Ian,
The guard is separate from the ferrule and also the shape of the guard is different from a Murut Pakayun. Probably hard to see on the pictures but the guard of the "X-Golok" has a more oval shape.
I have visited the Kota Belud market myself but didn't see anything that resembled this Golok in shape as well as size?
Neither have I seen any pictures from museums or Borneo reference litterature of resembling swords collected in Borneo?
Actually the Muslim Bajau tribe in Kota Belud have their roots from the southern Philippines. They arrived in Sabah/Borneo only about 200 years ago. That's probably why the swords found in the Kota Belud market looks more Moro than Borneo?
Ibeam's kampilan is interesting because of the similarity of the hilt.
What tribe is it?
If you are confident that it's not Bagobo - could it be any other neighbouring tribe or is Philippines out of the question according to your experience?
Michael
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