Filipino Traditional Blades--a brief review (part I)

[Ian]

This photograph shows an agricultural tool from Palawan.

"Pangarit" Panabas of Palawan.
Also called Panabas and Garab in other regions.
Used for clearing tall grass and gathering food for cattle livestock.

This item is attributed to Palawan, which is a Tagalog-speaking island (except perhaps in the south among Muslim groups). I cannot find pangarit in my Tagalog/English dictionary. It appears to be derived from the affix pan/pang- and -arit. Arit is a Malay word meaning "sickle" which, given the appearance of this blade, would be an accurate description. There is a term in Cebuano, pangarit, which is synonymous with karit and that also means "sickle." I am unsure why a Palawano blade would have a Cebuano name, but the native term seems to be "sickle." It is a little disturbing to see that this also seems to be called panabas or garab in other regions. Neither a Moro panabas nor a Visayan garab look anything like this sickle.

I think this is one way in which unfortunate rumors can start. The neophyte reading this might jump to the conclusion that the panabas is a weapon of Muslims on Palawan. And so we have the Palawano panabas being discussed as if it were a fact. There could be a Palawano panabas similar to those in Mindanao or Sulu (I've never heard of one or seen any evidence for such a claim), but this picture is not the evidence for such a weapon or tool.

My conclusion on reading this site (and I did not get through all of it by any means) is that there are some really good data mixed in with some confusing and sometimes inaccurate information. Sorting through what's good and what's not takes an experienced eye and some knowledge of the languages used. I don't have the linguistic skills to decipher the subtleties of different dialects and had to rely on books/online sources. I would suggest that folks read the data on this site carefully and try to figure out what is wheat and what is chaff. Like any blog site, the material is not reviewed for accuracy and people can post whatever they wish. That said, this site seems above average in the quality of its pictures and comments.

DISCLAIMER: Everything I have written here is my personal view and in no way reflects the opinions of Vikingsword, EEWRS, or other members of this web site.

Ian
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