Mandaya/Manobo sword (not Visayan)

[Ian]

See: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tem=6504862606

Every now and again one of these swords comes along on eBay or elsewhere, and is often classified as just another bolo (usually Visayan). In fact, these are quite well made examples that come from the Mandaya, a Lumad tribe that occupies the peninsula along the eastern side of the Gulf of Davao on the island of Mindanao in the southern Philippines. The same sword is used by the Manobo people who live northwest of the Mandaya, in the Compastella and Agusan river valleys.

These swords were discussed extensively in the older forum -- pictures and text can be found here:
http://www.vikingsword.com/ubb/Forum1/HTML/001052.html

The Mandayan scabbard has some resemblance to Visayan scabbards in the manner of construction, but is distinguished by its shape and unusually large drilled-out hanger.

[zelbone]

Thanks for pointing this out, Ian! The resemblence to Visayan swords could be misleading to most not familiar with Filipino weaponry. Lumad weapons are often overlooked in favor of their neigboring Moros weaponry. It seems most collectors want Moro swords and now Visayan swords. However, the pagan tribes of Mindanao make some of the most beautiful weaponry in the Philippines with the Mandaya daggers, the cast brass T'boli hilts, and the Bagobo sundangs coming to mind.

[tom hyle]

Not only that, but many of their traditions are, of course, the most unbroken, least interfered with in Southern PI, where the Moros and Visayans have both been under the influence of foreign powers, cultures, and religions to a far greater degree. It often seems the antique market is as governed by meaningless fashion as a high-school pretty-girl....

[Ian]

... with Tom and Zel. I have a real fondness and respect for the Mindanao tribes that are neither Christian nor Muslim, and have survived with their own cultures. These people must have been resilient fighters to avoid being totally overwhelmed by their more "powerful" neighbors.

The weapons of the Lumad tribes are not highly favored or discussed among collectors internationally, and are largely ignored by Filipino collectors. Indeed, weapons of the "Igorot groups" are much better known, probably because they reside on Luzon and came into more contact with Americans in the first half of the 20th C and the Spanish before then.

To my thinking the Lumad tribes crafted better edged weapons and with greater skill than their northern counterparts. The Igorots were probably better in the areas of projectiles: bow/arrow and sumpit (blow pipe).

[Rick]

Two Mandaya spearheads .
Any more examples out there ?

[tom hyle]

Are those socketted?

[Rick]

You betcha .