A bolo (
Tagalog: iták/gúlok,
Ilocano: bunéng,
Ibanag: badáng/aliwa,
Pangasinan: baráng,
Kapampangan: paláng,
Bikol: tabák/minasbad,
Cebuano: súndang/kampilan,
Waray: sansibar,
Hiligaynon: sandúko/binangon,
Aklan: talibong) is a general term for traditional
pre-colonial small to medium-sized single-edged
swords or large
knives of the Philippines that function both as tools and weapons.[1][2] They are characterized by a wide curved blade that narrows down to the hilt, and comes with a pointed or a blunt tip. Bolos are common tools in the Philippines and are often compared to the
machete.[3]
Description
Bolos are differentiated from other Filipino swords and bladed implements by their dual use as both tools and weapons. They are characterized by a curved (usually convex) wide blade that narrows towards the hilt, with pointed or blunt tips. There are various types of bolos differing by
ethnic group and purpose, ranging from large knives to short swords to specialized agricultural equipment. They had a wide range of use, from hunting to scything grass, opening coconuts, harvesting crops, or clearing dense brush.[2][4][5]
Most bolos are cheap and unornamented, with the handle usually made from plain
carabao horn or wood. Bolos with finely carved handles with precious materials were used as
status symbols of high social rank.[3]
Common uses
The bolo is common in the countryside due to its use as a farming implement. As such, it was used extensively during
Spanish colonial rule as a manual alternative to ploughing with a
carabao. Normally used for cutting
coconuts,[4] it was also a common tool for harvesting narrow row crops found on
terraces such as
rice,
mungbean,
soybean, and
peanut.[6]
Use in warfare
During the American period in the Philippines, Filipino fighters armed with bolos were known as "bolomen". They were used as auxiliary troops by the Americans during the various battles with Moros, and others. They were often placed in front of riflemen, as beliefs in anting-anting.[7] The bolo men were effective in close combat with riflemen using
bayonets but were easily defeated if riflemen opened fire on them.[8]
A bolo is characterized by having a native
hardwood or animal horn handle (such as from the
carabao),[13] a full
tang, and a
steel blade that both curves and widens, often considerably so, towards its tip.[4][12] This moves the
centre of gravity as far forward as possible, giving the bolo extra momentum for chopping.[13]
So-called "jungle bolos", intended for
combat rather than agricultural work, tend to be longer and less wide at the tip.[4][12] Bolos for
gardening usually have rounded tips.[13]
Types
The term "bolo" has also expanded to include other traditional blades that primarily or secondarily function as agricultural implements. They include:
Guna or Bolo-guna - A weeding knife with a very short, wide, dull blade and a perpendicular blunt end. It is used mainly for digging roots and weeding gardens.
Kampilan - a tapering longsword found throughout the Philippines.
Iták - a narrow sword used for combat and self-defense in the
Tagalog regions. Like the súndang, it is also known as the "jungle bolo" or "tip bolo", and was a popular weapon during the
Philippine Revolution and the
Philippine Insurrection.
Haras - a
scythe used for cutting tall grass. It is called "Lampas" by people from Mindanao.
Pinutî - a narrow sword traditionally carried as a personal weapon for combat or self-defense.
Punyál or Gunong - a dagger derivative of the kalis. Used as a side-weapon in combat, or to kill and bleed pigs during
slaughter. Also known under the more generic term kutsilyo (Spanish cuchillo, "knife").
Súndang - the most common personal weapon used for combat and self-defense in the
Visayas. Also known as the "jungle bolo" or "tip bolo". It was a popular weapon of choice in the
Philippine Revolution against the
Spanish Empire and during the subsequent
Philippine Insurrection.
During
World War I, United States Army soldier
Henry Johnson gained international fame repelling a German raid in hand-to-hand combat using a bolo.[16]
On 7 December 1972, would-be assassin Carlito Dimahilig used a bolo to attack former
First LadyImelda Marcos as she appeared onstage at a live televised awards ceremony. Dimahilig stabbed Marcos in the abdomen several times, and she parried the blows with her arms. He was shot dead by security forces while she was taken to a hospital.[18][19]
In the
United States Military, the
slang term "to bolo" – to fail a test, exam or evaluation, originated from the combined Philippine-American military forces including recognized guerrillas during the
Spanish–American War and the
Philippine Insurrection; those local soldiers and guerrillas who failed to demonstrate proficiency in marksmanship were issued bolos instead of firearms so as not to waste scarce ammunition. The lowest level of qualification for the Army Marksmanship Qualification Badge (
Marksmanship badges (United States)), ‘marksman’, is unofficially known as a ‘bolo’ badge.[21]
In hand-to-hand
combat sports, especially
boxing, the term "
bolo punch" is used to describe an uppercut thrown in a manner mimicking the arcing motion of a bolo while in use.[22]
^Le Roy, James A. (1905). Philippine Life in Town and Country. G. P. Putnam's Sons. p. 86.
^
abKrieger, Herbert W. (1926). "The Collection of Primitive Weapons and Armor of the Philippine Islands in the United States National Museum". Smithsonian Institution United States National Museum. Bulletin 137: 62–86.
^
abGeorge, Marian Minnie (1901). Little Journeys to Hawaii and the Philippine Islands. A. Flanagan. pp. 53–54.
^
abcdeValderrama, Michael R. (22 June 2013).
"The bolo".
Sun.Star Bacolod. Archived from
the original on 12 November 2014. Retrieved 12 November 2014.
^King, Martin; Collins, Michael (2018). Lost Voices: The Untold Stories of America's World War I Veterans and Their Families. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 104.
ISBN9781493031658.