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#1 |
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Join Date: Oct 2018
Posts: 634
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Greetings, in the tradition of the other "show us..." threads, was curious how many members have panabas. To start off, here's mine. 17-inch blade, 14.5-inch handle. There are geometric patterns on the handle that provide a secure grip. Thickest part of spine is 0.5 inches or 1.27 cm. Looking forward to seeing more panabas, TIA!
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#2 |
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Join Date: Apr 2005
Posts: 3,252
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Hello Xas, that begs the question: How do you differentiate between panabas of Maguindanao vs Maranao origin? Thanks in advance!
Regards, Kai |
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#3 | |
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Join Date: Oct 2018
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To my understanding, panabas is endemic to the Maguindanaons- the Maranaons don't produce it, except for tourist versions which can be differentiated by its over-intricacy, both in blade and fittings. The Maguindanaons even up to the present time retain knowledge of the panabas and the terms associated with it- warfare, duelling, execution, etc. In period pics, it was always the Maguindanaon datus who used kris, kampilan, and panabas as badges of office. Hope this clears up things. |
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#4 |
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Thanks, Xas, that makes things easier!
![]() BTW, Cato does mention Maranao names for panabas parts - so, these would be later adapted or spurious? No need to dwell on the modern repros, indeed... Regards, Kai |
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#5 |
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Join Date: Apr 2005
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To start things off, here a few examples I'm currently taking care of:
(Pics courtesy of Gavin & Oliver) |
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#6 |
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Join Date: Dec 2019
Location: Eastern Sierra
Posts: 429
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Are these related to what Van Zonneveld called "stick swords" from Flores?
Last edited by Interested Party; 14th February 2021 at 04:10 AM. |
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#7 | |
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Join Date: Oct 2018
Posts: 634
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#8 | |
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Join Date: Oct 2018
Posts: 634
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#9 | |
Vikingsword Staff
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: The Aussie Bush
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I don't think there is a direct link or a particular association between the two. The panabas as a weapon is thought to be derived from an agricultural tool known as a tabas--the two coexist today. This more basic tool seems to be an item found in various parts of Asia, being basically a long curved axe for chopping. I have seen similar tools in northern India and mainland SE Asia (e.g., Thai pra). It is possible that "stick swords" in the Malay world were derived from similar agricultural implements in their respective cultures. In Europe, long-bladed glave are probably another example of an agricultural tool of this general type finding its way into armories. |
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#10 |
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Join Date: Nov 2004
Posts: 6,285
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A Stick Sword or Toa from Solor.
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#11 |
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Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Denmark
Posts: 157
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Here's mine. Interested to see what you knowledgeable folks think of it.
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#12 |
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Join Date: Apr 2005
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Hello Chris,
Nice one! (Let me know whenever you decide to let it go... ![]() It sure does look like it was ready for a spike; seems it was originally intended without a spike though. Any hints from close examination? Regards, Kai |
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#13 |
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Location: Denmark
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No indication that it ever had a spike, looks like it was made this way. The blade is heavy duty, 1cm thick at the base - I would definitely not like to be in the way of anyone swinging this!
Are the copper filled holes common decoration on these? Best, Chris |
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#14 | |
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#15 |
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Join Date: Apr 2005
Posts: 3,252
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I believe there are a couple of examples in the archives - some in the now defunct UBB forum though. Certainly not common but usually similar to decor on kampilan.
Regards, Kai |
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#16 |
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Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Germany, Dortmund
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Nice examples so far gentlemen!
![]() Here are my both examples, both are padsumbalin panabas, one big and a small one. The big one I don't have at hand but will receive it soon back with cleaned blade. Regards, Detlef |
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#17 |
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And I have this small one but only the blade, the handle which comes with it isn't the original one, it's a small one as well.
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#18 |
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Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 999
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Here’s a couple more to add.
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#19 |
EAAF Staff
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Louisville, KY
Posts: 7,189
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Here is a picture of my padsumbalin panabas that was documented in Cato and was stolen years ago from me. The bands are nickel-silver.
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#20 |
EAAF Staff
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Louisville, KY
Posts: 7,189
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Here is my current padsumbalin panabas with steel bands and okir butt.
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#21 |
EAAF Staff
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Louisville, KY
Posts: 7,189
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And here is my bading panabas with okir edge. Bands in copper with a silver strip around the end.
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#22 | |
Vikingsword Staff
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: The Aussie Bush
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Not very common to see brass inlays on panabas and, as Kai noted, the same inlays occur on a minority of kampilan too. I'm not aware of any specific significance of brass dots on these weapons. Some of our Filipino members might be able to help. Interestingly, inlaid brass dots appear on Lumad blades as well, especially on T'boli tok. Again, I don't know about their significance either. |
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#23 | |
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Nice blade with carving on the end. This is now the third or fourth one of these I have seen, so yours is not alone. Any thoughts about the significance of this style variant? As an aside, I have a very nice little Vietnamese or Malaysian chopper that is about 16-18 inches long and would pass for a miniature panabas (hilt is not typical thought). It has similar scalloped carvings to the end of its blade. Ian. P.S. Found a picture (not very good one) of that chopper. . Last edited by Ian; 15th February 2021 at 06:29 AM. |
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#24 | |
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Location: Eastern Sierra
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Ian thank you very much for the explanation. It helped. |
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#25 |
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Join Date: Dec 2004
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Hi IP,
Thanks for showing the van Zonneveld pictures and text. I've taken the liberty of scanning the figures to try to get a clearer image. Afraid the original pictures are not very good. Ian. . |
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#26 |
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Join Date: Apr 2005
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Here's another example of the long version from eastern Flores; from handling, these are more akin to a kampilan (with the longer hilt compensating for the shorter blade). The blades were usually/often imported from SE Sulawesi and no hints seem to be extant suggesting any direct link with the Moro traditions.
Regards, Kai |
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#27 | |
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There also was the notion that the panabas might be related to a family of bent blades from Borneo (buko, latok, pandat, sadap, tangkin). However, these exhibit pretty different handling characteristics and construction details; moreover, these were dedicated war swords while the panabas is widely acknowledged to have agrarian roots.
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Regards, Kai |
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#28 |
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Location: Eastern Sierra
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Sorry for the bad picture. I had lighting issues and was more interested in presenting the text. When I looked at the originals with a jeweler's loop 526 appeared to have a Indonesian or Sumatran style pamor. 528 had a cloudy line down the longitudinal center of the blade with a light towards the cutting edge and a dark side towards the spine. I can't tell if it is a lamination mark or a differential temper.
Thank you all for explaining the ancestry of these weapons. Am I correct in assuming that they occupied similar places in the relative martial traditions as heavy choppers? I would imagine that given proximity these are cultures that had some contact with each other. I have been noticing that posted examples have very little edge damage. Does this mean that there was little blade to blade contact in this martial arts system, i.e. no or few parries, or are surviving examples ones that did not see use? |
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#29 | |
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Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 999
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Sajen, what are the dimensions of your Panabas with the blue background?
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#30 | |
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Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Germany, Dortmund
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Hello Albert, This small panabas was once discussed here: http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...hlight=panabas It's 55 cm (21.65") long, blade is 31 cm. Regards, Detlef |
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