the Kampilan exclusively Moro?

[MaharlikaTimawa]

Originally Posted by Battara

Mabuhay Maharlika Timawa,

To my understanding early accounts of the Philippines seem to indicate the kampilan was not a Moro creation so much as it was a common weapon in various forms among several island areas from Borneo to the Malaccas to Luzon to he Visayas to the Moro lands. With the advent of colonial Spanish rule, it seems to have died out among the Luzonos and Visayans.

Note: if I remember right, the Luzon version as shorter than the Maranao version.

And yes, the Spanish banned bladed weaponry in their areas of control (as much as they could) because Filipinos were too good with bolos - any bolos.

Shorter? The sizes the kampilan usually comes in, is 36-48 inches (3-4ft) in length. Quite odd that the kris was evidently used in the Visayans while the the Kampilan is still a theory. Although, The Visayans use of Kiuo or quiuoquiuo which was “wavy” like the Muslim kris. The Calis was a sword used by the three regions. The kampil or kampilan was favored for close range fighting but the lack of the word in the vocabularios makes it evident that it was not made by both Visayans and Tagalog smiths. Presumably, they were made and brought in from Mindanao by Muslim traders.

But again this is also just a theory considering that swords like the katana was used by the animist filipinos from trade with the Japanese. Isn't it possible that the Filipinos had their own long sword whether it may of been the kampilan or something else? the dayaks had weapon that very much resembles the kampilan and they were also animist. Maybe its possible that the kampilan existed among Visayans and Luzon.

[Battara]

Originally Posted by MaharlikaTimawa

Maybe its possible that the kampilan existed among Visayans and Luzon.

Oh I very much agree with you Maharlika Timawa!

I also agree that it was possible that the Moros brought the kampilan to the Visayas and Luzon, and perhaps to Borneo, Celebes, etc, or it came from those areas. With such scant evidence it is difficult tell who started this blade form.

In fact, could it be possible that the kampilan form could have had different names depending on the tribe and region? This happens today among the tribes for the same sword form.

[MaharlikaTimawa]

Is it just me or is this actually a Moro or a muslim visayan as opposed to the non-islamic Visayans in the Philippines. Which would explain why he's carrying a long sword and why the womens head is covered.

[kai]

why the womens head is covered.

On early pics we often do see Moro women with the hair (and body) not fully covered.

OTOH, in Christian Europe it was very common for women to cover their hair in public, in some areas even till after WW2.

What were the local customs of Christian Filipinos in early times?

Regards,
Kai