Tboli sudeng - vintage photo

Oliver Pinchot · 4th June 2021, 03:29 PM

In fact, he doesn't seem to be wearing it-- there is a munsala visible but no means of support. If he is just holding it, this would support Ian's observation. Great photo!

Marbel · 4th June 2021, 03:59 PM

Hello Ian & Oliver,

Thanks for the comments.

To be sure, the photo is definitely from 1970. In fact I think it's important to note that photos of the Tboli from this era are very rare. The Tboli obviously had no cameras and were very rarely visited by anyone with a camera. The earliest Tboli photos I've ever found were dated from approximately 1960 and came from the archive of a Summer Institute of Linguistics missionary who lived with the Tboli for decades.

I'd say that the photo was likely just slightly posed as Mydans was a wonderful professional photographer. The sudeng would not have been used as an every day blade for wearing or working but was certainly carried for a purpose that day. In terms of the occasion, other photos from the same day reveal that it was actually an important one in the mountains as they were being paid a visit by Manuel Elizalde. The Tboli weren't necessarily wearing their finest, but a bit more adornment by the women and plenty of swords by the men are certainly seen in the photos.

All the best!

Marbel · 4th June 2021, 07:39 PM

Here is another photo taken on the same day.

At first I thought the man near the middle might be the same man above. However while the scabbard looks similar, his hat is different and he isn’t wearing the black ring on his left hand nor wearing all of the earrings shown in the other photo.

It is interesting to see the other weapons in the photo. The man on the left has a sangi on his hip. The man facing us looks to be holding a very traditional Tboli tok and the man on the far right has a nice old Maguindanao sword strapped to his side. Or as the Tboli would call it, a sudeng.

JeffS · 5th June 2021, 04:04 AM

Very cool. Is the full set available online for viewing?

Marbel · 5th June 2021, 06:55 AM

Hi Jeff,

Yes, the complete archive is available. You can find it at this link:
https://artsandculture.google.com/se...Elizalde&hl=en

JeffS · 5th June 2021, 12:18 PM

Wonderful series of photos. I have uploaded a few more of them.

David · 5th June 2021, 02:26 PM

Yes, Carl Mydans was indeed an excellent photographer and this series of images would have been done for Life Magazine. Carl is also known for excellent work for the Farm Security Association (FSA) photo project. I would not go so far as to suggest that any of these images were "staged". Posed would be a better term as the people were there with there weapons already and he probably just asked them to strike a pose. It is interesting that they would all turn out with their swords for a visit from Manuel Elizalde. Elizalde has a rather complex history, at once a proponent for the rights of minority peoples and also apparently a master con man who invented a story about discovering a "Stone Age" tribe of people (Tasaday Hoax) living the the hills that he kept up until after he and his wife fled the Philippines with millions of dollars from the foundation he set up for this isolated tribe.
I find it interesting that the Tboli would consider a visit from Elizalde to be a time to carry their weapons if this was not a common practice in some regard, if not on a daily basis, but whenever they hosted any official visitations from "dignitaries".

4th June 2021, 03:59 PM	#2
Marbel Member Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 67	Tboli sudeng - vintage photo Hello Ian & Oliver, Thanks for the comments. To be sure, the photo is definitely from 1970. In fact I think it's important to note that photos of the Tboli from this era are very rare. The Tboli obviously had no cameras and were very rarely visited by anyone with a camera. The earliest Tboli photos I've ever found were dated from approximately 1960 and came from the archive of a Summer Institute of Linguistics missionary who lived with the Tboli for decades. I'd say that the photo was likely just slightly posed as Mydans was a wonderful professional photographer. The sudeng would not have been used as an every day blade for wearing or working but was certainly carried for a purpose that day. In terms of the occasion, other photos from the same day reveal that it was actually an important one in the mountains as they were being paid a visit by Manuel Elizalde. The Tboli weren't necessarily wearing their finest, but a bit more adornment by the women and plenty of swords by the men are certainly seen in the photos. All the best! Last edited by Marbel; 5th June 2021 at 03:24 PM.

4th June 2021, 07:39 PM	#3
Marbel Member Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 67	Tboli sudeng - vintage photo Here is another photo taken on the same day. At first I thought the man near the middle might be the same man above. However while the scabbard looks similar, his hat is different and he isn’t wearing the black ring on his left hand nor wearing all of the earrings shown in the other photo. It is interesting to see the other weapons in the photo. The man on the left has a sangi on his hip. The man facing us looks to be holding a very traditional Tboli tok and the man on the far right has a nice old Maguindanao sword strapped to his side. Or as the Tboli would call it, a sudeng. Attached Images

5th June 2021, 12:18 PM	#6
JeffS Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Singapore Posts: 423	Wonderful series of photos. I have uploaded a few more of them. Attached Images

4th June 2021, 03:29 PM	#1
Oliver Pinchot Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Posts: 461	In fact, he doesn't seem to be wearing it-- there is a munsala visible but no means of support. If he is just holding it, this would support Ian's observation. Great photo!

5th June 2021, 04:04 AM	#4
JeffS Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Singapore Posts: 423	Very cool. Is the full set available online for viewing?

5th June 2021, 06:55 AM	#5
Marbel Member Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 67	Hi Jeff, Yes, the complete archive is available. You can find it at this link: https://artsandculture.google.com/se...Elizalde&hl=en

5th June 2021, 02:26 PM	#7
David Keris forum moderator Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Nova Scotia Posts: 7,211	Yes, Carl Mydans was indeed an excellent photographer and this series of images would have been done for Life Magazine. Carl is also known for excellent work for the Farm Security Association (FSA) photo project. I would not go so far as to suggest that any of these images were "staged". Posed would be a better term as the people were there with there weapons already and he probably just asked them to strike a pose. It is interesting that they would all turn out with their swords for a visit from Manuel Elizalde. Elizalde has a rather complex history, at once a proponent for the rights of minority peoples and also apparently a master con man who invented a story about discovering a "Stone Age" tribe of people (Tasaday Hoax) living the the hills that he kept up until after he and his wife fled the Philippines with millions of dollars from the foundation he set up for this isolated tribe. I find it interesting that the Tboli would consider a visit from Elizalde to be a time to carry their weapons if this was not a common practice in some regard, if not on a daily basis, but whenever they hosted any official visitations from "dignitaries".