Parang latok

A parang latok (which is also known as latok, latok buku or parang pathi) is a sword from Borneo in Sarawak, Malaysia; where it is regarded as the national weapon of the Sarawakian Malay people and the Bidayuhs (Land Dayak people),^[1] and as well as Kalimantan, Indonesia. It also functions as a machete.

Parang latok
A Parang Latok, circa 1800-1899.
Type	Parang, Sword
Place of origin	Borneo (Sarawak, Malaysia[1] and West Kalimantan, Indonesia)
Service history
Used by	Bornean Malay people, Dayak people (Bidayuh)[1]
Specifications
Length	approximately 55 cm (22 in)
Blade type	single edged, one sided chisel grind
Hilt type	wood
Scabbard/sheath	wood

Its used for both timber felling, agricultural activities and warfare is characterised by the noticeable bent at an obtuse angle from one-third of its length starting from the pommel.^[2] This parang features a single-edge blade that is heavier and wider towards the point of the blade. The handle of the parang latok is made of wood without a guard and often tied securely with rattan at its grip. It is carried in a long, two-piece wooden sheath to properly hold the blade.^[3]

In the past, the parang latok is also used for executing condemned criminals, and the decapitation is normally achieved with a single blow.^[4] This parang is used two-handedly, with one hand holding the hilt and the other holding the blade's shoulder, enabling its user to strike downwards.

A smaller version of the parang latok is called the buko, while another variant of the parang latok is known as the sadap.^[5]

See also

• Malaysia portal
• Indonesia portal

• Pandat

References

1. Frederick Boyle (1865). Adventures Among the Dyaks of Borneo. Hurst and Blackett. p. 35. OCLC 1040876361.
2. H. S. Cowper (2012). The Art of Attack and the Development of Weapons: from the Earliest Times to the Age of Gunpowder. Andrews UK Limited. ISBN 978-1-78150-359-1.
3. George Cameron Stone (1999). Glossary of the Construction, Decoration and Use of Arms and Armor in All Countries and in All Times. Courier Corporation. ISBN 0-486-40726-8.
4. Frederick Boyle (1865). Adventures among the Dyaks of Borneo. Hurst and Blackett. p. 118. OCLC 475350124.
5. Albert G Van Zonneveld (2002). Traditional Weapons of the Indonesian Archipelago. Koninklyk Instituut Voor Taal Land. ISBN 90-5450-004-2.