Barung; weapon, tool or tourist piece?

[KuKulzA28]

I decided to some research, although I don't have the blessing of location as some Filipino/Moro forum members might have.

I found a dealer. I cannot say who due to forum rules. I don't want to be banned for bringing up a dealer, I've already had 2 strikes out of my own stupidity. I found what he said interesting. He said that the Maranao blacksmiths he works with arrive every month or two to drop off their work. It seems that sometimes they scavenge old blades, and repair them or give new sheaths or embellish their fittings. The fact he noted his wares aren't the flimsy tourist type and that he candidly stated "the quality of steel used on old/antique swords are far superior than the new ones. Although I also sell some new pieces that have very solid blades, the feel and sound when you flick the blade of an original is different" lead me to believe what he says is true. Perhaps I'll find out for myself...
But I may not be able to tell the different since, unlike a few of you, I don't have and never did have a lot of barongs to handle and note the variation between modern and antique... used to have one antique and one modern-made... the antique I guessed to be recent due to a more slender blade (WW2?) and square-ish junggayan - but I am no expert. I think I'd probably be easily fooled anyways.

I hope my research has shed some light on the state of Moro blademsithing... perhaps you guys all know already, I wouldn't be surprised


The dealer's words seems to, in some way, echo David's

Originally Posted by David

I am sure that many if not all of these blade (i say blades but we don't really see them in these pictures and videos, just the dress) are fully functional and have utilitarian purpose. Most are probably recent blades, but some could be remounted old blades for all we know. After all, we don't really see them. But i think the bottom line really is that the barong and the kris are both deeply symbolic weapons to the Moros and carrying these smaller examples is no doubt meant to express this symbolic relationship. Obviously with automatic weapons and rocket launches on their shoulders these blades are no longer meant to be their main weapons as they once were. At smaller size they maintain the tradition and history of the Moro warrior and are probably pretty effective as brush cutters and utility knives.

In addition to that, their market is probably not the Moro warrior but the collector and the martial artist - occasionally an actual user