Unusual gunong, from where?

[Robert]

Hello Detlef, Very interesting gunong you have there. I cannot really tell from the photos for sure but the end of the tooth looks to be either worn or broken in an odd manner. Just to create more confusion could this possibly be a dugong tooth/tusk?

Best,
Robert

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by Robert

Hello Detlef, Very interesting gunong you have there. I cannot really tell from the photos for sure but the end of the tooth looks to be either worn or broken in an odd manner. Just to create more confusion could this possibly be a dugong tooth/tusk?

Best,
Robert

Hello Robert,

thank you. Agree with you that it is difficult to see by the pictures how the end is broken. Will know more when I have received it. Regarding about the handle material I am with David but who knows? But maybe I will be able to tell more when I have it in my hands.

Regards,

Detlef

[David]

I don't think this id dunong tusk. Dunong has a different surface character. See this example.

[Bangkaya]

The scabbard and the decorative motifs look Waray....

[Battara]

Originally Posted by Bangkaya

The scabbard and the decorative motifs look Waray....

Bangkaya, would you happen to have pictures/examples of Waray-Waray work?

[David]

Originally Posted by Battara

Bangkaya, would you happen to have pictures/examples of Waray-Waray work?

I would also love to see examples if you have any Bangkaya.
José, if i am not mistaken i believe that Waray-Waray is the language and that the people themselves are referred to simply as Waray.
It seems that this language is spoken across Samar, Billiran and Leyte and i suppose that means that there are various tribes that come under the heading of the Waray people. Do all these people share the same motifs as well as their language?

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by Bangkaya

The scabbard and the decorative motifs look Waray....

Interesting.... Would also like to see examples.

Regards,

Detlef

[Spunjer]

don't have one on hand, but a good way to see Waray motifs would be on some of the garabs...

[Bangkaya]

Originally Posted by Spunjer

don't have one on hand, but a good way to see Waray motifs would be on some of the garabs...

Sorry for the late reply, but I assumed most collectors of Filipino weaponry would be familiar with Waray swords and design motifs. David is correct that the Waray are the ethno-linguistic group hailing from Leyte, Samar, and Bilaran. They are surrounded by the Ilonggos and the Cebuanos and are fiercely proud of their heritage. As Spunger has mentioned the weapon most closely associated with them is the garab made infamous by the pulajanes faction (mainly in Samar) and early examples of the binulang sansibar (though later sansibars have more of a Cebuano influence due the migration of Cebuano panday clans to the Carigara and Jaro regions of Leyte....but I digress.) More people would be familiar with the later examples of Waray weaponry with all those WWII souvenir "Victory" "talibons" usually marked with Leyte 1945 on the scabbards.

I realize my initial response was a bit vague. What I implied was that the scabbard looked Waray and may not be original to the dagger. This is actually quite common in the Philippines. I have an old junggayan barung with a replacement Ilonggo scabbard (it looks weird, but fits like a glove.) The gunong itself could be Moro (though I'm not 100% certain it is, too.) The reason I say Waray is because of the design motifs on that gunong scabbard show more Waray traits than any Bangsamoro traits from any of the Muslim peoples...especially those of Lupah Sug. For one, Moro design motifs would be more organic and amorphous with less defined borders. This scabbard has heavily defined motif borders and panels with more repetitive geometric elements....definitive Waray design elements. Also, there is a definite representation of a flower in the center of the scabbard....you would never see that on a Moro scabbard. As for photos, I've seen several excellent examples of Waray weapons such as pulajanes garabs posted here by several members of this forum to study and compare.

Regards,

Bangkaya