If Not a Barong,Then What?

Ian · 24th August 2023, 11:37 AM

Hi drac,

That's an interesting old piece. The naga hilt is an unusual item and very similar to the one in Cato's book. I suspect the wood is kumagong, which is used sometimes for Moro hilts. It is very dark and dense.

As to what your blade is, that's a bit of a mystery. The blade is very forward weighted, much like a Mandaya general purpose bolo. It does not correspond to the leaf-shape profile of a barung. I looked back at some of the archive pictures of Moro weapons plaques and found a somewhat similar example in my large plaque from the 1930s: see the bottom left item in the central panel here. Unfortunately, the examples are not named on this old handmade plaque. Nevertheless, the blade profile may once have been in the Moro repertoire of weapons or general purpose blades, as your example suggests.

Heavy, forward weighted blades are seen among other Filipino groups. I mentioned the Mandaya already, and I've seen similar Bagobo blades, but this type of blade is also common among the Ifugao groups and others in central and northern Luzon. I would not be surprised if there are Visayan and Bicolano versions also. The design seems well suited to heavy chopping.

As to what this knife/sword might have been called, I don't know. I suspect it may have been made in Zamboanga.

24th August 2023, 11:37 AM	#12
Ian Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: The Aussie Bush Posts: 4,399	Hi drac, That's an interesting old piece. The naga hilt is an unusual item and very similar to the one in Cato's book. I suspect the wood is kumagong, which is used sometimes for Moro hilts. It is very dark and dense. As to what your blade is, that's a bit of a mystery. The blade is very forward weighted, much like a Mandaya general purpose bolo. It does not correspond to the leaf-shape profile of a barung. I looked back at some of the archive pictures of Moro weapons plaques and found a somewhat similar example in my large plaque from the 1930s: see the bottom left item in the central panel here. Unfortunately, the examples are not named on this old handmade plaque. Nevertheless, the blade profile may once have been in the Moro repertoire of weapons or general purpose blades, as your example suggests. Heavy, forward weighted blades are seen among other Filipino groups. I mentioned the Mandaya already, and I've seen similar Bagobo blades, but this type of blade is also common among the Ifugao groups and others in central and northern Luzon. I would not be surprised if there are Visayan and Bicolano versions also. The design seems well suited to heavy chopping. As to what this knife/sword might have been called, I don't know. I suspect it may have been made in Zamboanga.