A Review of the Phillipine Moro Barong Sword

The Phillipine Moro Barong Sword is leaf shapedRattan, which is a type of palm tree, Lashings.
with a one edged blade and is sometimes spelledThe newer versions of the sword were fully
Barung. The Moro Tausugs of Sulu with is awrapped with thin Rattan. Older Barongs had
province within the Phillipines used this sword asScabbards that had boards that were thinner and
their primary weapon. This weapon looksfatter. Barongs that were made after World War
somewhat like a Machete but has much more ofII were Scabbards that were manufactured with
a curved handle on it. The blade on it is heavya much thicker stock than the older ones were,
and very thick, and the heavy weight makes it aand also had a central ridge line.
lot easier to slice various objects. This weaponIn fact, the Phillipine Moro Barong Sword is a very
can be anywhere from 8 to 22 inches long.underestimated weapon by many. Because of the
However the newer versions of this weapon areweight and strength of the blade and the way the
18 to 22 inches.Hilt was positioned, it had the ability to slice right
Handles of the Phillipine Moro Barong Sword arethrough Musket Rifles and Barrels. This gave them
called Hilts. Most were silver but some were brassan edge against the Spanish in the Early Colonial
but less common. Fiber Rings that were lacqueredDays of the Moro Wars. In fact these weapons
usually were laid at the top. The Hilts that thewere used in battle against forces that were
Nobles used were made of Ivory, and sometimeseducated and technologically superior. In more
Carabao Horn or Phillipine Ebony. Swords used byrecent battles, the Barong has even sliced through
the lower echelons and warriors of the time hadM-14 Rifles.
inferior designed Hilts and were smaller as well.In the Philippines they have their own Martial Arts
The common design of the Hilt was one of aStyles. A few of the most popular ones are the
Cockatoo, however some looked like Serpents.Kali, the Eskrima and the Silat. The Barong Sword
The Scabbards of the Phillipine Moro Barongis used in all of these Martial Art Forms today.
Sword were only partly wrapped with large