Parang, probably from South Borneo

[VVV]

Hi Ben,

It's correct that a variation of these parang are found in Sulawesi too - see f.i. the pictures from Grubauer, Unter Kopfjägern in Central-Celebes, below (kopfjägern = headhunters in German).
But if you look close, like I know you always do , it's not the same parang. Even if they look similar from a distance.

Michael

[Ian]

Michael:

I'm interested in the emblem seen on the sheath of your first example. Do you know what the two four-leafed flowers might be called. There is a similar emblem on some Visayan sword sheaths from the Philippines.

Ian.

[Dajak]

Hi Michael it is more the scabbard and the pamor blade not much seen in Borneo

Ben

[VVV]

Hi Ben,

I agree that this kind of scabbard and pamor blade isn't what you usually see in Borneo. That's why I find these SE Borneo-Malay parang interesting as exceptions.

I assume you are still travelling, and didn't bring your own computer, so you can't check the references I have given above?
Here is the Parang from Schmeltz I referred to before.
The Leiden collection database is found on http://www.rmv.nl/

Michael

[VVV]

Originally Posted by Ian

Michael:

I'm interested in the emblem seen on the sheath of your first example. Do you know what the two four-leafed flowers might be called. There is a similar emblem on some Visayan sword sheaths from the Philippines.

Ian.

Ian,

I don't have a local Malay name for it (probably Bunga something? ).
In Juynboll's catalogue of the Leiden Borneo collection (German version) he just calls it a "rosette".
So does van der Hoop, too, in Indonesian Ornamental Design on a resembling motif from W Java.

Michael