This was just mentioned in Another Topic and I was advised to make a separate post about it to see if anybody could give me further info. I've posted on Sword Forum before about it but that was several years ago and an entirely different climate. Here goes:

When I was a child, I dug this short sword / large dagger out of the dirt in my basement. It was wrapped in soiled fabric and buried under the house.

I don't know much about it. I suspect it's a Vietnam war era Filipino tourist piece.. am I close?


[ Linked Image ]

[ Linked Image ]

[ Linked Image ]

[ Linked Image ]

You are dead on the mark. I have one very much like that, which I purchased from a local when stationed at Clark AB, the Phillippines, in 1969 and 1970. Negritos are aboriginals who live in that area of Luzon, the largest island in the archipelago. They made the blades from leaf springs out of jeeps and trucks. The brass trim came from shell casings and the handles from local hardwood. These things could be purchased for $5 or so when I was there and they made them in all configurations.

It is not very valuable since they were made and bought by the thousands, but it is an interesting artifact of the Vietnam era, when Clark AB was a major hub for the war effort in Southeast Asia. I was with the First Mobile Communications Group while stationed there.

The Negritos were very clever trackers and survivalists and some of them taught at the jungle survival school at Clark, which I went through. They did not get along very well with the non-aboriginal Filipinos. While I was there a leader named Laxamana was found dead near the base. The suspicion was he was murdered by some Filipinos.

There is the answer to your question.

Well, that was fast ! Maybe a Vet. brought it back and it had some special significance to him ( I assume him !?).

Maybe if it saw some actual use by the soldier it might have been too precious to give, throw away or sell but burying it might have been a way to make peace with some hard memories ? O.K. absolutely no proof for this but finding it in a dark corner of a basement among the usual basement clutter is one thing, but that someone actually buried it means that it had some importance to the person burying it ?

Doing some research on the previous owners of the house might give a clue ?

Thank you, Lin! I really appreciate the background info.

This was sold on eBay recently and is very similar to mine!

---

 Attachment: 18.63 KB

From an eBay Auction

 Attachment: 14.24 KB

From an eBay Auction

Not to wear out this thread, but I did photograph my kris and a pic is attached. Nathan, yours is a bit fancier than mine in terms of the file work on the guard. As I said, they made these things in many styles and there were hundreds of Filipinos around and on the base who were making and selling them. And, all the blades I saw were quite sharp and could be used.

After reading my first post I need to make a slight correction. The way I wrote it makes it seem that the Negritos made these blades. In fact they were not the makers, the non-aboriginals made them. I was explaining what the term Negrito, engraved into your blade meant. And, of course, this is a kris, not a bolo, which is more like a machete in the configuration of the blade.

Any way, it is an interesting piece. By the way, can I inquire as to what the one listed on eBay went for, if you recall. Just wondering if I should get mine insured!

Thanks...

---

 Attachment: 16.44 KB

We have a few of these in my family as well, they came in a lot of shapes and sizes, not worth much. I believe I have seen them sell for as little as $20