My first mandau

[VVV]

Arjan,

Thanks for sharing both the mandau and the story.
That is a nice first mandau and good that you didn't sell it.
I can't recall that I have seen a mandau with orangutan hair before.

Michael

[Dajak]

Hi Arjan the oldest mandau that I have seen did have goathair not the human
hair on it.


Ben

[Mytribalworld]

Originally Posted by Dajak

Hi Arjan the oldest mandau that I have seen did have goathair not the human
hair on it.


Ben

Hi Ben,

Are you sure your'e able to see the difference between goats and humans? I agree that sometimes there's not much difference between them.Certainly when she's beginning to talk late in the evening when you gladly wanna sleep.
But their hair is softer....( be sure to take the upper bundle....)

Arjan.

[Dajak]

I have proof off it

Ben

[VVV]

Originally Posted by Dajak

Hi Arjan the oldest mandau that I have seen did have goathair not the human
hair on it.


Ben

Ben,

Maybe the former owner decapitated "an old goat"?

Michael

[asomotif]

I have a mandau with horsehair....
The picture does not show it, but the strings are approx 25 cms long.

Do they have horses in Borneo

[VVV]

Originally Posted by asomotif

Do they have horses in Borneo

Yes, but probably not in the rainforests.
In Sabah f.i. there is a horse market in Kota Belud (see picture).
Also horses were quite common in the coastal cities and villages.

Michael

[asomotif]

Hello Michael,

Nice picture. But is it likely that horsehair was used localy for decoration ?
The mandau with the horsehair came from London, so I always assumed that the hair was an addition made there. maybe from an old parade helmet ?

Ps. as for the 'first mandau' item.
Maybe fun to list your first mandau too ?
It must have been aproxx 1995/1996 (I am still a youngster you see )
My first mandau was standing in the corner of an archeological antique dealers shopwindow for several months on a main road in Rotterdam.
The bottom of the scabbard was standing in sand that was in the shopwindow for decoration. (archeological style ).

It took me several months too decide if I was going to spend the Usd 220, that was the price the seller asked in those days.

Dusting of the sand and a little antiquewax did the trick

[VVV]

Originally Posted by asomotif

Hello Michael,

Nice picture. But is it likely that horsehair was used localy for decoration ?
...

Hello Willem,

Sorry but I don't know. Maybe Ben or Arjan can answer your question?

It would be nice to see the rest of your mandau?

My first mandau was much later.
I never found any I liked on my Borneo trips and got this at a local auction.
Human hair, not goat.

Michael