Friday, April 16, 2010

Flail

Here would be included both chains (rante) and whips (the chemeti and the penjut). Chains in use show a great diversity of linkage patterns and overall length, both of which are, of course, determined by the user; the ends of the chain are usually weighted. As a weapon, the chain is chiefly used to beat the enemy, but it may also serve to entangle him and whatever weapon he happens to be wielding. The chemeti is the longer of the two types of whips.

Thursday, April 15, 2010

Stick and Staff

The chief weapons of this type are the tongkat and the gada, which are short sticks, and the gala and the toya, which can vary in length from five to about seven feet. The wood out of which the sticks and staffs are most commonly fashioned is that of the rattan palm (called rotan in Indonesian), although hard woods are also utilized.