Hi all,
For me its not so easy to back my statements up with pics as I dont collect Dayak anymore. So I rely -on Dayak items- on pics I find online. I do have this old pic from a few of my mandau's/etc.; see below. With a Murutmandau I mean the MIDDLE example, which is quite similar to the one Willem has brought up (comparason pic). Unfortunately I did not make any pics of the blade, but also this one had the engravings and the copper lines near the narrow end of the blade near the grip. It did not have a blunt end which is now suddenly so much discussed.
At least even Michael is of the (same) opinion that those engraved blades originate from the North-Sarawak; Baram-river region. Although I suspect it originates still a bit more northernly (direction of Murut).
Question; What type of mandau/parang did the Kelabit use actually?
Point I have been making is; the blade and engravings Roy's blade has are from an area which usually displays -to my 'modest' knowledge- a different kind of grip. So the discussion of the blunt ending might just not bring us to the answer that is asked, is it?
It seems to me -as many Dayakcollectors are attending this forum- that noone has a mandau with similar grip??? That would be a rare phenomena, wouldnt it?
