The bangkung or bangkon, is a short sword originating in the Sulu Archipelago of the

Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...

. The bangkung was used primarily by the

Moro people The Moro people or Bangsamoro people are the 13 Muslim-majority ethnolinguistic Austronesian groups of Mindanao, Sulu, and Palawan, native to the region known as the Bangsamoro (lit. ''Moro nation'' or ''Moro country''). As Muslim-majorit ...

of the Sulu and is not associated with Moros in other areas such as

Mindanao Mindanao ( ) ( Jawi: مينداناو) is the second-largest island in the Philippines, after Luzon, and seventh-most populous island in the world. Located in the southern region of the archipelago, the island is part of an island group of ...

, although it is sometimes found in coastal regions. The bangkung is a slashing weapon, meant to deliver hacking type blows. While the bangkung is a very effective sword, it was not popular unlike the

panabas The panabas, also known as nawi, is a large, forward-curved sword or battle axe used by certain ethnic groups in the southern Philippines. It can range in size from 2 to 4 feet and can be held with one or both hands, delivering a deep, meat cleaver ...

and the

pirah ''Pirah'' or ''pira'' is a type of Philippine bolo sword or knife characterized by a heavy blade and a wide tip. It superficially resembles a falchion but is much heavier. It is the traditional weapon favored by the Yakan people of Basilan Island ...

and for this reason it is one of the most rarely found Moro edged weapons. Few were produced and even fewer survive.

Appearance

The unusual shape of the bangkung blade makes it easily identifiable. The overall size of bangkung varies, ranging from 50 to 75 centimeters, although a few shorter and longer specimens have been proposed as examples.

Blade

The profile of the blade is similar in profile to that of the

kampilan The kampilan (Baybayin: ) also known as talong is a type of single-edged sword, traditionally used by various ethnic groups in the Philippine archipelago. It has a distinct profile, with the tapered blade being much broader and thinner at the po ...

, a sword that had much more widespread use among Moro warriors. The bangkung blade as a straight, unsharpened spine and single-sharp edge that is typically straight slightly convex shape, bending upwards toward the tip. The width of the blade tapers in profile with gradual increase in size towards the tip. This has the effect of moving the point of maximum percussion (i.e., directed force of a blow) somewhat forward along the blade. The point of the bangkung blade begins with a curve downward towards the tip. This may be very gradual, with a longer curve as in the "Wharncliff" tip style, or shorter as in the " Sheepsfoot" manner. In all cases, the back, curved portion of the tip is unsharpened. The thickness of the bangkung blade is greatest close to the hilt and then tapers distally towards the tip. Bangkung blades are sharpened on both sides, giving the blade a triangular cross-section. The steel of a bangkung blade is laminated steel, made from layers of differing types of steel that are forged together in the final blade.

Hilt

The hilt of a bangkung is made of wood. Older bangkung may have a hilt pommel carved as a stylized cockatoo head with beak and crest. Those produced after World War II typically have a horse hoof pommel. Hardwood burl is often used in hilts, but a variety of woods are found. To secure the blade in the hilt, the portion nearest the blade is compressed using a metal sleeve, as on the

barung The barong is a thick, leaf-shaped, single-edged blade sword. It is a weapon used by Muslim Filipino ethnolinguistic groups like the Tausug, Sama-Bajau, or Yakan in the Southern Philippines. Description Blade Barong blades are thick and v ...

, or tightly wrapped and lacquered rattan bindings.

Scabbard

The scabbard for a bangkung is typically made of two wooden boards lashed together with braided rattan. The inner part of these boards is carved to allow insertion and proper fit of the blade. As the blade widens towards the tip, so does the scabbard. The Sulu or Palawan types of scabbards are most common, although some basket-type scabbards also exist. These latter scabbards may be non-Moro replacements (e.g., from

Basilan Basilan, officially the Province of Basilan ( cbk, Provincia de Basilan; yka, Wilayah Basilanin; tsg, Wilaya' sin Basilan; fil, Lalawigan ng Basilan), is an island province of the Philippines located primarily in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Reg ...

in the Sulu Archipelago).Ethnographic Arms & Armour Forum, "Show us your bangkung"
Post #10
Retrieved 2014-09-05 Scabbard decoration ranges from very simple carvings to elaborate

okir Okir or okil is the term for rectilinear and curvilinear plant-based designs and folk motifs that can be usually found among the Moro and Lumad people of the Southern Philippines, as well as parts of Sabah. It is particularly associated with t ...

designs.

References

External links