# Filipino blade history to present time info...



## Ron Kosakowski (Mar 3, 2009)

Now this is based on knowledge i have acquired during my Philippine trips. It is also based on my observations. At this point in my life, I have been there enough times to come to these conclusions.

A lot of the blades that I have on the TFW web site are very rare. We found some of them from some old men on whatever island in the Philippines, others were in my friends family tribe handed down through generations. Others were located in museums in the Philippines. I found some here in the Museum of Natural History but I have all the ones they showed there already on the site. 

The ones that I noticed that are common carry in the Philippines today are the Pinute and the Ginunting. Those are common in the Visyan area. Though the Pinute is popular ALL over the Philippines it seems like. The _Itak Tagalog_ http://traditionalfilipinoweapons.com/Itak%20Tagalog.html is more popular in some parts of the north...which is really a Pinute with a subtle design change.

I actually saw a few people in the south with _Kris swords_. That freaked me out to see something like that today. It was not common to see...plus think about it, the _Kris_ does not double as a tool. Made me wonder how much blood was on those Kris swords. 

In the North, it was common to see the _Golok_ http://traditionalfilipinoweapons.com/Golok.html The word Golok is common in Indonesia. But that makes sense since Bagiuo region are a result of the early Indonesian travelers who caught a wind that brought them to the north. I was told they were going to the Southern Philippines and caught a wind that brought them further north. My friend looks very Indonesian actually and so do many of the people of that area. 

I have seen a few _Karambits _but I think it is more the style in modern day that catches their eye. Again, that is an Indonesian influence. There is another type of _Karambit_, and dam I can't think of what it is called. Its ugly, it does not have that ring at the end of it...it has just a common handle...but it is deadly. Definately not a tool. I will be having that one soon also. I am not sure of the history of it right now but its common in the northern region. My gues is that it is also an Indonesian influence due to the looks of it. 

The _War Golok_ http://traditionalfilipinoweapons.com/WarGolok.html is actually another northern design...a design that is a result of the Spanish breaking the tips of the Sword of the Filipinos. The Filipinos were very good at thrust and slash action with their swords. The Spanish were intimidated by this during a lot of rebellion that was going on at the time so Spanish soldiers were ordered to take all the swords of the Filipinos and break off the tips of their swords. If anyone was seen with a tip, they were killed. Every one had to follow that law or suffer the consequences. I am not sure if this was just in one region though it seems like this blade was popular in the Luzon area. All their blades had to be forged with a flat top, though a newer fighting method of making it a little heavier and gaining a new hacking style of fighting still made it a formidable weapon. I have a War Golok that is very old...it has killed 5 different people. The 5 people were burned and the ashes were put on the sheath to keep the spirits of the warrior power in that blade. It is a priceless gift to me. You can literally smell the death on this sheath and blade. If you guys ever make it to my school, I will show it to you. I was told not to let anyone touch it so you will not be able to touch it. It disrupts the spirit balance of the blade. And i may have to use it some day. 

The _Espada Y Daga_ is not a common blade to see carried today but it is VERY popular. I think it is kept alive through Kali, Arnis and Eskrima. It is popular in San Miguel, Illustisimo and Pekiti Tirsia...I am sure many others as well.

The _Garab sword_ http://traditionalfilipinoweapons.com/GarabSword.htm is another one you see that is still carried today. The Garab knife http://traditionalfilipinoweapons.com/GarabKnife.html is a very popular design there. It is a good tool for coconuts and cutting of about everything that is done there in the Philippines. And it is definitely a formidable weapon. I like that knife. I have seen that all over the Visayan area and all over the south. I have seen many people on the side of the road using it. 

The _Iron Wood sticks_ are still carried as a self defense weapon. In the more civilized areas, you can still get prison time for slicing up a person like anywhere else now a days (not that it does not happen), so Iron wood seems to make a good self defense weapon. I have heard that some tribal arguments are fought with them. One hit with one of them http://traditionalfilipinoweapons.com/GiroIronwoodSticks.html and you will break or die. Its not like fighting with rattan where you can show off your bruises after a good fight or two.

The Pakal knives are a combat weapon made for exactly that, to be held in pakal position (ice-pick, earth position) comfortably. Those are pretty much designs of my friends tribe. You can see those on http://traditionalfilipinoweapons.com/PakalKnife2.html, http://traditionalfilipinoweapons.com/PakalKnife3.html and http://traditionalfilipinoweapons.com/PakalKnife1.html You can feel a big difference from a knife designed for that position in comparison to one that isn't. Very practical and they feel great in the hand(s).

The _Balisong_ is still a popular carry. All the Special Action Force Commandos and the Marines all had Balisongs. I found that amazing. I feel it is a good knife but there are simpler ones to carry. In Batangas, you can see the tourist versions of Balisongs all over the place for sale. To me they are crap but then again, I am spoiled by good quality. 

Pretty much, all the others on the TFW site are extinct today. Like I said, we had to seek them out and bring them back to life again. 

All cultures were once blade oriented cultures. they had to be or you would not exist today. All our ancestors had to fight with the blade at one time or another for whatever reason. The blade cultures are pretty well dead now. that is due to firearms. You pull out a blade, you get blown away. So to keep up with the Jonses, every one got a firearm. The reason it is still alive in the Philippines and other parts of SE Asia because those people depend on them as tools. they use them for everything they make, crops, etc.. Many of them are poor people who cannot afford modern tools (or a gun for that matter), they were brought up with the blade as a tool so they are used to it. In turn, you will see an occasional hacking up of a body or two when some drinking is going on or some one wronged another and revenge takes place. 

I hope you liked this information. Let me know your thoughts or if you have anything to add here.


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## jks9199 (Mar 3, 2009)

Great post.  Can you add any timelines to this?


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## Ron Kosakowski (Mar 3, 2009)

jks9199 said:


> Great post. Can you add any timelines to this?


 
Pretty much, I am referring to the Spanish era in the Philippines to what they are still using today. 

The Iron Wood sticks predate metal use though, they are still used today during "arguements." A dangerous way to find out who is right. 

I don't have exact dates on any of this information. It is based on what I was told there and my personal observations.


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