Rare Dayak Daggers - Sadop and Dohong

[Dajak]

There are some drawings that show s Dajaks with blowgun and parang-ilang but never see one with Dohun or daggers that is in my opinion not so old on Borneo as the sword the dajaks Used
The daggers have Arabic moslim influence .

the name Maleiers was used by the dutch people for moslim people Arabic boeginezen (that is why we see a lot off krissen from them on Borneo) and Dayaks that became moslim that they see on Borneo in the first part off the 16 cnt
Maleiers where at the cost in mid 13 century not deep inside off Borneo in this time Broenei came in historie
and second some at Djohor te soekadama hindoe javanees people setteld on the Kapoeas (that is to explain why javanees influence swords has been found by Nieuwenhuis

The Dutch Compagnie people had their first contract between The Netherlands and the Sultan off Sambas in 1609.

So Sadap is in my opinnion no dayak weapon but an borneo weapon

There is an mandau form that never been on the forum I have to ask the ex owner if I may show the pics off this one

Other wise I picture the drawing

Ben

[VVV]

Originally Posted by Dajak

So Sadap is in my opinnion no dayak weapon but an borneo weapon

There is an mandau form that never been on the forum I have to ask the ex owner if I may show the pics off this one

On the Sadop the reason I have classified it as a Dayak weapon is because of Juynboll. In the Leiden catalogues, when they are attributed to a group, they all are attributed to different Dayak tribes.
I do agree however, as I have written in the description text, that they resemble an Arabic Jambiah, but straight instead of curved.
But I haven't seen any triangular dagger like that anywhere else in the Malay archipelago?
I also noticed just now that f.i. Sadop 761/69 is decribed as a Dayak women's dagger.
Maybe that's why you don't see them on the old pictures of Dayak warriors?
The same is true for the Dohong, you only see the blades mounted on spears.
Both daggers however are found on old drawings of Dayak weapons. Like on illustration 3219/76 at Tropen.
If both of them are ritual daggers probably there wouldn't be any pictures of them in use?
I have f.i. never seen a picture of a Keris Sajen or Majapahit in actual use?

I hope that the Mandau you are referring to is what I guess it is.

Michael

[Dajak]

Triangel dagger we find as spear point in Indonesia the dohun is in the junboll off leiden not classified as an weapon

and about that mandau you are right you have the pic about the drawing
I don t now if I did show you the pics about it.

That is in the book De Bewooners der Vreemde Werelddeelen door
Dr H. Blink

kris madjapahit like the one I have was found under an stupa off the burubodur it has been placed there in the early 900 or 1000 so must be older than the majapahit time
This was used as an amulet and not an ritual weapon


regards Ben

[VVV]

Originally Posted by Dajak

Triangel dagger we find as spear point in Indonesia the dohun is in the junboll off leiden not classified as an weapon ....
kris madjapahit ... was used as an amulet and not an ritual weapon

It's correct that the Dohong is not listed as a weapon in Juynboll.
But the Sadop is.
I haven't seen any Javanese, or Sumatran, spear heads shaped as a Sadop blade (compact triangular with straight edges)?
And there is no Metuk on the Sadop [Thanks Alan M for teaching me this important spear detail ]?

On the Keris Majapahit there is a lot of discussion on its original use before it was used as an amulet only.
Maybe we should save that for another thread in the Keris forum?

Just in case I will also mail a collector friend to get his approval to show pictures of the rare Mandau you are referring to. His is the only one I have handled myself.

Michael

[Dajak]

Hi Michael the sadap they discribe in junboll has an different handle than yours take a look also in zonnevelds book page 117

I will see if my friend still have his spear

And yes I like to see his mandau

It is always a problem to classify weapons but dayak weapons are just a few
The other ones was taken from the country they came and mixed up with dayak weapons but short daggars where never used by the Iban because
they have no use for it is is an maleier weapon not an dayak weapon
made and used in kalimantan

[VVV]

Hi Ben,

I haven't claimed those daggers as attributed to the Iban tribe?

Here is the rare mandau I think you wanted to discuss - the Bayu.
I received these pictures from Karsten Sejr Jensen together with his description intended for this forum of his Bayu (directly translated from Danish to English by me):

The blade is 40 cm and the complete mandau is 59,5 cm.
It originates from Central Borneo (the Kajan/Kenyah tribes).
The handle shows Hiraang Lejau Midaang, a deity from Apua Lagaan, that sends the rice spirits back to Earth so they can unite with the growing rice (attending the rice festivals in the form of a Hudoc mask).
The belt buckle is a temple lobe from a skull.

Kind regards,

Karsten

[Battara]

Freaky! Never seen a mandau blade like before, thank you for posting and clearing up the origin of the other daggers.