Origin of the kampilan?

[fernando]

Hi Lorenz

Originally Posted by migueldiaz

... can you please comment again based on the drawings below of scimitar-looking Tausug kampilans ...

Indeed the earlier you pick on Kampilan examples the more they look like scimitars. The one you posted is perhaps a specimen latyer to the discussed period, with its knuckle guard provision.
On the other hand, the terçado remains a bit ambiguous, concerning its early form. Not that it is seldom mentioned; i have found a zillion quotations, in the works of Portuguese chronists, Castanheda, João de Barros, Fernão Medes Pinto. You have mentions on short terçados, naked terçados, adorned terçados with golden scabbards, even the ones carried by pages for their masters (like the King of Cambay), as also carried by women; all of these mostly belonging to the "Moors", but never a description on their form. Exception for the travels of Ibn Batuta (1346) who, when in the Maldives and according to the Portuguese translator (1840), saw the instructions of some Gadija being written in palm leaves (ola) with a curved iron, similar to a terçado. At a certain point i think the term was even used genericaly for sword ... a curved sword ... basicaly Moor. And maybe Pigafetta was used to see the the large version of it ... larger than the scimitar versions he had seen. Or he was hot minded with the event, which would be no surprise.
If i am not wrong, somebody mentioned the Moluco islands in a prior post.
I am inserting here an interesting picture, for general apreciation.
Fernando

.

[migueldiaz]

Originally Posted by fernando

Indeed the earlier you pick on Kampilan examples the more they look like scimitars. The one you posted is perhaps a specimen latyer to the discussed period, with its knuckle guard provision. On the other hand, the terçado remains a bit ambiguous, concerning its early form. Not that it is seldom mentioned; i have found a zillion quotations, ...

Thanks Fernando for the additional info!

Still on trying to find out where Pigafetta was coming from when he described that large terçado of the ethnic Filipinos, I found the pics below of Spanish blades in Osprey's The Conquistadores.

The blades in the Battle of Mactan is truly an interesting "east meets west" kind of encounter

[migueldiaz]

Still from Osprey's The Conquistadores, images of 16th century Spanish soldiers ...

[migueldiaz]

Finally, some color plates from the same book.

I'm almost done reading Pigafetta's full account of the blades he saw throughout their landfalls in what are now Philippines and Malaysia (Borneo).

I'll post what I gathered as soon as my boss stops bothering me about some inconsequential reports that are due soon

[VANDOO]

A BIT MORE SPECULATION
IN MANY PICTURES OF MORO DATAU YOU SEE ONE OR MORE SWORD BEARERS WHO HAVE A KAMPILIAN THEY ARE NEAR THE DATAU IN ALL THE PICTURES I HAVE SEEN. I SUSPECT THAT IN BATTLE THESE SWORDBEARERS WOULD BE RIGHT BESIDE AND AROUND THE DATU. IN THE PICTURES THERE IS USUALLY THE DATUS FAMILY OR OTHER DATU AND PEOPLE OF IMPORTANCE SO THE SWORDBEARER IS AT A LITTLE DISTANCE.
IN A BATTLE WITH VERY EXPERIENCED FIGHTING MEN WITH ARMOR AND LONG SWORDS SUCH AS MAGELLENS MEN IT WOULD BE SMARTER AND SAFER TO FIGHT THEM WITH SPEARS AND SHIELDS AND NOT TO GET IN TOO CLOSE. WHEN MAGELLAN WAS DOWN AND SEPARATED FROM HIS WARRIORS IT WAS SAFE TO APROACH AND FINISH HIM OFF.
PERHAPS LAPULAPU THEN CALLED HIS SWORDBEARER AND TOOK THE KAMPILIAN TO FINISH HIM OFF. IT MAY SHOW HONOR TO KILL A WORTHY FOE WITH THE KAMPILIAN RATHER THAN JUST TO STICK HIM FULL OF SPEARS OR IT MIGHT BE TO SHOW THE DATU'S POWER TO EXECUTE HIS ENEMY?. IT IS ALSO LIKELY THEY TOOK HIS HEAD SO A KAMPILIAN WOULD ALSO SERVE WELL FOR THAT. IS THERE ANY MENTION OF THEM TAKEING HIS HEAD OR IF MAGELLANS ENTIRE BODY WAS RECOVERED.?

[Andrew]

Nice discussion.

