EARLY SKETCH OF LUTAO SPEARDANCE

[tom hyle]

Well, they tend to be small guys, but yeah, even in absolute terms the Moro roundshield is big; fairly comparable to the hoplon, probably as large as any shield for hand-to-hand fighting, and seems fairly distinct within the region; all the other oceanic SE Asian shields I can recall are either long or else small. The shield is shown with straps, while those I've seen had wooden grips, though they do go on the arm similarly. How much direct trading have Moros traditionally done with Muslim E Africans? The use of the barbed spear for hand-to-hand combat is interesting (presumeably this dance is an imitation of combat), and is also seen out of Luzon. The kris both seem rather small, and the tips of their sheaths don't look right. Some of these features may be fanciful, and that's always a greater danger with drawings than photos. Thanks for the pic.