The Knives of Carigara, Philippines

averageiowaguy

averageiowaguy

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Mar 22, 2011
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I just got back from the Philippines. I was there with Team Rubicon to provide medical relief after Typhoon Yolanda. One of the things I did was set up a little field hospital in Carigara, which is about 20 miles as the crow flies from Tacloban. There were lots of aid organizations in Tacloban, but very few left the area to help out in the rural areas.

While I was in Carigara I found their local knife industry. It is quite interesting. I bought a whole bunch of knives to bring back and I also filmed the process of them being made.

[video=youtube;vqQBf00lBjg]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vqQBf00lBjg[/video]
 
Thanks for the vid! Will watch it later when I have some time. How was the damage where you were over there?
 
Hey Doc, Great video! Thanks for sharing it... Its great to see that such craftsmanship still exists. Watching these guys plying their trade is fascinating!
I'm sure this is how knives were made centuries ago and it's great to see the old traditions still in use.

On the flip side a big thumbs up and thank you for your service to those less fortunate and stuck in a bad situation...

-Martin
 
The sansibar blades of the Carigara province are well-known in Philippine martial culture, though it isn't the only one.

Some generations back when their blacksmith forebears migrated from the other parts of the Visayan islands, they carried with them the memory of the marauding Moro pirates from the Sulu and Celebes seas and how they fought them (and later the occasional white-skinned colonists too I might add). Although nowadays one can see them being used as utility blades, their fighting character still stands out (actually a silent hallmark of sorts of most Filipino blades, a subtle blending of utility and martial).

This one has a more ornate "dragon head" pommel design.

IMG_1430.jpg


Here's another short clip from some years back -

[youtube]fE-3EwDtICI[/youtube]
 
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BTW, I hear that carabao horn handles don't take a liking much to the cold of the N. hemisphere (incidences of crakcing). Just something to watch out for.
 
My deepest gratitude for your help in our time of need.

I had a couple of the carigara pinutis back when I was still in college. Those pinutis went along on our treks to the hills and to secluded beaches.back then.
 
must have been a rewarding experience, averageiowaguy.
and it's good to see that you were justly rewarded with a cultural exchange of swords (pun).
thanks for sharing.
 
untamed said:
The sansibar blades of the Carigara province are well-known in Philippine martial culture, though it isn't the only one.

Some generations back when their blacksmith forebears migrated from the other parts of the Visayan islands, they carried with them the memory of the marauding Moro pirates from the Sulu and Celebes seas and how they fought them (and later the occasional white-skinned colonists too I might add). Although nowadays one can see them being used as utility blades, their fighting character still stands out (actually a silent hallmark of sorts of most Filipino blades, a subtle blending of utility and martial).

This one has a more ornate "dragon head" pommel design.

IMG_1430.jpg


Here's another short clip from some years back -

[youtube]fE-3EwDtICI[/youtube]
Click to expand...

Wow! Thanks a ton for that update and history! That is the exact same place I was at with the same guys it looks like. There was only one forge active up there. So it is called a sansibar?

I bought several of the dragon's head design like you have there. I also bought one that is the same general idea but FAR more ornate. I'll get a photo up soon, but if you're a friend of mine of facebook you can see it there. The scabbard is also ornately carved on that one. It is done by an 80 year old guy up there. I'm told he does the best work, and it was indeed the best stuff I saw.
 
Dr.
I am glad to hear that you are home safe and had a chance to enjoy the Phils during your trip :)
Thank you so very much for your generosity in helping during this clamity.

I am sure you found, just as I have, that a smile and show of respect is returned magnified. I miss being there and look forward to when my wife and I will move there. Our last trip was to Batangas so the order of the day was Balisongs. I look forward to making a trip to some long knife makers on our next visit.

I have a handful of Filipino itak but they were purchased here- much more special to be able to buy directly from the people making them.
;) It is a shame you did not have a Filipino escort to haggle for you but the money you provided in buying the knives really helps out the tradesmen.

God Bless,
Bill
 
lmalterna said:
Dr.
I am glad to hear that you are home safe and had a chance to enjoy the Phils during your trip :)
Thank you so very much for your generosity in helping during this clamity.

I am sure you found, just as I have, that a smile and show of respect is returned magnified. I miss being there and look forward to when my wife and I will move there. Our last trip was to Batangas so the order of the day was Balisongs. I look forward to making a trip to some long knife makers on our next visit.

I have a handful of Filipino itak but they were purchased here- much more special to be able to buy directly from the people making them.
;) It is a shame you did not have a Filipino escort to haggle for you but the money you provided in buying the knives really helps out the tradesmen.