To the "classics". http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=3699

[fernando]

Originally Posted by VANDOO

A BIT MORE SPECULATION
IN MANY PICTURES OF MORO DATAU YOU SEE ONE OR MORE SWORD BEARERS WHO HAVE A KAMPILIAN THEY ARE NEAR THE DATAU IN ALL THE PICTURES I HAVE SEEN. I SUSPECT THAT IN BATTLE THESE SWORDBEARERS WOULD BE RIGHT BESIDE AND AROUND THE DATU. IN THE PICTURES THERE IS USUALLY THE DATUS FAMILY OR OTHER DATU AND PEOPLE OF IMPORTANCE SO THE SWORDBEARER IS AT A LITTLE DISTANCE.
IN A BATTLE WITH VERY EXPERIENCED FIGHTING MEN WITH ARMOR AND LONG SWORDS SUCH AS MAGELLENS MEN IT WOULD BE SMARTER AND SAFER TO FIGHT THEM WITH SPEARS AND SHIELDS AND NOT TO GET IN TOO CLOSE. WHEN MAGELLAN WAS DOWN AND SEPARATED FROM HIS WARRIORS IT WAS SAFE TO APROACH AND FINISH HIM OFF.
PERHAPS LAPULAPU THEN CALLED HIS SWORDBEARER AND TOOK THE KAMPILIAN TO FINISH HIM OFF. IT MAY SHOW HONOR TO KILL A WORTHY FOE WITH THE KAMPILIAN RATHER THAN JUST TO STICK HIM FULL OF SPEARS OR IT MIGHT BE TO SHOW THE DATU'S POWER TO EXECUTE HIS ENEMY?. IT IS ALSO LIKELY THEY TOOK HIS HEAD SO A KAMPILIAN WOULD ALSO SERVE WELL FOR THAT. IS THERE ANY MENTION OF THEM TAKEING HIS HEAD OR IF MAGELLANS ENTIRE BODY WAS RECOVERED.?

Fair reasoning.
However it seems as the actual manner how Magalhães was finally executed is not yet established. This particular, together with his birth date and place are still an uncertainty. This was still assumed by the most recent author of a supposedly thorough research book on Magalhães biography and the circumnavigation saga, Michel Chandeigne, a French teacher who used to lecture in Lisbon.
Naturally there are versions of his beheading, here and there. For example, a martial arts Brazilian academy narrates that the ten Datus of Borneo, each with a force of a hundred men arrived at the island of Panay in the Visaya region, in the 13th century. Some historians beleive that this is when the old Philipino martial art Kali was born. It is said that Kali is the art of wide blades, an art that deeply influenced Philipino war traditions, being considered by some as the mother of all styles of stick and knife (sword) fighting. This source assumes that Magalhães was decapitated by the Datu Lapu Lapu and that, according to historians, Magalhães beheader was a Kali master.

Fernando

[Spunjer]

Originally Posted by fernando

Fair reasoning.

Naturally there are versions of his beheading, here and there. For example, a martial arts Brazilian academy narrates that the ten Datus of Borneo, each with a force of a hundred men arrived at the island of Panay in the Visaya region, in the 13th century. Some historians beleive that this is when the old Philipino martial art Kali was born. It is said that Kali is the art of wide blades, an art that deeply influenced Philipino war traditions, being considered by some as the mother of all styles of stick and knife (sword) fighting. This source assumes that Magalhães was decapitated by the Datu Lapu Lapu and that, according to historians, Magalhães beheader was a Kali master.

Fernando

sorry fernando, but the legend of the ten datus was just that, a legend. although it has been disproven, it is sad to say that it's still in some of the history books.
here's a nice link regarding that, and the ever persistent art of "kali" (another made up word, lol).

http://cebueskrima.s5.com/index_2.html

from what pigafetta described, magellan was pretty much bum rushed, nothing fancy. i understand there's a lot of romanticism involved to give the art some sort of history, but truth is more important.

[migueldiaz]

Originally Posted by fernando

This source assumes that Magalhães was decapitated by the Datu Lapu Lapu and that ...

Hi Fernando.

One the one hand, that Magalhães was decapitated is a possibility I think.

On the other hand, we also read from Pigafetta that when the Christian king [Humabon] sent word to the Mactan people that if they return the body of Magalhães and the others they will be given as much merchandise as they might wish for, Lapulapu's people said 'no' --

"... but they answered that on no account would they ever give up that man, but they wished to preserve him as a monument of their triumph."

That Lapulapu's men were principled and not materialistic is sure fine by me But my point is that if the bodies were to be made as trophies (and we can see that Lapulapu did a lot of planning in that battle), then I think nobody was decapitated.

As an aside, I think Cebuanos in general go by the "work hard, play hard" rule. Earlier, Pigafetta noted one trait of the Cebuanos of old --

"When our people went on shore by day or by night, they always met with some one who invited them to eat and drink. They only half cook their victuals, and salt them very much, which makes them drink a great deal; and they drink much with reeds, sucking the wine from the vessels. Their repasts always last from five to six hours."

Going back to Magalhães' body, I certainly hope that one day an excavation will yield bodies that will point to Magalhães and company (including those of the 20+ others who were massacred in the delightful dinner).

