WHY KILL A SCARCE COMODITY LIKE A WATER BUFFALOW WHICH IS NECESSARY FOR HAULING CARTS, WORKING RICE PADDYS ECT TO MAKE LEATHER.? CARABO WERE SOMETIMES SACRIFICED FOR SPECIAL OCCASIONS BUT TO MY KNOWLEGE WERE NOT A COMMON OR PLENTIFUL FOOD SOURCE BEFORE THE SPANISH CAME. WOOD SCABBARDS ARE WIDESPREAD, CLOTHES ARE NOT MADE OF LEATHER IN THE PHILIPPINES SO PERHAPS TANNING GOOD LEATHER WAS NOT DEVELOPED AS IT DID NOT SERVE A NEED IN THE AREA.
THE SPANISH ON THE OTHER HAVE MADE LEATHER FOR A LONG TIME IN THEIR HISTORY. CATTLE HAVE SERVED THE PURPOSE OF A MAIN FOOD SOURCE, SO HIDES WERE READILY AVAILABLE. THE CLIMATE IN SPAIN IS MUCH BETTER FOR LEATHER PRODUCTS WHICH GO BACK AT LEAST TO ROMAN TIMES. THE PHILIPPINES WERE NOT EXPOSED TO ROME BUT CERTIANLY TO SPAIN WHO ARE A LIKELY SOURCE FOR LEATHER WHICH WOULD THEN HAVE BEEN ADAPTED BY THE PHILIPPINOS WORKING FOR THEM. JUST MY THOUGHTS AND LOGIC STRANGE THOUGH IT MAY BE
THE OTHER POSSIBLE CULTURAL SOURCE FOR LEATHER WOULD HAVE BEEN THE MOORISH EMPIRE WHICH PRODUCED GOOD LEATHER AND HAD ARMOR WHICH LIKELY INCORPORATED SOME LEATHER PARTS AS DID THE SPANISH ARMOR. SO PERHAPS LEATHER WAS INTRODUCED BY THE MOORS IN MINDANAO AND LATER BY THE SPANISH IN LUZON?
I SUSPECT MOST NATIVE PHILIPPINOS CONTINUED TO MAKE WOOD SCABBARDS AND HAD LITTLE USE FOR LEATHER EXCEPT FOR SOME OF THE POORLY CURED HIDES WITH HAIR ON THEM FOUND ON SOME ARTEFACTS IN THE PHILIPPINES.
GADDS!! I PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE STARTED ANOTHER POST FOR THIS. PERHAPS A MODERATOR WOULD LIKE TO MOVE THIS AND START A SEPARATE DISCUSSION POST.