Tboli sudeng - vintage photo

[Marbel]

Hello Ian & Oliver,

Thanks for the comments.

To be sure, the photo is definitely from 1970. In fact I think it's important to note that photos of the Tboli from this era are very rare. The Tboli obviously had no cameras and were very rarely visited by anyone with a camera. The earliest Tboli photos I've ever found were dated from approximately 1960 and came from the archive of a Summer Institute of Linguistics missionary who lived with the Tboli for decades.

I'd say that the photo was likely just slightly posed as Mydans was a wonderful professional photographer. The sudeng would not have been used as an every day blade for wearing or working but was certainly carried for a purpose that day. In terms of the occasion, other photos from the same day reveal that it was actually an important one in the mountains as they were being paid a visit by Manuel Elizalde. The Tboli weren't necessarily wearing their finest, but a bit more adornment by the women and plenty of swords by the men are certainly seen in the photos.

All the best!