God Bless,
Bill
Click to expand...

^ Truer words were never spoken.
 
I'm really proud of ya Doc ! :thumbup: :) Glad you made it home safe and sound. Those kids in your video were really cute.:D
 
Doc Kyle:

Yep, indeed it is called a sansibar.

Before I go on though, lest I be mistaken for some sort of an "authority", I honestly am not. Just a semi-retired martial artist of the "old-school", non-sport/competition kind who had the pleasure to write about his hobby briefly and meet colleagues who were serious researchers/hoplologists and published authors on FMA. So basically I'm just regurgitating their thoughts (if I can remember them correctly that is. . . :rolleyes:)

Why the name (sansibar)? Not really sure. Ancient Filipinos didn't know much about world geography to know about East Africa. The theory I adhere to was that when the Spanish came, more likely the blade shape might've reminded them of the Arab/Moorish scimitar sword from that part of the world (Zanzibar in Tanzania) and the name stuck. Again just a theory.

One has to remember again that we are made-up of different dialects which vary from region to region. Names DON'T necessarily mean the same type of blade from one location to another. The function and general characteristics of a blade play a further part in identifying them other than their actual names.

The well-known "pinuti" sword for example; the root is "puti" which is a Malay (Indonesian, Malaysians, Filipinos, the brown race et al.) word meaning "white" and by white, the context meant that it was the closest word to describe "silver" or an untarnished, clean blade. So basically "pinuti" is that blade that was dedicated purely as a fighter or sword and you didn't use it for utility tasks, which is why it is a "silver" clean blade. You only took out the "pinuti" when it came time for special occasions (i.e. - life or death situations).

So one pinuti might not necessarily be the same with another from somewhere else. However, the characteristics of a pinuti was that it was long, slender and light, contributing to a blade that was fast and "alive" in the hand ready for the fight.
 
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Salamat Kuya :)

It is always interesting to see the evolution of tools and weapons- so many examples of simple farming tools that transformed slightly into weapons in times of need. Some with no transformation of shape, only purpose.

Being able to see a country from the ground as Dr Kyle has there and in South America is a treat I wish all could have. Ruben's(Bear the Dog) photos bring to life so many things that many of us will never get to experience. My first trip to the Phils, I was asked what tourist places I wanted to see? I saw Chocolate Hills and the monument of the Blood Compact, visited churchs that I forogt the names of. I rode tricycles(I WANT one to my wifes chagrin ;) ), Jeepneys and FX's, played streetball in the neighborhood, ate nothing but Filipino food and LOVED every minute of it.
Spent full days of not seeing another Kano. To experience a culture, you have to drown in it. There is danger and some hardship but I love it to my boots and miss it in my heart. I pray to take my children there one day and show them the country I have learned to love.

Sorry to bore you all but I cannot help express how I feel about my adopted country. I love the US and the generosity of folks like Dr. Kyle and the untold amount of people that opened their hearts and wallets to help in this calamity makes me so very proud to be an American.
I can tell you that our family and friends there, as well as our Filipino friends here regard the people of the US with great respect and admiration for the role we have played in their lives. Like many countries, they struggle to have a government that will provide the opportunities that ours does but they never stop trying nor do they forget.

Bill
 
Very cool video. Thank you, I enjoyed it very much. And nice work with the relief efforts. Very classy of you to go and help out. And spending money on local wares.
 
I really like the one that was being used by the young man processing firewood in the beginning of the video.It looked like it held an edge pretty good.
 
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Very cool you provided relief and brought us a slice of their lives! Thanks for posting.

I liked that knife at about 2 minutes the man was splitting wood with.
 
lmalterna said:
Salamat Kuya :)

I saw Chocolate Hills and the monument of the Blood Compact, visited churchs that I forogt the names of. I rode tricycles(I WANT one to my wifes chagrin ;) ), Jeepneys and FX's, played streetball in the neighborhood, ate nothing but Filipino food and LOVED every minute of it.
Spent full days of not seeing another Kano. To experience a culture, you have to drown in it. There is danger and some hardship but I love it to my boots and miss it in my heart. I pray to take my children there one day and show them the country I have learned to love.

Sorry to bore you all but I cannot help express how I feel about my adopted country.


Bill
Click to expand...

Bill, I echo this completely. Visited the north of Mindanao and Cebu/Mactan. Would dearly love to go back again.
AIG, thank you for your selfless assistance to these humble folks!
 
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