New Info on Panay Sandukos

[Royston]

Thanks Battara - great timing for the questions in my post

Roy

[ThePepperSkull]

Just curious -- I have seen some (modern made, but have not seen any antiques) blades that I would call Taribong, also made by Aklan bukidnon, but without horns. The pommels are instead round. What would these be called? Is it less-than-traditional or is there any cultural/historical precedence to this form of hilt?

[ThePepperSkull]

A little update on my question: The round-pommelled hilts I speak of actually do have horns depicted on them, but are folded over the head to make the pommel round, if that makes any sense.

Here is a pic of a modern aklan taribung handle with straight horn made of wood




And here is a modern aklan taribung handle from the same maker with the rounded, 'folded horn' hilt made of wood. Note the horn, which begins at the monster's nose and extends past the back of its head as if 'slicked back' so to speak:






Another folded horn hilt, in Carabao horn:





From what I have gathered, this came into being when those who wielded these requested that the horn not protrude ad prominently in order for a slash or swing of the blade to be less inhibited. I am still unure of when this came to be or even if it is traditional. It could be a modern design adjustment in order to satisfy modern eskrimador needs.

[Battara]

I think you made the point - modern escrimador needs.

I am glad you posted these - never seen this form before. I will wait for Migueldiaz and Nacho to respond.

[migueldiaz]

I've also seen these new form of the taribong hilt, from the (Manila) seller's website. It also struck me as something new and recent.

But Nacho is more familiar with Panay swords, thus it's better that we wait for his comments. Thanks.

[ThePepperSkull]

Thanks for the input, both of you.

The folded horn shape, if new, is very interesting to me. I can definitely see the benefits this form has as an eskrimador (and as a Silat man as well) myself. The ethnographic arms student in me also finds it partifularly interesting as this is a recent change of an old form. I don't see it as a bad thing, though. It sort of reminds me of the evolution of the Hulu Tajong. Where the flowers became more prominent and the limbs became less prominent over time.

This begs the question, though: Do the Panay Bukidnon consider this a 'real' Taribong? It does technically have a horn depicted on the hilt. I await Nacho's response with entusiasm.



Going back to the analogy of this being similar to the evolution of the Hulu Tajong, though. I wonder... if this blade-making tradition survives another hundred years (wishful thinking perhaps?), how will the horns look? Will the folded horn style pommel become more prominent? Only time will tell I suppose.

[Dimasalang]

Great!..now I need one! Thanks for posting those pics PepperSkull!
I don't know...I just find it funny. On one the horn is erect, and on the other the horn is..uhhh...limp. hehe

[ThePepperSkull]

Originally Posted by migueldiaz

I've also seen these new form of the taribong hilt, from the (Manila) seller's website. It also struck me as something new and recent

Having discussed various things in terms of the Taribung with the aforementioned manila-based seller (of whom I will recommend visiting this forum, as he seems very interested in learning more about these blades), I have some new information about terminology regarding blade shapes. According to him the panday he gets his pieces done from have informed him of at least three basic blade forms, with subcategories for different blade geometries.

Once I compile the information given to me, I will post it here. fairly enlightening as I do not believe this has been discussed on here before.

[migueldiaz]

hello, thepepperskull. any update from your end? your comment is most interesting because nowadays, we tend to classify visayan blades via their hilt form.

it looks though that in the olden days, it's the blade shape that determines the name (which is more logical, like how moro swords are named for instance). in kaufmann's 1930s ilonggo-english dictionary, the swords' names still depend on the blade shape or function (and conspicuously absent is tenegre/tinigre):

sandúkò: A kind of long bolo with a curved point. (cf. ginúnting).

garanás: Knife, especially one used for cutting meshes, repairing nets, etc. (cf. urutúp, galanás, súndang, kotsílyo, lansítas).

ginúnting: A kind of war-knife, large bolo. (cf. siántong, sandúkò, binángon, íwà).

siántong: A kind of bolo, but straight and longer than the ordinary binángon and having the point slightly curved. (cf. sandúkò).

