BARONG | BADI
TEMPERED IDENTITY
The barong is a short leaf-shaped blade. It is single-edged, with a back that tapers to a sharp point as it narrows towards the hilt. The blunt back is usually straight, in contrast to its razor-sharp belly. The barong’s blade is thick and heavy, giving it the needed slashing weight to compensate for its shortness. Although the barong is characteristically a Sulu weapon, with the Tausug often sporting it as part of their regalia, the Sama term for the barong is badi. The barong’s hilts and its tilted asymmetrical pommels are either elongated abstractions of the mythical Naga, or a cockatoo shape called junggayan. They are made of hardwood, metal, ivory, or carabao horn. The elegance and seemingly delicate beauty of the barong’s handle belies the fact that if skillfully used in close combat, the barong can easily lop off a head, arm, or leg. It was the standard weapon used by the Moro warriors in Jolo who took an oath to commit sabil (a ritualistic suicide attack on occupying forces) commonly known as juramentados in the last quarter of the 19th century.