Two more gunongs
 

My love affair with this southern Philippine dagger continues. ;)

14 1/2" overall length, inserted edge. First pic is ebay pic with cellophane tape on the scabbard and a "field expedient" leather belt loop. Second is now. I added the rattan wrap, and left the cord wrap at the top. Horn ferrule was split. It has been repaired with epoxy.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...-08overall.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...l-repaired.jpg

10 1/4" monosteel blade. Some fittings are a pinkish color. A copper alloy of some sort I would suppose. Lovely piece.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...unong-5-08.jpg

Once again, you are the Gunong King, and very sharp guy ( :D ) who always makes a good point ( :D ).....ok I'll stop ( :o ).

Yes the pinkish parts are a silver-copper alloy meaning more copper mixed with the copper than usual. The brilliance of Moro craftsmen is that they used different mixtures to get different colors.

Again, have you tried etching these blades?

Thanks Jose. :)

Yes, I etched both. The larger one has an inserted edge, but there is little contrast. Hard to see in pictures. The smaller one is monosteel. Since there was no pattern, I used some metal polish to bring it back a bit from the gray etch.

Steve

Hi Steve

Love that big gunong they must have made these larger for some reason probably to get around some type of sword ban or something like that? The smaller one is nice and for some reason it looks familar to me ;).


Congrats

Lew

My understanding is that is right, Lew. After the Battle of Bud Bagsak, all Moros were banned from wearing kris or swords for a while. The gunong began to take it's place, especially since a man is shamed if he did not wear a blade in public (never mind being dangerous).

similar dagger
 

here is a dagger that looks like yours. This one has inscriptions on the blade. A friend said it could be in Jawi. The handle is ivory.

Thanks Nacho - first gunong I have seen with Jawa on it....

Very nice Nacho. Do you know what the inscription says?

Very nice, and an interesting variation Nacho. Thanks for sharing.

Steve

inscription on blade
 

Hi David,

No, I don't know what the inscription says. I was hoping someone out there might be able to read it.

Sharing some pics

Interesting gunongs, Nacho. Are the pommels ivory?

It says "There is no other God but Allah, and Mohamed is His Messenger"

The blade with this kind of inscription is normally worn during war, and the wearer knew that "most probably he would not come back alive".

I was told that in former Sulu Sultanate it was the Nashaik (spiritual guide) who decides what inscription should be written to the blade of each warrior, if the warrior is worthy. The Sultan has it's own Nashaik in his Astanah (Palace) called the Dalmatuan.

Inscriptions on the blade are sometimes called by the Tausug a Lakam...it could be in symbols or Jawi. Sometimes a prayer that this blade will never harm its master including its relatives and descendants when the blade falls into different hands.