Blades from Sarawak, Malaysia

Dinggat · 7th May 2009, 06:10 PM

All items except for the two parangs in pic #2 are well over 30 years old (I mean: They are in Germany since more than 30 years. How long they have existed before is beyond my knowledge). Did a "tourist art" industry already exist back then?

VANDOO · 7th May 2009, 10:33 PM

THE HEADHUNTING DAYS WERE OVER LONG AGO BUT THE TOURIST HUNTING DAYS WERE IN FULL SWING 30 YEARS AGO AND TOURISTS ARE STILL IN SEASON.

IN YOUR FIRST PICTURE THE SMALLEST OF THE FOUR MANDAU APPEARS TO BE ONE MADE FOR ACTUAL VILLAGE USE AND MAY BE THE OLDEST. THE OTHERS WERE MADE EITHER FOR TOURISTS POSSIBLY FOR USE IN SHOWS FOR TOURISTS. THEY MAY ALSO HAVE BEEN USED IN CEREMONIES OR FOR PRESENTATION TO IMPORTANT VISITORS. THE OTHER TWO MANDAUS FALL INTO THIS CATAGORY. SOMETIMES A MANDAU LIKE THIS DOES HAVE A GOOD OLD BLADE BUT MOST OF THE TIME IT IS A NEW ONE AND THEY SOMETIMES EAT THE BLADES UP WITH ACID TO MAKE IT LOOK OLD.
THE TWO SPEARS LOOK TOURIST DEFINITELY NOT TRADITIONAL DAYAK FORMS. THE SUMPIT (BLOWGUN) LOOKS GOOD BUT IF IT IS OLD OR NEW I CANT SAY. THE PISO PODANG IS FAIRLY COMMON IN BORNEO MOSTLY IN KUCHING I DON'T KNOW WHY THEY ARE THERE BUT IT WOULD SEEM A LOT OF THEM ARRIVED AS TRADE GOODS SOME TIME IN THE PAST. A NICE DISPLAY NOT OFTEN SEEN WHERE YOU NOW LIVE

Amuk Murugul · 8th May 2009, 12:21 AM

Hullo everybody!

Quote:

Originally Posted by VANDOO

THE HEADHUNTING DAYS WERE OVER LONG AGO........

.... unfortunately not TOTALLY... ask the people of Kalimantan... all that's needed is ... the RIGHT EXCUSE...

Best,

David · 8th May 2009, 01:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Amuk Murugul

Hullo everybody!

.... unfortunately not TOTALLY... ask the people of Kalimantan... all that's needed is ... the RIGHT EXCUSE...

Best,

I've heard stories of heads being taken as late as the early 70s.
I look forward to seeing the blades on some of these Dinggat. Until then we are only really guessing.

Amuk Murugul · 8th May 2009, 01:37 AM

Hullo again,

Quote:

Originally Posted by David

I've heard stories of heads being taken as late as the early 70s.
.........

..Actually... as recent as 2001... when there was inter-ethnic trouble ... at the time, it wasn't that rare to see a Dajak walking in the street with a weapon in one hand and a head dangling in the other. Apparently many Dajaks still retain their keen senses, especially the sense of smell. Enough of this gore....
I really came back to take advantage of this thread and post pix for ID of some ex-Kalimantan pieces in my collection (not really my area). Just a general ID is OK.

Best,

Maurice · 8th May 2009, 07:13 AM

According to the book of Evans about North Borneo tribes, the "podang" he is calling a "pedang" was used also in North Borneo (Sabah). There is also a pic of a man carrying a "podang" with him.
Also the Ibans, as already known, liked this sword to be handled.

Evans is saying that "probably" these blades were made in Brunei. This State lies between Sarawak and Sabah, so in my opinion this could be true. Does anyone has read other information written about it?

Dinggat, you should buy yourself the book "iban art" from Heppell. It is a very nice book with nice pictures (You can also see this "podang" in it.)

PS. the dayakswords your grandmother has in her house looks like the real thing. You can see already there the difference in used ones (grandmother), and not used ones (not included your "podang" as Willem already said).

Regards,
Maurice

Dinggat · 8th May 2009, 08:09 AM

I can at least confirm that the Iban sometimes prefer to use a Piso Podang (PP) for their traditional dances and performances instead of a real Iban weapon. Possibly an antique PP is a more prestigious thing to own for the individual Iban than a mere "normal" parang that everyone has.

But one more thing I'm curious about: Unfortunately the blade of my PP is pretty rusted, but still I seem to remember that a smith's signature on the blade was visible. The funny thing is: The signature was made from European/Latin letters. What meaning could this have in regards to the "realness" of the weapon?

asomotif · 7th May 2009, 10:42 PM

Quote:

Did a "tourist art" industry already exist back then?

