of the Calao possesses female attributes, such as the prominent stomach of a pregnant woman, and male features such as the long beak simulating the virile organ. The combination of male and female attributes symbolize the notion of procreation, and are therefore a symbolize the continuity of the human race. The myth pertains that the calao bird was the first creature sacrificed to feed men
The bird figure appears during ritual ceremonies of initiation, funerals, agrarian festivals, and great solemnities of the Poro society.