''Luthang'' ( ), is a
Filipino
Filipino may refer to:
* Something from or related to the Philippines
** Filipino language, standardized variety of 'Tagalog', the national language and one of the official languages of the Philippines.
** Filipinos, people who are citizens of th ...
traditional
toy gun
Toy guns are toys which imitate real guns, but are designed for recreational sport or casual play by children. From hand-carved wooden replicas to factory-produced pop guns From Gilroy Gardens and cap guns, toy guns come in all sizes, prices ...
made from a hollow cylindrical piece of bamboo and a piston. A seed or a wet piece of paper (the "bullet") is inserted in one end of the cylinder and the piston is pushed in rapidly at the other end. This results in the air compressing inside before it pushes the "bullet" out with a pop. The toy is popular among children in rural areas of the Philippines.
The name ''luthang'' is originally
Cebuano, meaning a small naval
cannon
A cannon is a large- caliber gun classified as a type of artillery, which usually launches a projectile using explosive chemical propellant. Gunpowder ("black powder") was the primary propellant before the invention of smokeless powder ...
(''
lantaka
The ''Lantaka'' (Baybayin: pre virama: ''ᜎᜆᜃ'': post virama: ''ᜎᜈ᜔ᜆᜃ'') also known as ''rentaka'' (In Malay) was a type of bronze portable cannon or swivel gun, sometimes mounted on merchant vessels and warships in Maritime Sou ...
''). The word has been recorded in Spanish dictionaries of Visayan languages since at least 1711, where its meaning evolved to include
musket
A musket is a muzzle-loaded long gun that appeared as a smoothbore weapon in the early 16th century, at first as a heavier variant of the arquebus, capable of penetrating plate armour. By the mid-16th century, this type of musket gradually d ...
s,
arquebus
An arquebus ( ) is a form of long gun that appeared in Europe and the Ottoman Empire during the 15th century. An infantryman armed with an arquebus is called an arquebusier.
Although the term ''arquebus'', derived from the Dutch word ''Haakbus ...
es and
shotgun
A shotgun (also known as a scattergun, or historically as a fowling piece) is a long gun, long-barreled firearm designed to shoot a straight-walled cartridge (firearms), cartridge known as a shotshell, which usually discharges numerous small p ...
s. The word is still used as a verb meaning "to gun down" in Cebuano languages; and in
Hiligaynon as an archaic synonym of ''pistola'' (gun or pistol).
See also
*
Sumpit
*
Lantaka
The ''Lantaka'' (Baybayin: pre virama: ''ᜎᜆᜃ'': post virama: ''ᜎᜈ᜔ᜆᜃ'') also known as ''rentaka'' (In Malay) was a type of bronze portable cannon or swivel gun, sometimes mounted on merchant vessels and warships in Maritime Sou ...
*
Fire piston
A fire piston, sometimes called a fire syringe or a slam rod fire starter, is a device of ancient Southeast Asian origin which is used to kindle fire. It uses the principle of the heating of a gas (in this case air) by rapid and Adiabatic process, ...
*
Sipa
Sipa (literally, "kick") is the Philippines' traditional native sport which predates the Spanish rule. The game is related to Sepak Takraw. Similar games include Footbag net, Footvolley, Bossaball and Jianzi.
The game is both played by two t ...
*
Pop gun
References
{{Reflist, 45em
Naval artillery
Philippine games
Traditional games
Children's games
Toy weapons