Gunong from Tugaya. Lanao del Sur for Reference

[F. de Luzon]

In light of the interest in the Moro gunong, I'm sharing an example of relatively recent manufacture from Tugaya, Lanao del Sur, Philippines. Tugaya is the home of traditional Maranao arts and crafts.

This gunong has a 19 cm (7.5 inches) non-lamintated blade. It is 7 mm at the thickest end which makes it much heavier than the typical gunongs made for sale as souvenirs.

The scabbard is made of carabao horn and white brass ("tumbaga putih" in Maranao), the guard and hilt are also brass, while the pommel is solid horn.

I found it amusing that the dealer referred to it as a "modern antique." By that he meant that it is not over 70 years old but still manufactured using traditional "olden" methods. He said that it was made by one of the senior craftsmen in Tugaya and that he has had it for more than 10 years. Judging by the blade design (which resembles recent examples in the market), I suspect that this gunong is not more than 15 years old.

It is nonetheless an example of a continuing tradition. I appreciate it mainly for the okir work on the guard and scabbard, and the solid carabao horn pommel. My objective in sharing this particular piece is for it to serve as a reference in the evolving blade design of the gunong.