Sarawak Mandau Sword or Parang #1

[johnrwatkin]

I purchased this parang (I will call it a parang because that is what the local Dayaks call it!) as one of a pair from a very close friend, a Chinese coffee-shop owner in Siniawan, Sarawak in Borneo in 1987. Lu had an impressive collection of artefacts and collectibles, purchased from the surrounding Bidayuh (Land Dayaks) and Iban (Sea Dayaks) longhouses. But Lu was over 80 years old when I knew him, and was having to reluctantly part with his collection to fund his retirement.

Lu let me have two parangs or Mandau.

This heavy and well-balanced Dayak sword has an excellent patina, a high quality brass-inlaid blade, a beautifully carved scabbard, very fine associated woven fern fibre, and a beautifully carved deer antler or horn hilt. It is an excellent example of a Dayak Mandau that possibly dates back to the nineteenth century.

The hilt of the Mandau is of carved bone or deer horn. At one time, I suspect that there were two tufts of hair affixed to the hilt – there are two ‘plug holes’ at the top and front of the hilt where the tufts of hair were probably fitted (the front plug slightly damaged). The carving appears to be based on fangs, horns or claws and leech motifs. According to Michael Backman’s sources, the leech is associated with blood sucking and so was considered an appropriate motif for a weapon. A spirit of a trophy head with long fangs appears to be carved into the horn.

Plaited dark brown fern fibre has been used to lash the hilt or grip to the blade and to strap the wooden casing of the scabbard together. The lower grip is embellished with a thick ring of resin.

The blade is heavy and of hardened iron, is curved and single edged. It is smithed with piercing incised-work and fretwork, and is inlaid with brass. The blade is 525mm long – the overall length of the Mandau, including hilt, is 700mm.

The scabbard is of two pieces of carved wood held together with fern and rattan binding. It is carved with Dayak motifs.


Michael Backman has a very similar Mandau (but slightly nicer!) for sale in his July 2015 catalogue. http://www.michaelbackmanltd.com/3219.html Because of the similarities between these two Mandau, I have borrowed heavily from his description.

So can anybody shed any further light on my Mandau? Age? Rarity?

[CharlesS]

The attribution of this piece to Sarawak makes it a bit easier to identify more specifically.

Based on E. Banks' Hoplology in Sarawak, I would suggest that this is more specifically, not a mandau, but a "Suai". The curvature of the blade, and indented spine towards the tip lead me to this conclusion.

Borneo swords are not my specialty, and their identification can sometimes become rather complex, but that is my best guess here.

The "Borneo boys" on this forum have come quite a long way in identifing specific blades types from various regions of Borneo in the last few years....away from the generic "mandau" for so many Borneo blades. Perhaps they can add more here.

At any rate, it is a lovely and clearly old example. Congrats!

[Ian]

John:

Again, I'm not one of the Borneo experts on this forum, but you have a very nice parang here! Excellent patina on the scabbard and hilt. Everything appears intact and well crafted.

I don't think the one you linked to on the Blackman site is significantly better than yours. You have a nice old example and I will be interested to hear what the Borneo experts think of it.

Ian.

[johnrwatkin]

Thanks Guys. I too am interested to hear what the Borneo experts think.

[Dajak]

Hi can you maybe post bigger picture s difficult to see this way.

Ben