BRIDGING THE GAP
Weaponry of the pre-colonial Bisayans
The early Bisayans possessed a number of weapons to protect themselves from their enemies or to vanquish their foes. Their arms consisted of long and slender cutting blades, e.g., talibong and binangon, and of sundang or daggers of different lengths and designs that usually had wooden scabbards. They also had bows-and-arrows and lances with iron tips in the shape of a tongue.
To protect their bodies while in combat they had tamings or shields made of wood and/or rattan. They were very strong because they cannot be cut or pierced by any stroke of a bladed weapon. They were described by Morga (1609) as long and narrow and some of them "were painted and very elegant." Other than the wooden ones, they wore some armor made from cotton fiber to protect their breasts and stomachs. Morga (1609) and Zuñiga (1893) recorded that such an armor was very strong such that if ever the wearer was hit by a lance from a short distance, no harm will result. They had other body armors made of wood that served as their breast and back plates for defensive purposes. In some cases, the Bisayans also wore moriones or protective helmets made of fish skin which were very hard and strong. Moreover, they had corselets made of carabao skin which were very tough (Zuñiga, 1893).
The other feared weapons that the Bisayans used were arrows and lances whose iron tips were smeared with poison. These were not only used by the Bisayans but were widespread in the Philippines at the time of the Spanish conquest. These poisoned iron tip projectiles were said to kill in a very short time or paralyze the victim. In the absence of iron tips, the Bisayans and the rest of the natives at that time also made many lances of hardwood and bamboo with the points exposed in a gradual manner to the fire to harden them.
The Bisayans were also noted for having many different kinds of boats that they used for trading and in conducting their wars. There were large and wide ones used in large-scale raids that could accommodate from 50 to 100 passengers. For the most part, however, they used small ones that could carry from ten to fifteen passengers in their lightning forays in enemy territories. Everybody was expected to help in rowing, except the datu or chieftain aboard the boat. The rowers position themselves on both sides of the boat and then row with measured cadence the sleek and fast boat.
The Bisayan boats were noted by the Spaniards to be very light and, therefore, did not require so much effort to row or to sail them. Considering that the oars used were not tied to the tidings of the boat, the men were seated quite comfortably and rowed with the wooden paddle easily with both hands. Also, the boats were very stable and safe because of the large bamboo katigs or counterweights that were placed on both sides. The counterweights enabled the boat to travel fast and safe and was not in danger of capsizing.
As can be seen, the early Bisayans had already developed the appropriate technology to enable them to succeed in warfare or conflict and to protect themselves from their enemies. Conflict was essentially caused by personal misunderstanding, as well as struggle for political supremacy and the control of resources.