Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Ian
Hello Xas:
Thank you for getting back to me about these examples. Before responding to your comments, I must say I am deeply disappointed to see information coming from anonymous panday and examples that are held secretly. I have been hearing of possible publications relating to similar sources that were being discussed more than 20 years ago, and never amounted to anything. Data held in this manner is really not helpful at all. Scholarship shares freely and without secrets.
A while back, I wrote here on the work of Cole on the Tiguian and Ilocano people. I believe that your sources have overlooked the Tinguian in their analysis of the examples I have shown. For example, if you look at Figure 7 (no. 5) of Cole's work (which I reproduced in the referenced thread), you will see a blunt-ended sword that resembles a katana. This example was drawn in the early 1900s (1907-1908). Thus, the general style seems to be quite widespread in northern Luzon, and one could reasonably ask whether it originated in northern or central Luzon. Cole mentions that the swords of the Tinguian and Ilocano were highly prized and widely sought, and furthermore there has been a sizeable Ilocano population in Pampanga for a long time (according to Spanish and American census records). Is a knife made by an Ilocano in Pampanga an Ilocano or Pampangan knife (or both)? We can end up in a series of circular arguments without the kind of data that you suggest exists but is unavailable for wider study. Perhaps the weapon styles of some Northern and Central Luzon weapons are so inter-related that it makes little sense to separate Ilocano/Tinguian from Pampangan, because the distinctions are very subtle and may reflect a common historic source.
With respect to your proposal regarding no. 212 from the History of Steel Exhibition, another possibility is that the "katana" style was indeed made in Ilocos Sur and your sources are incorrect.
Lastly, the term katana seems to have been first recorded by Fox (1947) shortly after the conclusion of WWII and the Japanese occupation of the Philippines. Do you know if this term was present pre-WWII? As for its similarity to a Japanese katana, I guess that is possible but the similarity is not very close in terms of blade profile or length, more like a wakisashi in length (but not profile).
Again, thanks for your reply. I appreciate the information.
Regards,
Ian. |
Dear Ian:
I understand your disappointment. The problem with the sharing of scholarly info freely and openly is that it can lead to plagiarism and data misattribution- with the advent of social media, this is very much a reality nowadays. There have been publications in the past which 'stole' information without the consent of the first-hand sources, leading to inconsistencies and misinterpretations of cultural data, the effects of which is felt until now in PH - notably, twisted history; lack of appreciation and undervaluation of cultural objects, even intellectual property rights complications. I also understand your view that academic references take precendence above other types of information- but take note that most of these references were done by foreign scholars who did not have full access to information on the ground. I've discovered time and again that the information written in many academic references regarding traditional blades are inconsistent or erroneous; and have concluded three reasons for this: 1) information was not shared by the natives fully with the researcher 2) there were things lost in translation 3) information was misinterpreted by the researcher. In fact, I now place higher value on oral tradition, especially by elderly pandays and other keepers of knowledge.
Thus, I have to respect the wishes of people who did both academic and field research- talking with pandays and elders on the ground, going to historical places, looking for actual modern blade samples- to obtain updated information. I am sharing as much as I can because this forum was also a source of growth for me, even though a lot of previous erroneous data here was rectified or put into the correct perspective by my mentors. I understand that without specific, detailed proof my assertions here will always be put into question; but sadly I have to abide by certain limits. My mentors have long left this forum, but I linger because I find this a valuable place to obtain samples, and I acknowledge that most of you are also accomplished scholars in your own fields with access to old high-value pieces that may never return to Philippine soil.
Regarding your question about delineations, on my mother's side- my grandmother is from Pangasinan, and my grandfather is from Ilocos Norte. Each area in the North- Pangasinan, Pampanga, La Union, Ilocos Sur, Ilocos Norte- have different versions of Ilokano as a language. There is clear delineation and pride on what is Ilokano (Ilocos-specific), Pangasinense (Pangasinan) and Kapampangan (Pampanga). In fact the non-Ilocos residents prefer not to be known as simply 'Ilokano.' It's not far-fetched to think that there's clear distinction between the blades they produced as well. The Indigenous People (IP) tribes' blades differ from the others. This was verified by an Ilokano who talked with the tribes' elders. The IP traditional blades are another matter altogether (another complication).
With regard to the 'katana' being made in Ilocos Sur, I acknowledge that I may be mistaken, but I still hold on to my assertion. I only came to that conclusion because Ilocos Sur has its own version of blunt bolo which has a different build and label than 'katana,' the 'panggaw-at.' In terms of blade profile, the features of 'panggaw-at' are absent from that piece; but it adequately fulfills the features of a katana's. Lastly, I did mention that my source was featured by migueldiaz long ago- his name is Antonio Pader, and he's regarded as one of the Living Treasures of Ilocos. He's a 4th generation panday and artisan; his family has been forging and crafting blades well before the 1900s, and he is the heir of the accumulated knowledge of the pandays before him. There's no better source of information than him with regard to Ilocos Sur traditional blades.
I've yet to conclude my research on Northern Luzon blunt bolos, but the way that it's going, there are more nuances than previously thought, and the current number of unique types may increase, once I've scoured Ilocos Norte as well.