Bugis Traditional Weapon

Kawali (Badik) is the nation's weapons of driving traditional Buginese. Bugis people themselves call it by various names, such as tappi (which sliped), gajang (booster), and most called kawali. Like Kawali Raja (Bone) and Kawali Rankong (Luwu). There was also named gecong. Made from coconut leaves (Nypa fruticans). With the master-maker of the famous dagger ancient magic, the coconut leaves is being massaged meanwhile the reading of praying (zikir) persistently accompany the rite until the coconut leaves becomes hard as an iron. The form is thin & fragrant. This is a rare type of Badik, now no longer makers able to make that kind of badik. Badik usually only owned by the kings and his dynasty.

Bone Kawali consists of iron (blades) that flat, rather broad and pointed tip. While kawali Luwu consists of flat iron and straight. Kawali has parts: pangulu (ulu), iron (blades) and wanoa (sarong). In South Sulawesi community knew two types of badik: Badik Saroso and Badik Pateha. Badik Saroso made with ingredients pamor, given the carved wood and silver-plated glove, while pateha badik made with simple shapes, sometimes not with pamor and sheath made of leather or plain wood.

Badik completely made from meteorites stone. Badik makers do not form a master's of pamor, an aura of pamor will appear after forging. pamor is what should be a magical effect on badik. Good Badik is Badik that has an intimate relationship with the owner, such as a strong life connection. Therefore, badik is never bought and sold, only inherited. Because that would be a disaster for those who have no inwardly connection. Kawali making process take place in an atmosphere of ritual. Kawali made without the ritual ceremony, kawali pamor was the same as usual knife. The making of usual kawali will generally completed within seven days.

However, because it will make only done on Fridays, then one kawali with the pamor that is expected to be completed within seven Fridays means it takes 49 days. During the making of kawali, the master maker will constantly read the praying (zikir). Without zikir, usually the pamor that comes from badik made to bring the bad issue so that their owners actually stabbed, or businesses fail, or always sickly.

There are several types badik based on the usefulness of magical effects, such as the Toasi Type of badik that serves to deny the suffering for the owner. Sambang Type can deny the dangers of wild animals. In addition, there are also badik that serves as a sacred trust, like badik Saroso, which has historical value. There are also some who believe that badik useful as a talisman of good and bad influence. To test kawali character, is by holding the edges with your fingertips. When cold, it badik for peace and prosperity. However, if the heat, much less pain in the fingertips, so that's a killer type badik.

Badik usually held with both hands in a horizontal position. Left hand holding a knife sheath and hand upstream badik firmly, ready to draw. How to attract & hold badik like this show that people who hold to understand the philosophy of badik used. For the Bugis, badik pulled from the holster only need to be in a force majeur, circumstances that are considered outside badik holder’s power, or if your opponent is no longer provided an opportunity to make peace. Once badik pull out from its sheathed, its prohibited to put it back to it’s sheath before returning to bleed.

Any Bugis who has puberty must have / keep this sharp objects. In its development kawali more as a symbol of dignity enforcement, affirming courage and responsibility in defending the honor. Among the nobility, kawali also serves as a symbol of power. In general, badik used to defend himself in building self-esteem a person or family. This is based on Siri culture 'with the meanings to defend the dignity of the family. Siri concept 'is already integrated in behavioral, social and cultural system and way of thinking of Bugis, Mandar 

and Makassar in South Sulawesi.

Source; http://cerebrobox.blogspot.com

Borneo Traditional Weapon

Mandau, also known as Parang, is the traditional weapon of the Dayak people of Borneo.Mandau is mostly ceremonial, however, a less elaborate version is used as an everyday practical tool.

Associated with the Headhunting Ceremony, where people would gather to attack other tribes, and gather heads to be used in various festivities, mandau is both a work of art in itself and a formidable weapon.

The blade is mostly made of tempered metals, with exquisite vineworks and inlaid brass. The hilt is made from animal horns, such asdeer‘s horns, although some variations with human bones and fragrant wood also have been found. Both the hilt and scabbard are elaborately carved and plumed. Details of carvings vary from tribe to tribe, but mostly depict creatures or, if human bones were used, anthropomorphic deities. 

American Traditional Weapon

When people think of American Indian weapons, the bow and arrow is usually the first thing that springs to mind-- and for good reason. Nearly every Native American tribe used some form of bow and arrow as a weapon for hunting, war, or both. Some tribes, particularly in South America, even used bows and arrows for fishing. Bows and arrows have been used in the Americas since the Stone Age, so different tribes had plenty of time to perfect this weapon technology. Scientists have learned that the oldest Paleo-Indian arrowheads discovered in North America are more than 13,000 years old! Some arrowheads made by Native American ancestors were even found together with the bones of extinct prehistoric animals like woolly mammoths and giant bison.

Most Native American bows were made of wood. The most powerful wooden bows were backed with sinew (animal tendons) to make them springier. Some tribes in the Rocky Mountain area used composite bows made from animal horn and layers of sinew. These were the most powerful American Indian bows of all, able to shoot an arrow completely through the body of a buffalo. Some tribes originally preferred longbows, while others preferred short bows. Once horses were introduced to the Americas, most Native Americans began to favor short bows, since they could be fired from horseback. Most Native American bowstrings were made from sinew, although some tribes wove bowstrings from yucca or other plant fibers. Most Native American arrows were wooden with arrowheads made of flint or another hard stone, although some tribes used copper or bone arrowheads, and hunting arrows intended for small game like birds often had no arrowhead at all and were simply sharpened shafts of wood. American Indian arrows were nearly always fletched with feathers to make them fly straighter, whereas the arrows of the Inuit and other polar cultures did not use feather fletching