Origin of the Kalinga Axe

[migueldiaz]

Originally Posted by migueldiaz

... I also heard that the other (grisly) use of the spike is to pick up the fallen opponent's severed head.

I heard about this, via hearsay (i.e., the info did not come from any book or study).

Browsing the book Filipinas 1874 by Jose Honorato Lozano, however, I stumbled upon the image below of the Mayoyao Igorot.

The translation of the Spaniard's description of said Igorot tribe is:

"There is one ferocious tribe among the Igorots; these are the Mayoyaos depicted in the plate. They inhabit the mountains near Nueva Vizcaya [a province adjacent to the Cordillera]. Even if pursued, it is often impossible to control them."

This lends credence thus to the report that the spike is indeed used to pick up (and even carry) the severed head. Am sure the triumphant warrior would like to prominently display such head atop the axe's spike, upon his return to his home village.

However, the more known way of bringing back the head-trophy is via the so-called "head basket". Given that the trip back home can be a day's hike or more, great care has to be taken in ensuring the head will not get spoiled!

PS - In the image, note though that the position of the handle vis-a-vis the axe head is at the center, instead of on the forward edge. Apparently that's due to an inaccurate recollection of the 19th century Spaniard who wrote the story.