Moro Spear

[tunggulametung]

Since Bangsa Moro is great sailor, I think this hook on the butt cap is useful for spearfishing (still practiced in Indonesia). The rope can be secured to the collar to like on Lee's example. Just an idea.

Two of the pictures come from here

[David]

I don't believe that this was ever intended for spear fishing. The spearhead is all wrong and would not be efficient for keeping the catch on the spear.

[tunggulametung]

Originally Posted by David

I don't believe that this was ever intended for spear fishing. The spearhead is all wrong and would not be efficient for keeping the catch on the spear.

Me too. I agree about the shape of the head, it is too fancy as well. But ritual and belief system sometime goes beyond that. I just try to go outside of the box and think. So how about water/boat fight? I think I read somewhere that Bangsa Moro is a good fighter both on land and water?

[tunggulametung]

Sorry, two letter Kaf (K) on the first line should read Ain

[Gavin Nugent]

Originally Posted by tunggulametung

Me too. I agree about the shape of the head, it is too fancy as well. But ritual and belief system sometime goes beyond that. I just try to go outside of the box and think. So how about water/boat fight? I think I read somewhere that Bangsa Moro is a good fighter both on land and water?

Hi Tunggulametung,

Thank you for showing the hunting images.

After seeing these it is apparent to me that the pole of these spears are just not strong enough to support hunting of even a smaller sea creature.
The ones pictured are far thicker and are shafts of harpoons that pull off after the head impacts...see the ropes are attached to the iron ends in the whale.
What you note about a boat fight however does hold my interest as you would certainly want your spear back to throw again as chances are boats may never actually come together in these conflicts but always keep a distance.
Thanks too for the translation notations provided in the image.

Gav

[Rick]

I read once in one of Hurley's books (I believe) that the sea raiders had smaller spears which could be thrown by the handfull when approaching another vessel in order to keep the enemy crew disorganised until boarding .

Not so sure about the usefulness of a full sized spear on a fighting Prau .

If you look closely at the hafts of the harpoons shown in the pictures you'll notice they are quite long (12 foot plus) and thick .

[tunggulametung]

How about the possible usage on jungle trap?

[David]

Originally Posted by tunggulametung

How about the possible usage on jungle trap?

I had always assumed that these were battle weapons, not hunting spears.

[Jentayu]

Thanks Pak Tunggulametung. It is indeed quite difficult to decipher those words and alphabets. More so when some of the alphabets and the way they were written lack visibility and accuracy. What we can do is to read it or make assumptions as close to the "normal" words that we normally understood it from malay language written in Jawi. Here is my view of the words....

[BigG]

Originally Posted by David

I had always assumed that these were battle weapons, not hunting spears.

I tend to agree wth David on this. It seems that this is simply far too specific in its design to be a hunting implement. The sheer exuberance of the form, in terms of its overall look, its heft and the width and ruggedness of the blade gives me the impression that budiaks, and this one in particular, as meant to be used as a weapon. It may of course have the added significance of being embellished with messages and used as a gift, status symbol or as a personal or clan totem thingy, but really, i just find it hard to see this as anything other then an implement of war.

My own thoughts on this is that budiaks in general and this one in parricular is used as a stabbing & thrusting weapon in the manner in which spears are employed by hoplites in classical greek era. Thus the featuremat the end maybe a used as a counterbalance to allow for the weapon to be held straight n level one handed while hiding behind a circular shield as we habe seen in many black & white moro photos. In fact pretth much alike to how a Spartan or Athenian hoplite would have stood in a phalanx.

[tunggulametung]

Originally Posted by David

I had always assumed that these were battle weapons, not hunting spears.

Maybe not necesarily animal trap, but trap for the infidels? I mean in the war time like forum member Vandoo mentioned in another thread-if I remember correctly, we don't really care how ornate our spear anymore, we'll use anything we can use (with optimism that we'll get it later). Also I remember on another thread seeing mandau for woodworking (something collectors won't even dare to think of). I saw on tv it is use to clearing bush on their way to the river for spearfishing (recent date program)-that precious arowana fish in 'modern world' , I think they are lucky, must be yummy need to taste one before I die. You know, they are not in war everyday. I believe in the past, other then Keris/Kalis, most all of these weapon from the archipelago are likely "working tools" in certain degree. Keris/Kalis (with spiritual imbued belief) might saw special treatment since the beginning (eg. not going to see woodworking), especially as a defend weapon (this would covers defend from animal attack for example). Kampilan, I remember to learn was datu piece, but seems unreasonable, might be noble alright, and have some ceremonial/status at some extent.

