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Old 1st November 2008, 09:33 AM   #8
Nonoy Tan
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To use "Cordillera Axe" as a generic term makes sense, without of course ignoring the more specific "Kalinga Axe" (which refers to those axes made by blacksmiths in Kalinga). The Ifugao, though, did not seem to traditionally use the axe in the past. On the other hand, Ifugao who have migrated to other regions in the Cordillera have adopted the axe.

The axe became less visible starting the early 1900s when the American colonial governement banned it. Still, the natives kept producing the axe but kept it as a tool at home. In its place, the bolo became more popular as tool that can be carried in public.

In the 19th century, the natives called it the "Aliwa" (refering to the axe with a crescent moon shape). Accounts of a German traveller during that time attribute "Aliwa" to a place where such an axe could be acquired.

I suspect that the "Kalinga" axe was created after metal forging was already introduced into the Cordillera regions by the Malays (directly or indirectly) and not before - as the spike of the axe would have been useful only if it was made of metal (not wood), especially when used as Vandoo suggested. Is it possible that the spike was a later feature of the axe? (developed when metal was available). Or maybe the axe is new - i.e. a creation made no earlier than the late 19th century.
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