Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post

Ian · 31st January 2005, 01:10 PM

Hi Jimmer:

You will NEVER be cured of the sword collecting urge!

The kris you show comes from one of the Lumad groups in Mindanao, most likely the Bagobo judging from the bulbous bone/ivory pommel and the cloth binding the scabbard. Kris with a bulbous pommel can be seen in photographs of Bagobo dating to the early 20th C.

I showed pictures of similar kris a couple of years ago, and the pictures are here on the old Forum: http://www.vikingsword.com/ubb/Forum1/HTML/001969.html

These and similar Lumad kris, especially those of the Kaolo (aka Tagakaolo, Kaulo, Kaolu), are finding their way to Manila via Davao City. Some have decent old blades that are probably Moro in origin (Maguindanao, most likely, because they are the Moro living nearest the Lumad tribes who are bringing these swords to market). In many of these kris and their sabbards one can detect elements of Bagobo, T'boli and Kaolo styles. Sometimes its hard to know which group "adopted" and dressed up the kris in front of you.

The two examples below are probably Bagobo.

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Ian.

31st January 2005, 01:10 PM	#2
Ian Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: The Aussie Bush Posts: 4,360	Nice kris Hi Jimmer: You will NEVER be cured of the sword collecting urge! The kris you show comes from one of the Lumad groups in Mindanao, most likely the Bagobo judging from the bulbous bone/ivory pommel and the cloth binding the scabbard. Kris with a bulbous pommel can be seen in photographs of Bagobo dating to the early 20th C. I showed pictures of similar kris a couple of years ago, and the pictures are here on the old Forum: http://www.vikingsword.com/ubb/Forum1/HTML/001969.html These and similar Lumad kris, especially those of the Kaolo (aka Tagakaolo, Kaulo, Kaolu), are finding their way to Manila via Davao City. Some have decent old blades that are probably Moro in origin (Maguindanao, most likely, because they are the Moro living nearest the Lumad tribes who are bringing these swords to market). In many of these kris and their sabbards one can detect elements of Bagobo, T'boli and Kaolo styles. Sometimes its hard to know which group "adopted" and dressed up the kris in front of you. The two examples below are probably Bagobo. <center> </center> Ian.