Barung; weapon, tool or tourist piece?

Battara · 31st August 2009, 04:56 AM

Interesting piece - the blade and scabbard are Maguindanao.......

migueldiaz · 31st August 2009, 01:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KuKulzA28

migueldiaz, maybe you can help me answer these... How common are these laminated blades do you think? What prices do they run at? How many are made per how many tourist swords are made?

KuKulzA28, the older ones would be the ones that will have laminated blades. And in two shops I went to last year in Davao City in Mindanao (in a strip retail for Moro crafts called Aldevinco Center), each would have about 15 krisses and only one or two out of the 15 would be older pieces, and they would of course be the ones that will have laminated blades.

That's just anecdotal evidence of course. I'm not really in a position to gauge the relative proportion of the quantities between the old ones vs. the tourist versions, because I haven't surveyed these shops enough.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Battara

Interesting piece - the blade and scabbard are Maguindanao.......

Thanks for the comment, Battara. If you don't mind my asking as I really don't know, what would be the particular features of the blade and scabbard that make them Maguin.? Thanks in advance

Battara · 31st August 2009, 07:50 PM

The front section of the ganga where the mouth is, is characteristic of being Maguindanao as well as the "shoulderless" scabbard top, which is a style of Maguindanao scabbard according to Cato.

migueldiaz · 1st September 2009, 01:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Battara

The front section of the ganga where the mouth is, is characteristic of being Maguindanao as well as the "shoulderless" scabbard top, which is a style of Maguindanao scabbard according to Cato.

Thanks!

Here's a close-up view of the gangya, which I need to clean and etch also ...

migueldiaz · 14th September 2009, 11:14 PM

From a book (Space & Identity, by Sakili) borrowed from a friend, here's a pic of how a modern Tausug carries his kalis (kris):

KuKulzA28 · 27th October 2009, 03:53 AM

Didn't they wear it with the bottom edge facing up? When did this change?

ThePepperSkull · 24th February 2010, 09:28 AM

Hmm.

The barong pictured in this page is reminiscent of something made by Jimmy Lubian, a man in Sulu who i believe still makes barong (and more often times than not restores them). I believe forum member zamboanga once had a Lubian-made blade. I could be mistaken though.

EDIT: Here's a thread that showcases his work further down in the page: http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=1525

The etch work on the MOP inlay in the piece on this thread is less reminiscent of Lubian's work though (at least what little I have seen of Lubian's work).

14th September 2009, 11:14 PM	#5
migueldiaz Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Manila, Phils. Posts: 1,042	From a book (Space & Identity, by Sakili) borrowed from a friend, here's a pic of how a modern Tausug carries his kalis (kris): Attached Images

31st August 2009, 04:56 AM	#1
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,308	Interesting piece - the blade and scabbard are Maguindanao.......

31st August 2009, 07:50 PM	#3
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,308	The front section of the ganga where the mouth is, is characteristic of being Maguindanao as well as the "shoulderless" scabbard top, which is a style of Maguindanao scabbard according to Cato.

27th October 2009, 03:53 AM	#6
KuKulzA28 Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: between work and sleep Posts: 731	Didn't they wear it with the bottom edge facing up? When did this change?

24th February 2010, 09:28 AM	#7
ThePepperSkull Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 338	Hmm. The barong pictured in this page is reminiscent of something made by Jimmy Lubian, a man in Sulu who i believe still makes barong (and more often times than not restores them). I believe forum member zamboanga once had a Lubian-made blade. I could be mistaken though. EDIT: Here's a thread that showcases his work further down in the page: http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=1525 The etch work on the MOP inlay in the piece on this thread is less reminiscent of Lubian's work though (at least what little I have seen of Lubian's work).