Help with I.D., please
 

My son's just messaged me with these pictures of a sword that he picked up for a song in a junk shop while holidaying in Cornwall, England. Apologies for the quality of the photos. My first thought was some sort of klewang but he says it's well balanced with the weight not towards the tip. Any advice would be gratefully received.

Hullo DaveF, :)

Karit Ilang from northern Kalamantan highlands.
Handle: toenan, gegkem belawan, oeloeh teloengan betjoek.

Best,

Hello Dave,

I would call it a sangkit from the Murut people, Northern Borneo, see for example here: http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ighlight=murut & http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...hlight=sangkit
I think Amuk mean the same. :shrug: Very good catch! :)

Regards,
Detlef

Thanks for that, Amuk. I'm assuming "toenan" means "handle". Any chance you could clarify what "gegkem belawan, oeloeh teloengan betjoek" mean?

Thanks again for your help.

Best,

Dave

Thanks Detlef. The handles on the swords in the link really are a clincher!

Best,

Dave

Hullo Dave,

Ref. http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...418#post231418

Best,

Thanks again Amuk and Detlef for your help with identification. In trying to reconcile the two terms "Karit Ilang" and "Sangkit", would I be correct in assuming that the term Karit Ilang comes from the language of the Lun Bawang who, according to wikipedia, used to be wrongly called Murut by the Brits, whereas Murut is a general term for a broader ethnic group related to the Lun Bawang and the word Sangkit comes from a different Murut language? Would this specific form of pedang be exclusively from the Lun Bawang or from a number of different Murut/Lun Bawang ethnic groups? Maybe things were more fluid and I'm trying to draw lines where there aren't any?

Either way, when I get hold of the blade I'll post some better pictures up on the linked threads.

Hi Amuk,

Thanks for the link.

Best,

Dave

Hello Dave, can't answer your question, Dayak, Maurice and others are maybe able to answer your question but to my knowledge are the Murut and Lun Bawang are two different ethnic groups.

Regards,
Detlef

Thanks again for your help, Detlef. I guess for now I'll call it a sangkit/karit ilang. :shrug: :)

Hullo Dave, :)

'Karit Ilang' is a term familiar to the LoenBawang-Loendajeuh-Kelabit.
Also, I am reassured that to them, 'Moeroet' is an exonym.
The Loen Bawang, in particular, find the term offensive.

Best,

Hi Amuk,

Very interesting article on blogtau.com related to the picture you posted. Thanks for that.

Do you know what the carved handle represents?

Best,

Dave

Hullo again Dave,

..... mentioned in my ref., post re: Special Karit

Best,

Ah, the pitcher plant! Thanks again Amuk.