[migueldiaz]

Originally Posted by VANDOO

... IN MANY PICTURES OF MORO DATAU YOU SEE ONE OR MORE SWORD BEARERS WHO HAVE A KAMPILIAN THEY ARE NEAR THE DATAU IN ALL THE PICTURES I HAVE SEEN ...

Just wanted to post the attached pic. But was that really a kampilan and an umbrella, or was it just an umbrella alone?

Originally Posted by VANDOO

IT MAY SHOW HONOR TO KILL A WORTHY FOE WITH THE KAMPILIAN RATHER THAN JUST TO STICK HIM FULL OF SPEARS ...

Am not sure what the practice of the ethnic Visayans was.

But if beheading was the way to go, then Lapulapu being a man of principle must have done that to Magellan.

Like recently, the Indonesian Bali bombers were sentenced to death by firing squad. But being Muslims, they were requesting their govt that they be beheaded instead. The govt stuck though to firing squad.

But going back to Magellan and his encounter with the kampilan, I tend to think that the body was not decapitated, per my earlier post.

[migueldiaz]

Still on the kampilan's probable origins, I've compiled Pigafetta's observations on the locals he encountered.

I was trying to see if there's anything he noted that will shed more light on the subject.


[1] At "Ladrone Islands" [Guam and Marianas Islands]

"These people have no arms, but use sticks ['baston'], which have a fishbone at the end."

[2] At "Zzamal & Humunu islands" [Samar Is. and Homonhon Is.]

"The lord of these people [in Homonhon Is.] was old, and had his face painted, and had gold rings suspended to his ears, which they names Schione, and the others had many bracelets and rings of gold in their arms, with a wrapper of linen round their head ...

"Near this isle is another where there are a kind of people who wear holes in their ears so large that they can pass their arms through them; these people are Caphre, that is to say, Gentiles, and they go naked, except that round their middles they wear cloth made of the bark of trees.

"But there are some of the more remarkable of them who wear cotton stuff, and at the end of it there is some work of silk done with a needle. These people are tawny, fat, and painted, and they anoint themselves with the oil of coco nuts and sesame, to preserve them from the sun and the wind. Their hair is very black and long, reaching to the waist, and they carry small daggers and knives, ornamented with gold, and many other things, such as darts ['fascines', 'faxina', 'foscine'], harpoons, and nets to fish, like our rizali, and their boats are like ours."

[3] At "Mazzavua" or "Massaua" or "Mazzava", which is either Limasawa Is. (southern Leyte), or Masaua (near Butuan City in northeastern Mindanao)

"... he [Rajah Calambu, the first Filipino king Magellan met] was the handsomest man that we saw among these nations. He had very black hair coming down to his shoulders, with a silk cloth on this head, and two large gold rings hanging down his ears, he had a cloth of cotton worked with silk, which covered him from the waist to the knees, at his side he wore a dagger, with a long handle which was all of gold, its sheath was of carved wood. Besides he carried upon him scents of storax and benzoin. He was tawny and painted all over. The island of this king is named Zuluan [Suluan, a tiny island near Homonhon] and Calagan [Caraga peninsula, which is part of Mindanao island] ...

"... the captain [Magellan] asked him [Rajah Calambu] if he had any enemies who made war upon him, and that if he had any he would go and defeat them with his men and ships, to put them under his obedience. The king thanked him, and answered that there were two islands the inhabitants of which were his enemies; however, that for the present it was not the time to attack them."

[4] At "Zzubu", also Cabu, Zabu, Subsuth, Subuth, Zubut, Cubo, Subo, or Zubo [all meaning Cebu]

From Oliveira: "As soon as he [Magellan's fleet] entered [Cebu port], he ordered some cannons to be fired, after which many people, armed with spears, shields and swords, came running to the shore. The king who was among them, ordered immediately to inquire from the captain who he was ..."

Back to Pigafetta: "When we came to the town we found the King of Zzubu at his palace, sitting on the ground on a mat made of palm, with many people about him. He was quite naked, except that he had a cloth round his middle, and a loose wrapper round his head, worked with silk by the needle. He had a very heavy chain round his neck, and two gold rings hung in his ears with precious stones. He was a small and fat man, and his face was painted with fire in different ways."

[5] At "Matan" or "Mautham" [Mactan]

Various accounts of the Battle of Mactan were already cited before in this thread.

I'd just like to add the probable reason why it is thought that Lapulapu must had been from Mindanao, and probably a Muslim:

"The captain before attacking wished to attempt gentle means, and sent on shore the Moorish merchant [instead of Enrique, the Malay slave of Magellan who was the interpreter earlier] to tell those islanders who were of the party of Cilapulapu [Lapulapu] ..."

