TABUK CITY, Kalinga (PIA) – Some families in Kalinga still continue their decades-old bladesmithing practice not only as a means of livelihood, but also as a cherished tradition passed down to them through generations.
Vicente Basing-at, a 70-year-old member of one of the remaining families in Kalinga, who practice the craftsmanship, said the craft runs deep in his lineage. His ancestors from the Uma tribe of Lubuagan were known for their work with blades and guns.
“Dagiti a-aapo mi ket isuda ti paggat-gatangan da ditoy Kalinga ken dadduma nga ili iti buneng ken uray ti paltog,” Basing-at shared how his ancestors sold blades and guns across the region, even traveling on foot to neighboring provinces, including Abra to sell their products.
Basing-at said that his father taught him the craft while he was still at a very young age, though he focused solely on bladesmithing after firearms production became illegal.
“Dagiti a-appo mi ti nangisiro kadakami nga agaramid ti buneng ta marigrigat gamin ti biyag sunga isu pangalaan mi pang-biyag mi,” Basing-at said.
[Our elders taught us how to make blades. Our life is hard so this craft is a source of livelihood.]
Irene Balangui, 52, whose family also continues the bladesmith tradition, recalled the hardships in creating blades in the past, saying that every step of the process – from forging and shaping the metal to refining the blade – was done manually so that it took them several days to finish one blade.
“Nagrigat ti agaramid ti buneng idi ta manu-manu. Maysa nga aldaw nga karusan ti maysa nga buneng. Ti pangliha idi ket diyay bulong ti kayo,” Balangui said.
[It was so hard to make blades back then because it was done manually. It would take one day to polish a blade, and they used a type of tree leaves for sanding.]
Both the Basing-at and Balangui families originally hailed from the Uma tribe and later moved to Calanan in Tabuk City to have better access to markets for their products.
They have passed on the craft to their children, making the blade-smith craft a vital part of their families’ livelihood.
Same approach
While modern tools and machinery have made some parts of the bladesmithing a lot easier today, the families’ approach to the craft has largely remained unchanged.
“Ituno da diyay landok, sada pitpiten. Kailangan ti adu nga mangpitpit. Nu malpas, sada karusan nga manu-manu met lang. Agaramid ti balay na ken lagaan,” said Sapain Basing-at, 42, Vicente’s son.
[They heat the metal then hammer it. Several hands will do the hammering. After that, they temper, and polish the forged metal by hand. Then, they make the handle for the knife or blade.]
What is even more unique in their blades is what they call the subo or tenneb, a process of expertly dipping the glowing heated blade in water to make it sharper and stronger.
“Ti subo wenno tenneb ket tapnu agbalin nga natangklen diyay landok na tapnu mabalin nga usaren kadagiti natatangken nga kawayan wenno kayo. Masapul nga usto diyay panangtenneb mo tapnu natangken diyay buneng,” explained Sapain, who is into bladesmithing for 17 years.
[The subo or tenneb hardens the steel into its strongest state so that it can be used in hard wood or bamboo. The hardening and tempering should be done well so that the blade becomes strong.]
Intricate designs
With modern machinery, bladesmithing has become easier, allowing the bladesmiths to create a variety of blades with intricate Kalinga designs.
“Dagiti buneng nga ar-aramiden mi ket talaga nga Kalinga kas iti daytoy design na nga kalasag ken tubbay,” Balangui said.
[The bolos that we make are really reflective of Kalinga, for instance the shield design.]
Due to its durability and unique designs, Balangui said their crafts are being sought after by locals and tourists alike.
“Dagiti dadduma nga gumatang aramiden da nga kas souvenir da. Dagiti dadduma i-display da kadagiti museums,” she noted.
[Some visitors buy the Kalinga-made blades as souvenirs while others use them for display.] (JDP/RGA-PIA CAR, Kalinga)
