Pinuti
Literally: polished white
A Visayan bolo-type sword, originally a farming tool; the name means "whitened" in Cebuano, after the blade polished bright before combat.
Quick Facts
PhilippinesAbout the weapon
Pinuti is a Filipino bolo-type sword from Visayas, originally a farming tool. The name comes from Cebuano and means "whitened": before combat farmers ground the blade clean to a bright white, unlike the dark patina it acquired from field work. We have not been able to establish either the weapon's time of origin or its history in the sources; the main available source, moreover, relies mostly on a single one. The blade measures roughly 40 to 45 centimetres. The handle is usually made of light guava wood. Some decorative motifs on the sheaths are interpreted as depictions of Bakunawa (Laho), others as a seahorse associated with dragon symbolism. Which martial arts or schools the pinuti is linked to, we have not found in the sources.