Origin of the kampilan?

[VVV]

Thanks Nonoy!!!

In case you have any pictures of people wearing it I would appreciate if you could share them?

Michael

[Dajak]

Here an shield off the Ilongot .


Ben

[Tim Simmons]

I dare to question the value of discussion about the Kampilan in this thread. I am not trying to be rude or upset anybody but I do have doubts about the information especially as no body has noted that the bottom central weapon in this picture is African.

[VVV]

Tim,

Here is another African example but what does that have to do with the discussion of kampilan?
Isn't it obvious that some curator made a mistake, like they often do.
And don't we all recognise which weapons that don't belong in the picture and which ones that do?

Michael

[Tim Simmons]

Exactly!!! how trust worthy is the legacy left to us. Especially when it is 4 or more centuries ago. Museums are the depository of what we assume to be current knowledge. Which is cearly in question in some areas.

[migueldiaz]

Originally Posted by Tim Simmons

I dare to question the value of discussion about the Kampilan in this thread. I am not trying to be rude or upset anybody but I do have doubts about the information especially as no body has noted that the bottom central weapon in this picture is African.

Hi Tim,

There were no further comments because of "kampilan fatigue" perhaps?

Actually when those museum pics were first posted in PI Weaponry in Spanish Museums, forumites already commented that some items are misplaced (e.g., Battara's comment on African weapons being there).

And I've also been leafing through the old threads on kampilan in the archives and indeed, the kampilan discussions go a long way back. So perhaps some are not that interested anymore in reciting the same old stuff!

But me, I'm not tired yet because I've just started

Best regards to all.

[VVV]

Tim,

I agree with you that there is a risk of misinformation if you only use one museum, one book or whatever as the only source of information. But if you combine it with other sources it's possible to discover the misinformation and find out which information that's credible.
Isn't the above mentioned procedure rather basic for all of us?

Michael

[migueldiaz]

Originally Posted by VVV

Tim,

I agree with you that there is a risk of misinformation if you only use one museum, one book or whatever as the only source of information. But if you combine it with other sources it's possible to discover the misinformation and find out which information that's credible.
Isn't the above mentioned procedure rather basic for all of us?

Michael

Michael,

Indeed the process is like that of "triangulation" in locating a radio transmission, using several detectors that are located differently.

Each detector being imperfect will have its own margin of error. But when you combine the results of several detectors, the error of one will be lopped off by the other/s. And the result you'll get will be much closer to reality.

Also museum curators are jacks of all trades but masters of none. And this is understandable given the huge amount of items of all kind in their inventory ...

[Nonoy Tan]

I believe that a visit to the Southwestern University in Cebu will provide a glimpse of the Visayan weapons during the pre-hispanic times.

Nonoy

[migueldiaz]

Originally Posted by Nonoy Tan

I believe that a visit to the Southwestern University in Cebu will provide a glimpse of the Visayan weapons during the pre-hispanic times.

Thanks, and in a Filipino martial arts forum, they listed down two more universities to visit (re prehispanic Philippine blades):

a). The best place to look first would be the Cebu Normal University Museum, and the person you want to talk to is Dr. Romola 'Moling' Ouano Sebellan

b). Also visit Southwestern University, and their Aznar Museum.

c). And visit University of San Carlos, Cebuano Studies Center.

Cebu, here I come

[Nonoy Tan]

It is not unlikely that the Visayans were using some weapons similar to Borneo. The peoples of these two places had strong historical ties, as well as blood relations. Visayans lived in Borneo, and vice-versa. In the middle of the 15th century (this is before Magellan’s time) the king of Brunei (Sultan Mohammed) was Visayan, based on Hose and McDougall’s “The Pagan Tribes of Borneo.” His great grand nephew, Makoda Ragah (Sultan Bulkiah or Bolkeiah), a famous character in Bornean history is of mixed Visayan, Arab and Chinese blood. The peoples of Visaya and Borneo travelled extensively throughout the Southeast Asian archipelago; the Visayans even invaded a portion of Formosa (modern Taiwan), from where such Visayan chiefs of Formosa raided the Chinese coasts during the 12th century - but that’s another story 

By the way, the Tausug migrated from Northeastern Mindanao (in the area of Butuan), and later occupied the Sulu archipelago where they are now rooted. This movement (c.a. 1100 A.D.) occurred before the introduction of Islam into the country (c.a.1400 A.D.).