In batak (sumatra) area tourist trade existed before 1900
On Nias tourist trade started maybe somewhere in 1930's

As for these mandau's, parangs etc, pictures of the blades would be helpfull.
The handle and scabbard may be newer than the blade.

But to give my humble first opinion :

1st picture : left one looks like complete tourist to me. the others might well be contemporary examples.

2nd picture : both tourist IMHO

3rd picture : sumpitan looks tourist to me, spears, not even Borneo i think.

4th picture : podang : yep, that is the real thing.

more pics of that one please...

Dinggat · 8th May 2009, 12:15 AM

So, except for the Piso Podang (and possibly the smallest one in pic #1) all of them are tourist art? That's kinda disappointing. But well, what could I expect.

I can confirm that the small parang is most probably a working tool. It has a pretty thick blade with no decorations at all. The other one's have more or less decorated blades.

Quote:

Originally Posted by asomotif

4th picture : podang : yep, that is the real thing.

more pics of that one please...

I can provide you with more pics in a couple of weeks, I'm not at home right now. I'll open a new thread for it when the time has come

But I can show you two pics of another Piso Podang that hangs in my grandma's longhouse in Sarawak. I took two snapshots of it when I visited last time.

Is there any good literature on Iban "cutlery" out there? As a half-Iban who didn't grow up there I'm interested in all things Iban, but whereas ethnologic stuff about agriculture, history etc. can be found quite abundant, specialized literature on their swords has not shown up to me so far.

greetings and thanks

7th May 2009, 06:10 PM	#1
Dinggat Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 29	All items except for the two parangs in pic #2 are well over 30 years old (I mean: They are in Germany since more than 30 years. How long they have existed before is beyond my knowledge). Did a "tourist art" industry already exist back then?

7th May 2009, 10:33 PM	#2
VANDOO (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: OKLAHOMA, USA Posts: 3,138	THE HEADHUNTING DAYS WERE OVER LONG AGO BUT THE TOURIST HUNTING DAYS WERE IN FULL SWING 30 YEARS AGO AND TOURISTS ARE STILL IN SEASON. IN YOUR FIRST PICTURE THE SMALLEST OF THE FOUR MANDAU APPEARS TO BE ONE MADE FOR ACTUAL VILLAGE USE AND MAY BE THE OLDEST. THE OTHERS WERE MADE EITHER FOR TOURISTS POSSIBLY FOR USE IN SHOWS FOR TOURISTS. THEY MAY ALSO HAVE BEEN USED IN CEREMONIES OR FOR PRESENTATION TO IMPORTANT VISITORS. THE OTHER TWO MANDAUS FALL INTO THIS CATAGORY. SOMETIMES A MANDAU LIKE THIS DOES HAVE A GOOD OLD BLADE BUT MOST OF THE TIME IT IS A NEW ONE AND THEY SOMETIMES EAT THE BLADES UP WITH ACID TO MAKE IT LOOK OLD. THE TWO SPEARS LOOK TOURIST DEFINITELY NOT TRADITIONAL DAYAK FORMS. THE SUMPIT (BLOWGUN) LOOKS GOOD BUT IF IT IS OLD OR NEW I CANT SAY. THE PISO PODANG IS FAIRLY COMMON IN BORNEO MOSTLY IN KUCHING I DON'T KNOW WHY THEY ARE THERE BUT IT WOULD SEEM A LOT OF THEM ARRIVED AS TRADE GOODS SOME TIME IN THE PAST. A NICE DISPLAY NOT OFTEN SEEN WHERE YOU NOW LIVE

8th May 2009, 07:13 AM	#6
Maurice Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 1,453	According to the book of Evans about North Borneo tribes, the "podang" he is calling a "pedang" was used also in North Borneo (Sabah). There is also a pic of a man carrying a "podang" with him. Also the Ibans, as already known, liked this sword to be handled. Evans is saying that "probably" these blades were made in Brunei. This State lies between Sarawak and Sabah, so in my opinion this could be true. Does anyone has read other information written about it? Dinggat, you should buy yourself the book "iban art" from Heppell. It is a very nice book with nice pictures (You can also see this "podang" in it.) PS. the dayakswords your grandmother has in her house looks like the real thing. You can see already there the difference in used ones (grandmother), and not used ones (not included your "podang" as Willem already said). Regards, Maurice

8th May 2009, 08:09 AM	#7
Dinggat Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 29	I can at least confirm that the Iban sometimes prefer to use a Piso Podang (PP) for their traditional dances and performances instead of a real Iban weapon. Possibly an antique PP is a more prestigious thing to own for the individual Iban than a mere "normal" parang that everyone has. But one more thing I'm curious about: Unfortunately the blade of my PP is pretty rusted, but still I seem to remember that a smith's signature on the blade was visible. The funny thing is: The signature was made from European/Latin letters. What meaning could this have in regards to the "realness" of the weapon?