Help Needed To Verify The Identity of A Golok

migueldiaz · 3rd July 2012, 06:28 AM

Hello all (and thanks, Nonoy). I think too that it's a Luzon bolo (peened tang, the blade profile, hilt shape, etc.). As to its age, and just guessing, it can be as old as from the late-1800s I think.

As to its local name, such a utility blade in Luzon is commonly called by a couple of names and they all mean the same thing -- sundang, gulok, or itak.

As a side note, sundang and gulok are also the most common names for utility blades and bladed weapons in our country. But there is also some regional variation, as can be expected. For instance in Panay Island and Negros Island in central Philippines, a sundang is a mere small utility knife. But in northern Philippines, a sundang is the typical 'bolo' we are all familiar with, which is of course much larger than a knife. And then as we all know also, sundang is a another term used in southern Philippines (i.e., Mindanao) to refer to a kris/kalis.

mohd · 6th July 2012, 03:37 PM

Thanks a lot to Nonoy and Miguel to confirm the identification of the 'golok' done by Vinny and Jones in the earlier postings

And now there's no doubt anymore that the origin of that particular sundang/gulok/itak is from Luzon and it was made sometimes in late 1800s.
Again thank you very much to Vinny, Jones, Nonoy and Miguel

mohd

KuKulzA28 · 6th July 2012, 06:10 PM

No problem Mohd, glad my educated guess was confirmed and expanded upon by these gurus.

I would agree that "Malay" is a very fluid term. Linguistically there's Malayo-Polynesian branch of Austronesian languages... there's Malaysian nationals, there's Malay peoples of the archipelago, there's the aforementioned "Malay Race" (like Mongoloid race), etc... I would say Malay is as fluid as Chinese... which meant different things at different time periods.

3rd July 2012, 06:28 AM	#1
migueldiaz Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Manila, Phils. Posts: 1,042	Hello all (and thanks, Nonoy). I think too that it's a Luzon bolo (peened tang, the blade profile, hilt shape, etc.). As to its age, and just guessing, it can be as old as from the late-1800s I think. As to its local name, such a utility blade in Luzon is commonly called by a couple of names and they all mean the same thing -- sundang, gulok, or itak. As a side note, sundang and gulok are also the most common names for utility blades and bladed weapons in our country. But there is also some regional variation, as can be expected. For instance in Panay Island and Negros Island in central Philippines, a sundang is a mere small utility knife. But in northern Philippines, a sundang is the typical 'bolo' we are all familiar with, which is of course much larger than a knife. And then as we all know also, sundang is a another term used in southern Philippines (i.e., Mindanao) to refer to a kris/kalis.

6th July 2012, 03:37 PM	#2
mohd Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 41	Thanks a lot to Nonoy and Miguel to confirm the identification of the 'golok' done by Vinny and Jones in the earlier postings And now there's no doubt anymore that the origin of that particular sundang/gulok/itak is from Luzon and it was made sometimes in late 1800s. Again thank you very much to Vinny, Jones, Nonoy and Miguel mohd

6th July 2012, 06:10 PM	#3
KuKulzA28 Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: between work and sleep Posts: 731	No problem Mohd, glad my educated guess was confirmed and expanded upon by these gurus. I would agree that "Malay" is a very fluid term. Linguistically there's Malayo-Polynesian branch of Austronesian languages... there's Malaysian nationals, there's Malay peoples of the archipelago, there's the aforementioned "Malay Race" (like Mongoloid race), etc... I would say Malay is as fluid as Chinese... which meant different things at different time periods.