súndang: Knife, kitchen-knife, a small stiff knife, dagger, sword, table-knife. (cf. tulóslok—fork; irós—spoon; garanás, urutóp, lansítas, kotsílyo, binángon, íwa, etc.).

talibóng: A large, heavy bolo. (cf. sandúkò, siántong, binángon).

urutúp: (B) A knife, anything with a sharp edge for cutting, as a piece of sharp stone, bone, tin, wood, bamboo, etc. (cf. súndang, garanás; ótop).

túmbak: A harpoon, barbed spear or javelin, prong, fork. (cf.bángkaw—lance).

bángkaw: A lance, spear. Ang kílid sang Aton Ginóo hinandusán sang bángkaw ni Longíno. The side of Our Lord was pierced by the lance of Longinus.

kinabasî, kinabásì: Like—, in the form of—, a kabásì-fish; sharppointed. Bángkaw nga kinabasî. A lance with a straight, sharp point. (cf.kabásì, pinángdan).

pinángdan: Like a—, in the form of a—, screw-pine; twisted like a screw-pine. Bángkaw nga pinángdan. A lance with a long drawn and twisted point.

kinúgon: Made as pointed or as sharp as cogon-grass; the point of a spear,lance, arrow, etc. (cf. kógon).

lántip: The double-edged point of a lance, spear, or the like.

binángon: The Philippine long knife carried in a scabbard on the hip by workmen. The scabbard or case is called "tagúb" (cf. bólo, pinútì, siántong, sandúkò, ginúnting, talibóng, kális, súndang, uták).

lansétas: (Sp. lanceta) Lancet, fleam, a farrier's sharp knife used in phlebotomy; a pocket-knife.

pinútì: Knife, bolo, any cutting tool made of steel. (cf. putî).

related terms:

baláraw: Dagger, poniard, stiletto, knife. (cf. dága, punyál).

dága: (Sp. daga) Dagger, poniard, stiletto. (cf. íwà, súndang, pinútì).

kotsílyo: (Sp. cochillo) Knife, table-knife. (cf. súndang).

punyál: (Sp. puñal) Dagger, poniard, stiletto. (cf. íwà, dága, súndang, etc.).

íwà: Dagger; poniard, dirk, knife. (cf. dága, binángon, talibóng, sandúkò, ginúnting, kotsílyo, súndang, garanás, urutúp, lansétas).

uták: Knife, bolo. See binángon.

espáda: (Sp. espada) Sword, sabre, falchion, scimitar, brand, rapier, side-arm. (cf. binángon, talibúng, sandúkò, ginúnting, kális).

kális: (Sp. cris) The Malayan dagger, creese or cris, a sword as used by the Moros.

sáble: (Sp. sable) Sabre, sword. (cf. súndang, binángon, talibóng, etc.).

kampílan: A large, long kind of sword; hanger, cutlass.

lánsa: (Sp. lanza) Lance. (cf. bángkaw).

bidyíw: A spear, harpoon. (cf. bángkaw—lance).

sibát: A spear, a kind of barbed lance. Palayógi siá sang sibát. Throw the spear at him. Sibatá ang talunón. Throw a spear at the wild boar. Spear the wild boar.

sumbilíng: (H) Any missile in the nature of a javelin, spear, lance or the like.

orongán: The (wooden) shaft of a lance, spear, etc. (cf. unungán, ulungán).

kalásag: Shield, cover, protection, defense; escutcheon.

tamíng: Shield, buckler. (cf. kalásag; panamíng—to use a shield).

kalólot: To apply any sticky, viscous material. Ginakalólot sa ápal sang binángon ang tagók sang kamánsi. The juice of the bread-fruit is used for fastening the handle of a bolo.

tagúb: Sheath, scabbard, case; to sheathe, put into a scabbard, provide or make a scabbard. Itagúb ang ímo espáda. Sheathe your sword. Tágbi (Tagubí) ang ímo binángon. Provide a scabbard for your bolo.

panílo: (Sp. pañuelo) Cloth, cloth-band, collar, neckcloth; the strip of cloth or leather used for fastening the sheath of a bolo to the hip. (cf. balióg; pányo)