Barung; weapon, tool or tourist piece?

migueldiaz · 26th August 2009, 03:42 PM

Going back to barongs as used by present-day Moros, at the Phil. Military Academy (PMA) there's this barong captured from an Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) commander in 2000.

The description of the piece is --

"A Barong previously owned by Abu Sayaff Commander Mujib Susukan. It was seized on May 7, 2000 in Barangay Bandang, Talipao, Sulu by elements of Taskforce Sultan (104th brigade), 1st Infantry Division of the Philippine Army under then Col. Romeo P. Tolentino during its first encounter in the attempt to rescue 19 foreign hostages kidnapped in Sipadan, Sabah, Malaysia. Now on Display at the Philippine Military Academy Museum."

The ASG is the one responsible also for the kidnapping of the American missionary couple, Martin & Gracia Burnham.

KuKulzA28 · 26th August 2009, 05:35 PM

It seems that without extensive foreign aid the Moro insurgents cannot win. And indirectly, perhaps the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao cannot hold onto its lands. I don't care how many Desert Eagles, AKs, barongs, and kris they got... The Philippines are just so much bigger and seemingly bent on taking control of it all, and substituting the Muslims.

No good guys on either side but the unarmed civilians who just want peace...

That's a nice barong though. And that Ilanga tropper seems to have a minitature binagong or something. Hopefully even if people are resettled, massacred, oppressed (on both sides) that the culture won't die. Language, culture, and skills are very important.

wilked aka Khun Deng · 29th August 2009, 09:03 AM

Not to turn this into a political thread, but KukulzA28 brought up a good point about culture surviving. What stuck me hard was that the Tausug culture on Sulu was really a melting pot formed by captive slaves for the bird nest and other exotic food trades who at one time outnumbered the original Tausugs. The Tausug culture survived only because it had mechanisms in it for those slaves to eventually work to their freedom and become assimilated into the society, generations later those former slaves now consider themselves Tausug.

That is a nice barong - wish they hadn't shellacked it though.

Andrew · 29th August 2009, 01:21 PM

Let's focus on the weapons, guys. In my experience, threads that have even a bit of well-intentioned political "drift" can end badly.

Thanks,
Andrew

KuKulzA28 · 29th August 2009, 02:23 PM

Will do Andrew, thanks for the early and friendly warning.

I've been told by Filipino Martial Artists that Sulu still has quite a live blade-making tradition, and the best place to acquire quality Moro blades is there. Does anyone know how the blade-making goes on over there? Is it still individual Pandays making blades? Do they have some Pandays that make mainly tourist pieces where some make only legitimate weaponry?

Battara · 29th August 2009, 07:16 PM

From what I have seen from recent pandays the blades are laminated but without a separate ganga.

wilked aka Khun Deng · 29th August 2009, 09:16 PM

Thanks for course correction Andrew - it's been edited.

26th August 2009, 03:42 PM	#1
migueldiaz Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Manila, Phils. Posts: 1,042	Going back to barongs as used by present-day Moros, at the Phil. Military Academy (PMA) there's this barong captured from an Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) commander in 2000. The description of the piece is -- "A Barong previously owned by Abu Sayaff Commander Mujib Susukan. It was seized on May 7, 2000 in Barangay Bandang, Talipao, Sulu by elements of Taskforce Sultan (104th brigade), 1st Infantry Division of the Philippine Army under then Col. Romeo P. Tolentino during its first encounter in the attempt to rescue 19 foreign hostages kidnapped in Sipadan, Sabah, Malaysia. Now on Display at the Philippine Military Academy Museum." The ASG is the one responsible also for the kidnapping of the American missionary couple, Martin & Gracia Burnham. Attached Images

29th August 2009, 09:03 AM	#3
wilked aka Khun Deng Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Oahu, Hawaii Posts: 166	Not to turn this into a political thread, but KukulzA28 brought up a good point about culture surviving. What stuck me hard was that the Tausug culture on Sulu was really a melting pot formed by captive slaves for the bird nest and other exotic food trades who at one time outnumbered the original Tausugs. The Tausug culture survived only because it had mechanisms in it for those slaves to eventually work to their freedom and become assimilated into the society, generations later those former slaves now consider themselves Tausug. That is a nice barong - wish they hadn't shellacked it though. Last edited by wilked aka Khun Deng; 29th August 2009 at 09:15 PM.

26th August 2009, 05:35 PM	#2
KuKulzA28 Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: between work and sleep Posts: 731	It seems that without extensive foreign aid the Moro insurgents cannot win. And indirectly, perhaps the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao cannot hold onto its lands. I don't care how many Desert Eagles, AKs, barongs, and kris they got... The Philippines are just so much bigger and seemingly bent on taking control of it all, and substituting the Muslims. No good guys on either side but the unarmed civilians who just want peace... That's a nice barong though. And that Ilanga tropper seems to have a minitature binagong or something. Hopefully even if people are resettled, massacred, oppressed (on both sides) that the culture won't die. Language, culture, and skills are very important.

29th August 2009, 01:21 PM	#4
Andrew Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: USA Posts: 1,725	Let's focus on the weapons, guys. In my experience, threads that have even a bit of well-intentioned political "drift" can end badly. Thanks, Andrew

29th August 2009, 02:23 PM	#5
KuKulzA28 Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: between work and sleep Posts: 731	Will do Andrew, thanks for the early and friendly warning. I've been told by Filipino Martial Artists that Sulu still has quite a live blade-making tradition, and the best place to acquire quality Moro blades is there. Does anyone know how the blade-making goes on over there? Is it still individual Pandays making blades? Do they have some Pandays that make mainly tourist pieces where some make only legitimate weaponry?

29th August 2009, 07:16 PM	#6
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,342	From what I have seen from recent pandays the blades are laminated but without a separate ganga.

29th August 2009, 09:16 PM	#7
wilked aka Khun Deng Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Oahu, Hawaii Posts: 166	Thanks for course correction Andrew - it's been edited.