Kris versus Krag - Weapons of the Moro Campaigns:
Bladed Weapons of the Moros
The author of this web site wishes to express his appreciation to Ron Zambarrano for photographs from his private collection of Moro weapons and for explanations of the differences by region and language group.
Throughout the American period in Moroland, from 1899 to 1920, the most ubiquitous (and feared) weapon wielded by a Moro was the blade. In 1904, Captain C. C. Smith, a former Medal of Honor winner during the Indian Wars and not a stranger to fighting at close quarters, would write, “In hand-to-hand combat our soldiers are no match for the Moro. If our first shot misses the target, we rarely have time to get off another.” The blade, whether as a sword or the tip of a spear, was emblematic of the Moro warrior culture every bit as much as it was among the ancient Greeks, the Scottish Highlanders of the 17th Century, or the Zulus of the 19th Century. The Moros shared with the Native American Indians the zeal and perceived manliness of facing one's enemy face-to-face, as in "counting coup." To them, it was the way honorable warriors fought. Many Spanish, and then the majority of Americans, thought this due to the "religious fervor" for Islam. But the "jungle" Islam of Southeast Asia as practiced in the early 20th Century merely reinforced rather than altered the long-ingrained cultural celebration of all those who died courageous in battle.
Blade-making was a local tradition, but the forging technology was derived from the distant and famed Damascus steel. The result was light weight, exquisite balance, and the sharpness of a razor. From an early age every Moro carried one or more blades, including many of the women. One's blade was thought to have a soul. It was considered a being as much as an implement, a mystical connection to ancestry and the greater community. The three major swords, the barong, the kampilan, and the kris (shown below in that order from top to bottom) were all short by Western standards. Spear tips for the budjak, or short spear used for war rather than hunting, were generally heavier, double-sided and knife-like to enable slashing as well as throwing.
The kris is the only one of the three that was used by nearly all Moro peoples, was the most famous, and symbolic of a common bond. Typically the double-edged blade, designed for chopping and slicing strokes rather than thrusting, was plus or minus 20 inches in length, wavy, and with a serrated upper guard to deflect and/or trap opposing blades. The lower, shorter guard was typically formed to resemble an elephant head and trunk or an eagle's beak. The hilt was usually straight or slightly curving and tightly wrapped in fiber cording. The pommel could be quite elaborate, as is the one above, made from hardwood, ivory, silver, or other decorative materials, and was often used to symbolize rank or status, especially that of datu. However for actual battle, many Moros carried more practical straight-bladed kris's with simple handles and no pommel. There were subtle but notable differences depending on origin. Below are examples from the three major language groupings. The most common point of difference can be found in the lower guard in the angle and form of either the elephant trunk or eagle's beak.
Tausug kris (Sulu) Maguindanao kris (Cotabato) Maranao kris (Lanao)
more angled and elliptical in shape narrower opening, perpendicular to guard lower, more exaggerated "jaw"
The single-edge, fearsome kampilan was a true war sword, favored on Mindanao but seldom used in the Sulus. It could range in length up to 40 inches, but was usually less. While a datu might have a kampilan carrier, it was seldom carried except in battle. The longer, bifurcated hilt permitted either a single or double-handed grip. Often one hand was lashed to the hilt. The decoration was either that of the open jaws of a crocodile (which were common on the Cotabato River) or a swiflet, a common bird.
The barong was shorter than either the kris or the kampilan, usually 16-18 inches, its leaf-shaped blade single-edged and deliberately heavy for it size, making it a superb chopping weapon. There were cases of a barong chopping a man in half. Its greatest popularity was in the Sulus, among the Tausugs. While less frequently used, the panaba was similar to the European battle axe. Like the Kampilan, it was seldom carried in everyday use and was reserved for either a formal execution or battle. Daggers, which were often smaller versions of the kris or barong, were called gunongs and very common.
Panabas were special purpose swords for ceremonial purposes or, often, execution.
Jolo guard house weapons "lock-up." Weapons confiscated by the Moro Constabulary
For Moros entering the walls of Jolo
An Army collection A simple "battle" kris
Bladed weapons captured during Captain Pershing's 1902 Lake Lanao expeditions