Pirate swords and weapons

[David]

Originally Posted by A. G. Maisey

In any case, let's leave our Ibans, but let's leave them without the stigma of being pirates. They were not.

Well Alan, i understand your defense here because of the way the term "pirate" was used at the time as an excuse to take action against these people. Still, what ever you choose to call it, making inland raids to gather heads and slaves still isn't a very neighborly act. I am not sure that calling the Ibans pirates makes their actions look any worse. Actually, these days, with all the romantic nonsense that surrounds pirates thanks to the likes of Johnny Depp and crew, i would imagine "pirate" would carry less of a stigma than headhunter and slaver.
Another example of similar types of acts (inland raids from the sea) that we don't tend to call piracy would be the Viking raids.