Unusual Ilongot Work Knife/Weapon

[Robert]

Perhaps the scabbard was made for a different knife or this knife had other purposes (? ceremonial).

Hello Ian, I wondered about this as well until the knife arrived and I had time to inspect it and the scabbard. The blade fits it perfectly so it was either made for this knife or for one of the same exact blade style, size and shape. Wooden scabbards were damaged and replaced often many times over the life of a blade. It would be almost impossible to state that this scabbard is the first one that was made for it. As for the possibly of this being for ceremonial use, from what I have read the Ilongot people loved to decorate not only their weapons but tools and other everyday items as well. You have also suggested that it could be for the harvesting rice and that very well could be true as it has the right blade profile. It could also be for general everyday use like the Moro sanggot/tuba knife. So without more exacting information one can only speculate as for what and how it was originally intended to be used. All I know for sure is "I LIKE IT"