Hi Charles:
Very nice example. Bangkung do come in a variety of sizes and Cato makes the point that many of the less common Moro weapons were derived from tools originally designed for chopping or slashing vegetation.
I think this one was designed as a weapon. The nicely carved scabbard and the silver (?) punto underneath the woven grip seem too refined for a simple tool.
The carving on the wooden section of the hilt seems a bit unusual for Moro work and reminds me of the hulu rumpung seen on sikin panjang. The file work on the end of the blade is also unusual for Moro work. I've seen similar work on the end of small T'boli kampilans, and I have a couple of choppers from mainland SE Asia with similar designs. One of these is probably from Vietnam and has some features on the hilt suggesting Chinese influence.
I like this bangkung -- it is a very interesting piece that seems to have elements suggesting cross-cultural influences.
Ian.
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