I think though that Lapulapu was not a Muslim because: (a) Pigafetta being a detailed chronicler always indicated whether the people were Gentiles or Moors; (b) the only probable reason Magellan used the Moorish merchant in the pre-battle talks in Mactan was perhaps because earlier, it was the same Moor who convinced Raja Humabon to cooperate with Magellan; and (c) Pigafetta also noted that pigs among others were the common livestock of the islands (i.e., Cebu and elsewhere).

By the way, we also read from Transylvanus' account of the Battle of Mactan that: "... the enemy were more numerous, and used longer weapons, with which they did our men much damage ..."

[6] At "Bohol" Is. [Bohol] and "Panilongon" Is. [Panglao]

Here, the Concepcion was burned, given the lack of crew.

[7] At "Chippit" or "Gibesh" or "Gibeth" [Quipit, Zamboanga del Norte, Mindanao]

Magellan's crew was received well by the local king, Raja Calanao. Pigafetta didn't make note of the weapons he saw. Again, pigs were mentioned as part of the usual livestock (hence, still no local Muslims had been encountered so far since Magellan entered the Philippines).

[8] At "Cagayan" or "Caghain" or "Caghaiam" [Cagayan Sulu]

"... we touched at an almost uninhabited island, which afterwards we learned was named Cagayan. The few people there are Moors, who have been banished from an island called Burne [Borneo]. They go naked like the others, and carry blow-pipes with small quivers at their sides full of arrows, and a herb with which they poison them. They have daggers, with hilts adorned with gold and precious stones, lances, bucklers, and small cuirasses of buffaloes' hide."

This would be Pigafetta's first reference to them encountering Moors within the Philippine islands.

[9] At "Palaoan" [Palawan]

"In this island, which we learned was named Palaoan, we found pigs, goats, fowls, yams .... The people of Palaoan go naked like the other islanders ... they have blow-pipes, with thick arrows more than a span in length, with a point like that of a harpoon; some have a point made with a fish bone, and others are of reed, poisoned with a certain herb; the arrows are not trimmed with feathers, but with a soft light wood. At the foot of the blow-pipe they bind a piece of iron, by means of which, when they have no more arrows, they wield the blow-pipe like a lance. They like to adorn themselves with rings and chains of gimp and with little bells, but above all they are fond of brass wire, with which they bind their fish hooks."

[10] At "Burne" [Borneo]

"From the governor's house to that of the king, all the streets were full of men armed with swords, spears, and bucklers, the king having so commanded ... There [at the king's palace] were placed three hundred men of the king's guard with naked daggers in their hands, which they held on their thighs ... All the men who were in the palace had their middles covered with cloth of gold and silk, they carried in their hands daggers with gold hilts, adorned with pearls and precious stones, and they had many rings on their fingers."

"In front of the king's house there is a wall made of great bricks, with barbicans like forts, upon which were fifty-six bombards of metal, and six of iron ... The king to whom we presented ourselves is a Moor, and is named Raja Siripada ..."

[11] Passage through "Zolo" [Sulu] and "Taghima" [Basilan]

Pigafetta remarked: "The King of Burne [a Moor] married a daughter of the King of Zolo ..."

[12] At "Sarangani" [Sarangani]

"We were told that at a cape of this island [Mindanao] near to a river there are men who are rather hairy, great warriors, and good archers, armed with swords a span broad. When they make an enemy prisoner they eat his heart only, and they eat it raw with the juice or oranges or lemons. This cape is called Benaian."

WH Scott remarked in Barangay that Benaian must have been a corruption of the word bayani (hero). It is also speculated that Benaian can pertain to the ethnic Mindanao tribe, the B'laan?

As for that sword that is about a span or 9 inches wide ... ???

[13] At Timor

"... [after having been through many other places] we had found here a junk that had come from Lozon [Luzon], to trade in sandal wood ..."

To recap --

- looks to me that Lapulapu was not a Muslim, and just like the rest of the Cebuanos he and his people are animists, the religion of ethnic Filipinos

- it is possible however that Lapulapu was from Mindanao, given the circumstantial evidence of that Moor being used by Magellan to be the one to negotiate with Lapulapu

- as for the sword of Lapulapu and his men, it turns out that the Pigafetta's survey of ethnic Filipino weapons will not give us much

- and Pigafetta not hinting on Lapulapu being a Moor would therefore eliminate the possibility of Lapulapu having had used exotic blades

- thus perhaps the best source would still be WH Scott's Barangay, in which Scott categorically mentioned that there were only two basic prehispanic Visayan swords: the kris and the kampilan

- given that a kris is shorter and its wavy blades couldn't have missed the attention of Pigafetta, then it could have been none other than the kampilan which was used against Magellan.

As to the origin of the kampilan, after all that has been said and done, I think we are all still on a holding pattern