Tribal traditions amongst the Islamic Moro
The Kampilan came from Oriental Arms. It was in Artzi’s private collection for a number of years. He bought it in Manila in the late 70's. His attribution was to “the Sea Dayaks of Borneo (or) Moros of the Southern Philippines”. Based on the comments of Charles and Vandoo, it would seem more likely the latter than the former.
It is my understanding that the Moro were converted to Islam in the 15th century, so it seems a bit curious to me that so many of the stylistic features of this sword, produced hundreds of years later, are shared with swords of the animistic tribes such as the Dayaks. The is still a lot of tribal symbolism in this sword.
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