CORDILLERA BOLO
 

Hello friends,

I bought this bolo around 5 years ago. While travelling from Baguio(Benguet) to Sagada(Mountain Province) I stopped on a reastaurant to have some lunch halfway between the two areas (Baguio and Sagada). While taking a breather after a hearty lunch- I chanced to see a local very old guy with this bolo on his waist (along with an antique pendant called ling-ling-o). To go right to the point, I bought the 2 items.

1) some blade traders/artisans from Ifugao say that this is a pinahig. But this does not have the traditional 'puhog' or the navel (see picture for reference) as traditional Ifugao blades must have. The handle/hilt is from a style known as 'inipit' and not the hollow 'nahalung' type.

And yet, some traders/artisans from Ifugao claim it is not a cordilleran bolo. So I say: but this was collected on site from a site located between Baguio and Sagada. If this is not Ifugao, must this be a blade from the Kankanaey tribe of Benguet or Sagada? or perhaps a bolo from the Kalinga?

Appreciate your inputs and keep keep everyone.

Regards

Yves

I believe that this is Ifugao as your direct collection provenance suggests. I have seen these single-edged variations carried in a similar open-faced scabbard and termed pinahig and the solid handle and lack of puhog are typical in my experience, though I have seen a few examples with the hollow socket handle and puhog that are more typical for the hinalung. Thank you for your helpful diagram of the features!

I've come to realize that 'pinahig' and 'hinalung' are general terms. There are specialized terms in their dialect that refer to specific builds; the North usually has a separate name for the hilt and the blade profile. Unfortunately I don't know of any Cordilleran who can provide that info (and I'm not privy to that either). They usually keep it among themselves.

Hi All,

I read somewhere on this forum that the bolo posted by Tanaruz is called an outtiwon by the Batad Ifugao and a Kotiwong by the Kiangan Ifugao. It was also noted that thread that the blade type was also called a Pinahig. My example of this type of bolo also lacks the pughog whereas my hinalung has one.

Sincerely,
RobT

Hello Rob,
An outtiwon is a different animal, see this thread: http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...hlight=pinahig in post #11 Nonoy Tan name this small utility knife the thread started as outtiwon.

Regards,
Detlef

In general I agree with Xasterix! :) The terms hinalung/hinalun and pinahig are gereral terms and both are clearly in use by some or all of the cordilleran tribes.
Nearly all hinalung/hinalun I've seen and handled have had a tang and wooden handle, complete or partly covered with braided rattan bands and thus lacks the pughog.

Regards,
Detlef

cordilleran bolo
 

Hi friends,

I've had the privilege of talking to an Ifugao bladesmith. He forges traditional Ifugao blades. This is what he shared to me.

My bolo is a peh-let (pehlet). The difference between a pinahig and a pehlet is that the pinahig has a sharp edge, thus for thrusting. The pehlet, on the other hand is primarily used for agricultural and or slaughtering of animals.

Here are 2 of my old pinahigs and a new reference pehlet for our referece.

Thanks and kindest regards from Manila,

Yves

Hello Yves,

Thank you very much for sharing this insight. This would mean that the two bolos on my picture (upper right & the one in down) are as well pehlet.
I see the difference also by the blades which are by a pinahig moore slender and the scabbards are closed instead of open worked when I follow the shown pictures, correct?

Regards,
Detlef

cordillera bolo
 

Hello,
This is what I got from the bladesmith/ and other Ifugao sources-traders who has contacts with bladesmiths:

Pinahig - is a single-bladed bolo. it could be 'slender or a little stouter). But the prime characteristic of a pinahig is that the point of the blade (in comparison to a pehlet) is narrower. Most of the pinahigs that I have seen has the closed-type scabbards, but there maybe pinahigs having the the hikot type scabbards (open-faced).

cordillera bolo
 

With regards to your pictures, they may seem (to me) as pehlets. BUT, will share this picture with the bladesmith for comfirmation.

Kind regards. Be safe all

Yves

Thanks Sajen & Tanaruz
 

Sajen, thanks for the correction. It has been duly noted in my records.

Tanaruz, thanks for the new info and special thanks for your diligent effort to confirm same. If pehlet is confirmed as the name for the first picture you submitted, then my bolo will have a name. Also thanks for the names for the solid and hollow handles.

Sincerely,
RobT

Thank you very much! :) :cool:

Best regards,
Detlef

cordillera bolo
 

Hello,

confirmed by my Cordilleran contact. They are pinahigs with a hikot (open-faced wooden sheath/scabbard).

Kind regards

Hello Yves,
When you mean my both bolos I have to thank you also when I am now moore confused as before, frankly said I don't see the different from my both to maybe your example which start this thread! :shrug:

Best regards,
Detlef

cordillera bolo
 

Hi,

My pleasure Sir.

Kind regards and keep safe always

Yves