Parang (knife)

Design

Typical vegetation in Southeast Asia is more woody than in South America, and the parang is therefore optimized for a stronger chopping action with a heavier blade and a "sweet spot" further forward of the handle, in comparison to a South American machete; the blade is also beveled more obtusely to prevent it from binding in the cut. This is the same rationale and (in practical terms) the same design as the Indonesian golok and very similar to the Filipino bolo. The parang blade ranges from 10 to 36 in in length.

The parang has a weight of up to 2 lb and the edge typically uses a convex grind. The parang has three different edges: the front is very sharp and used for skinning, the middle is wider and used for chopping, and the back end (near the handle) is very fine and used for carving. A parang handle is normally made out of wood or horn, with a wide end to prevent slips in wet conditions. The tang of the parang is usually of hidden tang design, but full tang designs are also available.

Uses

Like the machete, the parang is frequently used in the jungle as well as being a tool for making housing, furniture, and tools. The parang has been noted in John "Lofty" Wiseman's SAS Survival Handbook{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=65-o2qppedcC |first=John |last=Wiseman |author-link=Lofty Wiseman |title=SAS Survival Handbook: How to Survive in the Wild, in Any Climate, on Land Or at Sea |publisher=HarperCollins |year=2004

The weapon is related to the kampilan from the Philippines, which is referred to as parang kampilan in the Iranun language.

Parangs are recorded being used in attacks against the British and Japanese. They are typically carried as weapons by gang members, protesters and robbers in Malaysia, Singapore, India, and Sri Lanka, due to these countries having strict gun laws.

Parangs were used by North Borneo guerillas against the Japanese in the Jesselton Revolt during the Japanese occupation of British Borneo.

References

References

1. Donn F. Draeger. (1992). "Weapons and fighting arts of Indonesia". Rutland, Vt. : Charles E. Tuttle Co..
2. Albert G Van Zonneveld. (2002). "Traditional Weapons of the Indonesian Archipelago". Koninklyk Instituut Voor Taal Land.
3. Mamitua Saber, Dionisio G. Orellana. (1977). "Comparative Notes On Museum Exhibits In Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei, Macao, And The Philippines: A Report To The Ford Foundation On Travelling Symposium For Southeast Asia Museum Development, April-May, 1971". Aga Khan Museum, Mindanao State University.
4. R. A. M. Wilson. (15 September 1994). "A cargo of spice, or Exploring Borneo". Radcliffe Press.
5. Paul H. Kratoska. (13 May 2013). "Southeast Asian Minorities in the Wartime Japanese Empire". Routledge.