Mandau Borneo Indonesia

Mandau: The word literally means "headhunter" and was primarily used by the Kayan people. Another name used locally was parang ilang. The Mandau is primarily ceremonial. However, a less elaborate version called an Ambang is used as a practical tool in everyday life. Associated with the headhunting ceremony, where people would gather to raid other tribes and gather heads to be used in various festivities, Mandau is both a work of silk art and a weapon. Mandau are most associated with Dayak headhunters, but were used by most peoples on the island. They served as weapons, machetes, and status symbols. The most distinctive feature of the Mandau is the cross-section of the blade: it is hollow on one side and beveled on the other. In most cases, the left side of the blade is hollow, but in rare cases it was the other side, probably for a left-handed swordsman. This particular shape of the blade is said to make the parang more effective at driving into or through limbs or wood, and to be more easily withdrawn after a successful blow. The sharpening process is very slow, and polishing a smooth blade to a flawless edge takes more than two weeks. The handles are usually carved antler or wood, decorated with aso (dragon dog) and leeches.Lemetek (the word "lemetek") is associated with bloodsucking and was therefore considered a suitable motif for a weapon. The spirit of a trophy head with long fangs is also carved into the horn, its torso and legs rising above leech motifs. The fern Leichenia linearis was used to secure the handle to the blade, which forms the grip, and to make straps holding the wooden scabbard. The braiding is very fine and has a beautiful patina, the age being particularly visible. The handle is decorated with tufts of human or animal hair. The scabbards are made of carved wood, held together with woven rattan. They are usually provided with an additional bark scabbard and a small long-handled knife but this is not the case here and it does not appear to be missing. The scabbard is carved with Dayak designs on a triangular panel. It has a deep, glossy patina, as does the fern and rattan binding. The scabbard is worn on a belt of very finely woven rattan; the 'loop' or fastening consists of a loop at one end of the belt, through which is passed a piece of shell as here, or the upper mandible of the hornbill, or, as among the Tring Dayaks, the kneecap of a human being, attached to the other end of the belt.