B'LAAN KAMPILAN?
 

Hello,

Sharing a lumad kampilan. At first glance, it looks Bagobo to me. However, there's a small tag on the scabbard which state 'b'laan.'

According to my father, this was bought in the early 90s in General Santos City.

Appreciate your inputs,

Kind regards

Yves

Blaan
 

Hello,

I'll let others weigh in with their opinions on the sword and hilt, but will note that the scabbard appears to be a nicely carved Blaan piece.

I think it's important to use the word Blaan and not B'laan, Bilaan, etc. This is a very important and emotional issue for the Blaan people, which we can recognize and respect. Thank you.

B'LAAN KAMPILAN?
 

Hello Sir Craig,

Thanks for the info. Appreciate it.

I have one curiosity. Why is it important to use the word Blaan and not B'laan? And why is it an emotional and important issue for them?

Regards

Yves

Blaan
 

Hello Yves,

I think the main issue is that early misspellings of the name Blaan created mispronunciations which were always considered to be derogatory by the Blaans. As a minority indigenous group, their voices and concerns about such things were never considered. Over the last few years, this has begun to change and the Blaan have made it clear that without recognition of their proper name and pronunciation as a start, nothing will change for them.

I am not Blaan, but I do know them and have a deep respect for their culture and history. Here are a few links, written by Blaans that can explain things much better than I can. Thank You.

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?sto...228162712&_rdr

https://www.moniquetheunique.com.au/...he-philippines


https://www.change.org/p/komisyon-sa...rophe-anywhere

Craig,


Thanks for these wonderful links that explain the Blaan name. I had always seen it written by anthropologists as B'laan and thought that was indeed the correct spelling. Nice to know how the natives speak of themselves.


Part of the problem with names is trying to transliterate what outside people hear locally. The apostrophe implies a missed vowel or other sound, while Bilaan again inserts a short "i" into the word. This is no doubt what those from outside the indigenous group thought they heard when told their name. Anthropoloigy is rife with similar examples. The greatest offenders appear to have been British colonials who butchered so many names and other words on the Asian sub-continent.


Ian.

Here is another similar example. The scabbards share a common structure, with wooden "panels," metal tubes at the toe, inserted metal dots and segments that define geometric shapes, horse hair attachments, and a row of chain rings down one side.

The hilts have small thin disk guards, a brass/bronze ferrule with shallow incised designs, and wooden grips and pommels. The blades are very similar: small kampilan-style blades with rounded ends featuring shallow file work.

All typical Blaan work. There has been a question whether they made their own blades or obtained them from the T'boli. I think at least some were made by Blaan smiths.
.

B'LAAN KAMPILAN?
 

Hello,

I've shared this info with my father- and he explained to me, in his own opinion, why it is derogatory. And now, I understand.

This is an eye opener- for the both of us.

From me and my father, our heatfelt thanks for the info.

Keep safe everyone,

Yves

One more ...


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B'LAAN KAMPILAN?
 

Hello,

now that is one beautiful piece!

Regards

Yves