Original 19th Century Philippines Bagobo People Sibat Spear With Detachable Spear Head Original Items

Original Item: Only One Available. Sibat is the Filipino word for spear, used as a weapon or tool by natives of the Philippines. The term is used in Tagalog and Kinaray-a. It also called bangkaw, sumbling or palupad in the islands of Visayas and Mindanao; and budjak among Muslim Filipinos in western Mindanao and the Sulu Archipelago.

Sibat are typically made with rattan, bamboo, bhai or other hardwood, either with a sharpened tip or a head made from metal. These heads may either be single-edged, double-edged or barbed. Styles vary according to function and origin. For example, a sibat designed for fishing may not be the same as those used for hunting wild game such as boar.

The Bagobo as well as the Igorot and Aeta people, have a spear with detachable heads. They remove the heads when entering Christian towns to trade (during which the shaft can still be used as a staff weapon) and in the spear’s case, the detachable head can be used as a dagger.

The Bagobo traditionally uses spears in fighting and hunting deer and wild pigs. Among these four spears, the rightmost, known as the kaláwat is the most effective.

A metalhead is attached by a rope to its long shaft and is pulled out as soon as the weapon enters the body of the animal and the shaft trails behind until it is entangled in some undergrowth.

The condition is excellent with all lashings and rope solid and intact. The spear measures in total 84” with the detachable spear head at 12”. The metal spear tip itself measures 6”.

This is a wonderful artifact that comes more than ready to be displayed!