MORO Edged Weapons

   The Moro name refers to Muslim tribes from the Sulu Archipelago and Mindanao island in Southern Philippines. There are four major tribes: the Maguidanao (Mindanao), the Maranao (Mindanao), the Tausug (Sulu) and the Samal (Zamboanga). The Moro tribes are of Malay origin with the same cultural influences as other Malay coastal tribes: mainly Hinduism and Islam. They are known to be fierce warriors and have developed a wide range of efficient weapons. There is a lot of commonality between the Moro edged weapons and the rest of the Malay world although they have their own particularities. For instance the "Keris", which takes the European spelling in the Philippines "Kris", is a slashing sword whereas the Indonesian Keris is a thrusting dagger. The Kampilan is a variation of the Klewang, the Barong of the Golok.