The Future's Wild wrote:I've had a similar discussion with 47MM as to the origin of the Balisong. Still not sold either way. Though I must admit I do enjoy training the balisong.
Pre-Spanish, the only civilization that may have been advanced enough to produce a balisong (metal blade and wooden handle) was the Sulu Sultanate, a southern Mulsim state. FMAs and the blade techniques used therein trace origins to regions. The south was and is Muslim and utilises the Kris (which I have not yet seen incorporated into a balisong design), so even if the technology was present, it is questionable whether the Sulu would have made balisongs.
The Japanese made their largest contribution much later. When numerous Christian Japanese samurai families were expelled from Japan and took up residence in Catholic Philippines. My own family traces part of their lineage from these migrants. They could have created balisongs but considering the late date, the balisong was probably already in existance.
He probably took the disussion from here. he does that. No harm, no foul. Much of my influence is on him and others here, within the same art.
As I said on a earlier post, the oldest sample is in France.