Back to the spear, because they are facing someone with better arm/bullets, they need to keep a distance, so trap sound like a good solution, so at least they have two stages of attack (read: chances) rather than one, or fly for another strategy (I think they are more straight forward no?). If not use on the water (with long rope attached), I suggest it is use as a trap somehow, maybe with shorther rope or without rope at all. I read somewhere on the net, they set up lances inside bamboo barrel for better accuracy. thanks, just two cents

------------
I think it still valid to add on my last post

Brother Big, that's probable, but in my opinion the wire end design must have other purpose other than counter weight.

PS. at some degree Moro Kris was still a 'defend weapon' in relation with Spanish/American forces at that time, in my opinion they never thought their kalis are different from other keris as how we devide it in this forum, it's just kalis, sundang, keris...same thing only with their unique identity.

Thanks again

[BigG]

Originally Posted by Rick

I read once in one of Hurley's books (I believe) that the sea raiders had smaller spears which could be thrown by the handful...

I would agree with this. The spear that we see here is not meant to be used as a missile weapon. It could not be thrown well as the general build & design that we see here would not allow it to fly well and true to the target. Although if pressed by the circumstances of battle one would take ones chances I guess.

A throwing spear would have to be generally light enough to be thrown to a considerable distance. It is design with a its centre of gravity towards the spearhead to allow it to reach its target with its business end first especially in a plunging throw. In straight & level throw it must be able to keep to an even and relatively flat trajectory to hit its target quickly without fizzling away too much of its kinetic energy.

Lastly, I would guess that it must be light enough that a single warrior/legionnaire/what have you to throw off a couple in battle to keep it nice and lively for the enemy.

[BigG]

Just a thought. Standard Malay, or at the very least, the standard Malay that is used in which ever timeline this budiak is from, is usually used for formal messages when writing down agreements, commendations, appeals or perhaps inscribing a formal gift. Standard Malay, was a lingua franca within the whole of the archipelago used even by the western powers in official dealings various local chieftains & potentates. Thus if we assume that this is a substantive gift from, and , to or for an important personage, then it is probable that standard Malay instead of a local dialect would be used.

[VANDOO]

IN A OLD POST ON THESE EXTRA LARGE MORO SPEARS I HAD PUT FORWARD THE POSSIBILITY THAT THESE COULD HAVE SERVED IN THE PROTECTION OF THE COTTA. THEY WOULD BE VERY EFFECTIVE WHEN USED FROM THE TOP OF A WALL OR IN AN AREA WHERE THE ENEMY HAD TO APROACH THRU A RESTRICTED AREA. THE LEGNTH WOULD HAVE BEEN A BIG ADVANTAGE IN SUCH A CASE. PERHAPS A CORD COULD BE ATTACHED AND THE SPEAR RETRIEVED FROM A WALL AS WELL. A TEAM OF TWO WOULD BE BEST ONE TO THROW AND THE OTHER TO MANAGE THE ROPE. IF A STRIKE WAS MADE BOTH WOULD PULL TO GET THE SPEAR BACK OR PERHAPS TO DRAG THE ENEMY INTO CLOSER RANGE FOR OTHERS TO FINISH.
MORE CONJECTURE BUT A POSSIBILITY AS SIMULAR THINGS INCLUDING ROPES WERE USED DEFENDING PRIMATIVE FORTIFICATIONS IN MANY AREAS OF THE WORLD.
A VERY LUCKY ADDITION TO YOUR COLLECTION THE FORCE IS STRONG FOR YOU

[tunggulametung]

As for the translation, I can't help much. We need to limit which language is most likely used here. Tausug? Yakan? Maguindanao? Maranao? what else is probable? I don't speak any of these languages nor within knowledge how differ the vocabulary, I understand that some if not many of them are interchangeable, even to Malay but I believe there are times when they are greatly differ.

I believe when we are speaking about older days, spelling is not really matter, the most important is how they sound and how someone can give meaning to that sound. So if we are looking for the translation on dictionary, we have to try on more than one word for greater possibilities. And of course getting it translated by someone who speak the language is better because they can translate it not only word by word but by the whole idea. Sorry can't express it in shorter word .

I generally agree with Big if we speak from Malay point of view as I will go here, these might be far from valid (given the language differences above) but I'll just try here to give a perspective. On the first line, first letter is unreadable to me (but might be significant). I don't read any "datu", only "tu" which can be a shorter form of "untuk" (for), next maybe "kami" (us), then "hasil" (result/in return-exchange for), on the second line I speculate it will be "nakar kan datu hasim" because I will put "waw" (u) after "nun" (n) if I want to go "nukarkan" (to exchange) but again spelling doesn't matter anyway ... google says "nakar" is pearl in tagalog? maybe close/similarities with languages down south? "kan" sound familiar, common suffix in malay, also shorther form of "akan" (will be) etc.. but I believe have different meaning in Moro Land. This is my best try, I hope someone who speak the language can translate it, would be exciting to know what it read in the end. Sorry if I read the Jawi in error I'm not fluent. Congrats for this outstanding budiak (or whatever the original owner call it)!