I AM NOT REALLY VERY WELL READ ON THE BATAK BUT DO KNOW THAT THEY WERE INVOLVED IN TRADE OVER A WIDE AREA BEFORE THE EUROPEANS GOT INVOLVED. I AM PRETTY SURE THE CHINESE WERE ALSO TRADEING DURING THAT PERIOD IF NOT DIRECTLY PERHAPS THRU THE BATAK. I DON'T KNOW WHERE THE STRONGHOLDS OF THE BATAK WERE LOCATED AND IF THEY HAD ANY ON BORNEO OR NOT BUT IT IS VERY LIKELY THERE WERE AT LEAST TRADEING OUTPOSTS THRUOUT THE REGION.
IT IS POSSIBLE THAT A TRADER CAME ACROSS A LARGE SUPPLY OF PISO PODANGS THAT WERE NO LONGER IN DEMAND IN THE AREA OR BEING REPLACED FROM SOME ARMORY WHERE THEY WERE NO LONGER USED. THEY COULD THEN BUY THEM CHEAP AND TAKE THEM TO OTHER AREAS WHERE THERE WAS A DEMAND AND SELL OR TRADE THEM THERE AT A GOOD PROFIT.
I HAVE SEEN THIS HAPPEN OVER THE YEARS, CERTIAN WEAPONS SHOW UP IN MASS IN SHOTGUN NEWS AT CHEAP PRICES. THE BANNERMAN ARMS DEALER WAS FAMOUS FOR THIS HE WOULD BUY OUT ENTIRE ARMYS AFTER A WAR ENDED OR THEY BECAME OBSOLETE IN ONE AREA AND TAKE THEM TO SELL IN A AREA WHERE THEY WERE SUPIEOR TO WHAT THEY CURRENTLLY HAD. THE CURRENT MOVIE " LORD OF WAR" TELLS THE STORY OF THIS TYPE OF DEALING VERY WELL, AND IT STILL GOES ON AT PRESENT.
JUST MORE CONJECTURE ON MY PART
