Bontoc/Igorot "Fangkao" Spear

Robert · 22nd May 2016, 01:32 AM

Sorry that it has taken so long to make my reply on this thread, but things have been a total disaster here on the old homestead this weekend.

Ian, You have been most helpful in identifying this spear as for which group it might have originated from.

Nonoy, Thank you very much for your interest and for pinpointing the exact group that made this spear. It is great importance to me (and I am sure many others) to be able to not only identify by who a particular piece was made, but also knowing by what name it was called by them as well.

Right before I was to make my reply here I received an email from our good friend Lorenz. It was his response to one I had sent him earlier about this spear. In his answer (though he had not seen or been told what you had said) he is in total agreement with what has been posted. Here is his reply;

Hello Robert,
That's a very nice example. I have a friend (a PhD) who researched a lot about the subject. Based on the info I got from him the proper name of that spear is "ludít" (pronounced loo-DEET, that is, accent on the last syllable)
it is also sometimes called as "luchit" (loo-CHEAT) or "bangkaw" (bahng-COW)
All the above are Ifugao terms, and the Ifugaos are one of the largest amongst the northern Luzon mountain people called Igorots. That type is not a hunting spear; rather it's a battle spear. Its design is ancient; since time immemorial that has always been the shape of the Ifugaos' battle spear.
Another famous Igorot group, the Bontocs, also use this type of non-barbed spear but in the case of the Bontocs, this non-barbed spear is called a "fang-kao" per Jenks (an American anthropologist who wrote a book about the Bontocs in the early-1900s), the Bontocs' fang-kao is a spear used exclusively for killing pigs and carabaos (thus, the context must have been sacrificial/religious offerings).

Again I would like to thank all of you for all your interest and help in identifying this very nice old spear.

Best,
Robert

22nd May 2016, 01:32 AM	#6
Robert EAAF Staff Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Centerville, Kansas Posts: 2,196	Sorry that it has taken so long to make my reply on this thread, but things have been a total disaster here on the old homestead this weekend. Ian, You have been most helpful in identifying this spear as for which group it might have originated from. Nonoy, Thank you very much for your interest and for pinpointing the exact group that made this spear. It is great importance to me (and I am sure many others) to be able to not only identify by who a particular piece was made, but also knowing by what name it was called by them as well. Right before I was to make my reply here I received an email from our good friend Lorenz. It was his response to one I had sent him earlier about this spear. In his answer (though he had not seen or been told what you had said) he is in total agreement with what has been posted. Here is his reply; Hello Robert, That's a very nice example. I have a friend (a PhD) who researched a lot about the subject. Based on the info I got from him the proper name of that spear is "ludít" (pronounced loo-DEET, that is, accent on the last syllable) it is also sometimes called as "luchit" (loo-CHEAT) or "bangkaw" (bahng-COW) All the above are Ifugao terms, and the Ifugaos are one of the largest amongst the northern Luzon mountain people called Igorots. That type is not a hunting spear; rather it's a battle spear. Its design is ancient; since time immemorial that has always been the shape of the Ifugaos' battle spear. Another famous Igorot group, the Bontocs, also use this type of non-barbed spear but in the case of the Bontocs, this non-barbed spear is called a "fang-kao" per Jenks (an American anthropologist who wrote a book about the Bontocs in the early-1900s), the Bontocs' fang-kao is a spear used exclusively for killing pigs and carabaos (thus, the context must have been sacrificial/religious offerings). Again I would like to thank all of you for all your interest and help in identifying this very nice old spear. Best, Robert