"Sangi" Bagobo Utility Knife

The Bagobo tribe from Mindanao in south Philippines, as well as neighboring tribes like the Twboli and Bwlaan extensively use similar utility knives. In older documents it refers to” “women knife, but it used by men as well. All Sangi knives employ the same shape of short blade with up-curving edge and straight spine. The angle of the blade to the hilt allow to old the knife only with the edge upward in the direction of the holder. Handles and scabbards takes many shapes and materials: wood and / or cast brass for the handle and wood, brass or braided rattan for the scabbard. Also common is the extensive use of small brass bells called “tiger bells”, attached to the knife and the sheath.

The exemplar shown here has a grained wood handle with brass collar.   Wood scabbard densely bound with braided rattans strips and decorated with colored glass bids, and a tuft of black hair. Small copper chains are attached to the bottom of the scabbard.

Blade 6 1/2 inches (17 cm). Total length 14 ½ inches (37 cm). Very good condition. Good authentic mid 20 C. knife.

This knife comes with a metal stand that fits to the knife shape and size and make it ready for impressive display.

For a similar knife see Bulletin 137 of the Smithsonian institution: Herbert H. Krieger “THE COLLECTION OF PRIMITIVE WEAPONS AND ARMOR OF THE PHILIPPINES ISLANDS IN THE UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM” plate 13, item 3.