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#1 | |||
Vikingsword Staff
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: The Aussie Bush
Posts: 4,136
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In a recent thread on Palawan badung, mention was made of the Facebook page "Filipino Traditional Blades." This is an interesting site and I would recommend it to those who are particularly looking for information about contemporary Filipino blades (traditional and non-traditional), although it discusses older examples as well. It is necessary to read the descriptions carefully, because some of the information is cryptic or potentially misleading. Much of the information comes from Filipinos who have visited the areas where these knives are made, or have some specialized knowledge to share.
This post and the succeeding ones show a few pictures from the FTB site along with the descriptions provided. These give a brief example of what can be found there and the scope of information one might expect. The first picture is from Bukidnon, Mindanao. Quote:
The second picture shows a pair of small knives from the Sulu region. Quote:
The third example is also a small knife that comes from a small island in Laguna de Pays near Manila. Quote:
. Last edited by Ian; 10th December 2018 at 11:47 PM. |
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#2 | |||
Vikingsword Staff
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These pictures relate to Visayan swords and knives.
The first shows a collection of recently made swords from Panay. Quote:
So far I have shown examples that all appear to be very helpful, with clear information. The next two pictures introduce some ambiguity. The first one had the following description: Quote:
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#3 | |
Vikingsword Staff
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: The Aussie Bush
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This photograph shows an agricultural tool from Palawan.
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I think this is one way in which unfortunate rumors can start. The neophyte reading this might jump to the conclusion that the panabas is a weapon of Muslims on Palawan. And so we have the Palawano panabas being discussed as if it were a fact. There could be a Palawano panabas similar to those in Mindanao or Sulu (I've never heard of one or seen any evidence for such a claim), but this picture is not the evidence for such a weapon or tool. My conclusion on reading this site (and I did not get through all of it by any means) is that there are some really good data mixed in with some confusing and sometimes inaccurate information. Sorting through what's good and what's not takes an experienced eye and some knowledge of the languages used. I don't have the linguistic skills to decipher the subtleties of different dialects and had to rely on books/online sources. I would suggest that folks read the data on this site carefully and try to figure out what is wheat and what is chaff. Like any blog site, the material is not reviewed for accuracy and people can post whatever they wish. That said, this site seems above average in the quality of its pictures and comments. DISCLAIMER: Everything I have written here is my personal view and in no way reflects the opinions of Vikingsword, EEWRS, or other members of this web site. Ian . Last edited by Ian; 28th November 2018 at 02:09 PM. |
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#4 |
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Join Date: May 2017
Posts: 62
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"Taribong and Binalhag of Mabini, Western Samar"
"Taribong and Sansibar of Albuera, Leyte" "Now the sword labeled taribong (which appears to be synonymous with talibong) is the same sword in each picture, but it is given two different origins. Are these swords from Leyte or Samar? The two islands lie side by side in the eastern Visayas, so the distinction may not be all that important (except to those who live there), but one of these pictures seems to be mislabeled." -- binalhag is the blade under the talibong in the first picture. binalhag was from mabini, western samar. sansibar, under the talibong (2nd pic), sansibar was from albuera, leyte. the talibong in the photo was just placed side by side with another blade from mabini and albuera respectively. |
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#5 | |
Vikingsword Staff
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Thanks PBH for the clarification. So a clearer reading for these attributions would be "Binalhag (W. Samar) with a Talibong," and "Sansibar (Albuera, Leyte) with a Talibong." The origin of the Talibong in each case is unspecified. Ian.
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#6 | ||
Vikingsword Staff
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: The Aussie Bush
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Binangon/Binakuko
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#7 | |
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Join Date: Oct 2018
Posts: 629
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Your review is much appreciated, thanks for this. If I may point out, however, the format of FilTradBlades is to present the weapons as is, as they are identified by the regional peoples affiliated with them (I say regional peoples and not Filipino, as certain groups- such as BangsaMoro- identify themselves differently). I don't believe there is a 1:1 correspondence with regards to a particular Filipino weapon and its name. For example, a Talibong in Panay is so different than the extinct Leyte Talibong. The Ginuntings of Antique and Bikol, while sharing similar names, have different blade profiles, grind, and hilt style. The list goes on- sundang, pinuti, even panabas- different regions have different weapon schemas for these. In light of this fact, there will always naturally be confusion regarding traditional weapon classification. The only way to circumvent this is to assign a thorough classification system- e.g. Regional, Provincial, Tribal or Peoples-specific (Southern Palawan, Palaw'an Tribe, Badung). I believe the primary objectives of FilTradBlades are as follows: 1) to combat the misinformation being spearheaded by commercialized blade reproduction outfits (they are now legion), 2) to profile the FilTradBlades in their natural habitat, with the correct regional and cultural context in mind; and most importantly, 3) to support the remaining traditional smiths by showcasing their stories and products. |
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#8 | |
Vikingsword Staff
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: The Aussie Bush
Posts: 4,136
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Thank you for putting the information on this site in sharper perspective. It is indeed important to understand the primary focus of the FTB site in recording verbatim the names (as used by locals) of these items and their source. Collecting raw data in this manner certainly has merit, but, as you point out, it needs to lead to a classification system that provides a rational nosology for these edged weapons and tools. While it is relatively easy to assemble a data base of pictures and names, sorting through the individual items to arrive at an overall classification system is much harder. To a degree, Robert Cato attempted to do this for Moro edged weapons (with moderate success). Albert van Zonneveld's classification of Indonesian weapons was a more detailed and broader classification, based largely on blade shapes and hilt styles. There are examples of this type of approach for weapons of other cultures too. I think the problems come when folks try to extrapolate/speculate beyond the information provided but do not understand the limitations of the data. Ian |
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#9 | |
Member
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Witness Protection Program
Posts: 1,730
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but i do commend you and your page. madamo gid nga salamat ![]() |
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