Dha or Dao?

[Andrew]

Originally Posted by cozun

Alrighty then, my turn.

The sort of sword or machete, or Dao or Dha (Darb as I say it) that is seen in one of the posts, with the opened sheath, is coming from Birma.
To be be precise it comes from the Northwest of the country. The fabrication, style and shape is similar to the one of the Naga tribe.
However, it seems that it comes from the Rawang tribe which is a minority in the Kachin group.
I sourced a few of the last ones available for sale in Thailand just last week. Only problem: the price.

See attached some pictures of these 2 blades, and an illustration elaborating the story/origin of the people the weapons really belong to.
The illustration are found page 22-25 in:
The vanishing tribes of Birma
Editor - Seven Dials
Writer - Richard K. Diron
ISBN 1 84188 032 9

Now I trust this little pepper and salt is useful info to several of you.

Serge from coZun.

Hi Serge, welcome.

Diran's book does have some helpful information, and his photos are great (not suprising, as he's a photo-journalist, I believe).

[Mark]

Good information, Serge. I've been meaning to get that book for a while, and now I'm sure I will.

I wonder if the red scabbard and red handle have a special significance. It is so often, but not universally, seen. Of the two Kachin dao I have, the higher-quality one has the red scabbard. I also have an old Shan dha the scabbard and handle of of which had been painted red (fairly sloppily, sometimes painting over the silver covering).

[RhysMichael]

Originally Posted by Mark Bowditch

Good information, Serge. I've been meaning to get that book for a while, and now I'm sure I will.

I wonder if the red scabbard and red handle have a special significance. It is so often, but not universally, seen. Of the two Kachin dao I have, the higher-quality one has the red scabbard. I also have an old Shan dha the scabbard and handle of of which had been painted red (fairly sloppily, sometimes painting over the silver covering).
[img]http://dharesearch.bowditch.us/Images/Image21.jpg[/url]

Mark
you may have already seen this but in
ANCIENT SOUTH-EAST ASIAN WARFARE
By H. G. QUARITCH WALES. Ph.D. Litt.D.
LONDON
BERNARD QUARITCH, LTD.
1952
He states in CHAPTER VI SIAM AND BURMA: THE PREPARATIONS


"Lastly I may mention an interesting point of magical symbolism to which Professor Heine-Geldern has drawn my attention: Karl Dohring states, on the authority of La Loubere (op. cit., p. 26), that Siamese soldiers formerly wore red, the colour of the warlike planet Mars which presided over the south, and that is why military officials were on the right (south) side of the king in audience"

I know nothing about the astrology of Siam so I cannot tell you if anyone else confirms what he wrote or not. This author however has several books on Siam including
Towards Angkor in the footsteps of the Indian invaders / by H.G. Quaritch Wales ; with a foreword by Sir FrancisYounghusband and London : G.G. Harrap & Co., Ltd., [1937

and
Ancient Siamese government and administration not sure of the original publisher but Paragon Book Reprint Corp (January 1, 1965)

[Mark]

John,

I haven't seen any of those books, though Quarich Wales sounds very familiar. I've probably seen him cited somewhere. More books for my reading list.

[Flavio]

And finally the dha is here in my hands It's huge (overall lenght 90 cm!!) and a very wonderful piece!!!! The blade is laminated (or has a hardened edge ) , but anyway, even if without etching, is quite evident. The handle is a thick piece of bamboo and the belt is gorgeous