Sanggot

[DaveA]

Please help me reconcile these (seemingly) competing identifications. Is my knife a Sanggot, a Tuba, or something else entirely?

My knife is shown in the pictures. The hilt is 3 inches long carved in a floral motif that suggests the frond of a fiddle-head fern. The blade is 8 ¾ inches long, 1 inch wide in the middle, and just over ⅛ inch thick at the hilt with slightest taper towards the tip. The edge of the blade is straight, sharpened on one side only. The back side of the blade is convex continuing the curve originating in the hilt. The scabbard is very light wood yet remains in good condition. it is a single piece with an open area carved to accommodate the blade. The scabbard features a deep notch along the edge side of the blade, helping to secure it in the scabbard. A pair of very worn woven strings also spans the open side of the scabbard.

Stone p. 641 "A Glossary of the Construction, Decoration and Use of Arms and Armor" describes this knife as a "Moro Tuba" knife. Artzi at Oriental Arms also uses this term for a very similar knife (Item #11484).

However, the body of this thread refers to the knife variously as Sanggot or Sangot (meaning sickle). In the Philippines it is used to harvest the stalk of the coconut for use in making a local drink called — Tuba!

My knife has a very old collection tag on the back,

VAN LEER COL.
acc 6379
orig 11.
Cat. 1336
Philippine T??

"Van Leer" may refer to Captain Sam Van Leer, a volunteer officer serving in the Philippines during the "Philippine Insurrection" (Source: "Officers of Volunteers for Service in Philippines", Congressional Edition, Volume 5269, U.S. Government Printing Office, 1908 p.85). Other sources indicate Van Leer was on several islands, including Mindanao.


The principal morphological difference I can see between "Sanngot" and "Tuba" knife (in photos and as described) is that the Tuba has a straight blade edge that is perpendicular (more or less) to the hilt. Those labeled "Sanngot" are most often depicted with a concave blade edge. In both cases, the back of the blade is convex.

Although they may be used for the same purpose, I don't think these are the same knife. Could it be that only the Mindanao version has the straight edge?

[Ian]

Dave:

The term sanggot is Cebuano. I do not know the ethnic origin of tuba, but it is likely different. This is common in the Philippines where the same knife has a number of different names, even within the same dialect.

Incidentally, the last part of the tag on your knife reads "Philippine Is." standing for Philippinne Islands, which was their name during the US colonial period in the first half of the 20th C.

I have another example of this knife that has a talibon style hilt indicating an eastern Visayan origin. I have no idea what it might be called in Warai. Will post pictures shortly.

Ian.

[DaveA]

Thanks Ian. I'm glad that you could make out those last letters on the tag.

I understand about the "naming" issue in general and I've been following all the various threads in the forum that relate to that topic.

My key question is whether the "tuba" knife with the straight edge is regarded as "the same" type of knife as the "sanggot" knife with the concave edge? Are these just different names used in different places?

Or, Is this another case like the generic term "parang" where lots of differently shaped blades are conceptually grouped together?

Any insight?

Thanks.

- Dave

[Ian]

No Dave. Nothing more I can add.

Ian.

Originally Posted by DaveA

Thanks Ian. I'm glad that you could make out those last letters on the tag.

I understand about the "naming" issue in general and I've been following all the various threads in the forum that relate to that topic.

My key question is whether the "tuba" knife with the straight edge is regarded as "the same" type of knife as the "sanggot" knife with the concave edge? Are these just different names used in different places?

Or, Is this another case like the generic term "parang" where lots of differently shaped blades are conceptually grouped together?

Any insight?

Thanks.

- Dave