Moro Spear

[Gavin Nugent]

Originally Posted by Battara

Your welcome!

Well for Arabic I noticed Dom does a great job. For Jawi.......well........er.......um.........perhaps someone on the keris forum?

Thanks Battara. I looked at the Jawi written language today and I think you are correct in saying that is what it is. I'll spend some time this week trying to make sense of it but I can't feel but help our Keris comrades may be able to offer some help with a translation but their forum is for Keris only....

Gav

[VANDOO]

DANGER CONJECTURE AHEAD
I SUSPECT DURING COMBAT BETWEEN MOROS THE SPEAR WOULD HAVE BEEN USED INITIALLY BUT IF IT BECAME TOO CLOSE AND CROWDED TO USE MAY HAVE BEEN THROWN OR DROPPED AS IN THE PICTURE AND THEN THEY CLOSED WITH SWORDS.

WHEN FACEING FORIGN TROOPS WITH GUNS PERHAPS THEY RUSHED OUT AND THREW ALL SPEARS AT THE ENEMY AND THEN RAN LIKE HECK TO TRY AND CLOSE WHILE THE ENEMY DUCKED AND COULDN'T BRING THE GUNS TO BEAR. THE MORO WERE NOT THE TYPE TO THROW THEIR SPEARS AND RUN OFF BUT AGAINST GUNS SHEILDS WERE NO GOOD AND GETTING INTO RANGE WITH SPEAR OR SWORD BEFORE BEING SHOT WAS THE PROBLEM. A MORO MAY HAVE FIGURED IF WE WIN AND I LIVE I WILL GET MY SPEAR BACK IF WE DON'T IT WON'T MATTER AS I WILL HAVE NO FURTHER NEED FOR IT.

CONGRADULATIONS ON FINDING ONE OF THESE MONSTER LARGE SIZE MORO SPEARS THEY ARE FEW AND FAR IN BETWEEN. I LUCKED OUT BACK IN THE EARLY 1980'S AND GOT ONE OF THEM IT SURE WAS HARD TO GET HOME WITH IT AS IT WOULDN'T FIT IN THE CAR.

[Sajen]

Very, very nice spear! Hope that someone will be able to translate the inscription.

[RSWORD]

This twistcore is very well forged. Notice that there are no faults in the steel. So often with twistcore you have forging flaws that show through but this one is very clean. Very attractive pattern!

[carlitobrigante]

wow, stunning spear. Looks sensational after the etch. congrats

[Jentayu]

Its Jawi. Its quite difficult to decipher the words but it looks like the last two words are names of two "Dato" or "chieftains".

"......Dato Jamil ......kan (verb) Dato' Hasim". I guess Jawi expert can put more light into this.

[Gavin Nugent]

Originally Posted by Jentayu

Its Jawi. Its quite difficult to decipher the words but it looks like the last two words are names of two "Dato" or "chieftains".

"......Dato Jamil ......kan (verb) Dato' Hasim". I guess Jawi expert can put more light into this.

Outstanding and thank you Jentayu, this wonderful start is greatly appreciated.

Hopefully another can complete the mystery....though if not I will try to find the time to show this to the linguistics dept of the QLD Uni and perhaps there is someone there who can read it all...again Jentayu, fantastic!!!

Looking at the Wiki Jawi link it appears this angle for translation maybe more suitable


Gav

[Rick]

Originally Posted by VANDOO

DANGER CONJECTURE AHEAD
I SUSPECT DURING COMBAT BETWEEN MOROS THE SPEAR WOULD HAVE BEEN USED INITIALLY BUT IF IT BECAME TOO CLOSE AND CROWDED TO USE MAY HAVE BEEN THROWN OR DROPPED AS IN THE PICTURE AND THEN THEY CLOSED WITH SWORDS.

WHEN FACEING FORIGN TROOPS WITH GUNS PERHAPS THEY RUSHED OUT AND THREW ALL SPEARS AT THE ENEMY AND THEN RAN LIKE HECK TO TRY AND CLOSE WHILE THE ENEMY DUCKED AND COULDN'T BRING THE GUNS TO BEAR. THE MORO WERE NOT THE TYPE TO THROW THEIR SPEARS AND RUN OFF BUT AGAINST GUNS SHEILDS WERE NO GOOD AND GETTING INTO RANGE WITH SPEAR OR SWORD BEFORE BEING SHOT WAS THE PROBLEM. A MORO MAY HAVE FIGURED IF WE WIN AND I LIVE I WILL GET MY SPEAR BACK IF WE DON'T IT WON'T MATTER AS I WILL HAVE NO FURTHER NEED FOR IT.

CONGRADULATIONS ON FINDING ONE OF THESE MONSTER LARGE SIZE MORO SPEARS THEY ARE FEW AND FAR IN BETWEEN. I LUCKED OUT BACK IN THE EARLY 1980'S AND GOT ONE OF THEM IT SURE WAS HARD TO GET HOME WITH IT AS IT WOULDN'T FIT IN THE CAR.

As I understand it warfare with the Muslim tribes was either ambuscade, raid, or attacks on Cottas where Moros had gathered for common defense/last stand .

I find myself wondering if this spear is more a symbol of alliance between two leaders of tribes with a common interest in driving the Infidel from the Moro Lands .


Pure speculation:

[Gavin Nugent]

Originally Posted by Rick

As I understand it warfare with the Muslim tribes was either ambuscade, raid, or attacks on Cottas where Moros had gathered for common defense/last stand .

I find myself wondering if this spear is more a symbol of alliance between two leaders of tribes with a common interest in driving the Infidel from the Moro Lands .


Pure speculation:

Rick,

Since Jentayu has offered a partial translation that notes two Datu names, I too would speculate this spear is a presentaion piece from one Datu to another Datu, be it gift in appreciation or from one father to another in time of sibling bonding or perhaps as a symbol of alliance.
I hope when the script is fully translated it may capture more of the reasons for this. I have asked one university at this point in time who have referred me to another and I'll just keeping doing this until complete...though it is my hope the community here will stop the suspense.

Gav