For those of you with an interest in Taiwan Aboriginal stuff

[KuKulzA28]

Originally Posted by migueldiaz

Well as the saying goes, you can choose your friends but not your relatives

Well if you insist...

there, we'll pretend I gave you money in that...

Originally Posted by migueldiaz

Thanks for that panoramic sweep of the ethnic weapons of the Austronesian world. It's great and I like it

I agree that we can see both -- there's a common thread, while at the same time we see distinct local traits ... the unity in diversity and diversity in unity stuff.

Of course the Austronesian peoples' culture/s did not develop in a vacuum. There's the two other neighboring civilizations -- the Chinese and the Indians/Hindu. And when the Europeans came later, what we have is a happy mix of just about everything?

Thanks! Yes I agree, unity in diversity, diversity in unity...

Yes, Chinese and Hindu cultures... but do not forget other minor influences such as Japanese and Islamic... this is part of what makes these asian/oceanic islands so interesting... just as biologically they have extremely dense and diverse species... culturally and materially, the people are so diverse... from an ethnographic weapons standpoint... you have SO MANY different regional blades, different tribal and ethnic decor and beliefs, so many cross-cultural influences...

Chinese blades attached to Taiwanese aboriginal handles, Spanish guards on Luzon bolos, Indian khanda-handles on pedangs, keris with European dagger hilts, parangs with European guards, Japanese-style swords adapted to Sumatran silat-style handling, discarding the shield for an espada-y-daga style...


It would be interesting if there was a good in-depth comparison between the blades of the Taiwanese aborigines, the Cordillera groups in Luzon, the Waray-waray in the Visayas, and the Dyaks of Borneo. In fact I have no doubt that if 4 members on this forum decided to do that, they have enough prime examples in their collections that it would definitely be possible.