Pai-Wan tribe
The characteristic of their knife is the snake headed shape on the tip of their knives. The wooden rectangular box on the top of the sheath is for binding it to the warriors waist. And it can temporarily store medicine, betel nuts, and other equipment while hiking. The blade, its sheath, and the handle are all decorated by special carvings like snakes and clay pots. These patterns are consecutive and crossed with each other. On the other side, are decorations with special materials. The whole thing is coated with wooden colored paint. These knives are used for war
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A Mei
The knives can separate into two sections by its characteristic. The blade itself that is used by the northern A Mei is much straighter with less decoration on it. The southern A Mei’s blade is more shaped like snakes’ head. The sided bladed knife is also decorated with cow horned handle.
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Da Wu
The sword is basically used for religious purpose. The blade is in semi-open condition, decorated with waves pattern, which represents the culture of their specifically oceanic spirit. Most of them are used in funerals, fishing at night, night outing, and the ritual of turning into an adult.
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Shao
The characteristic of their knives are fish belly shaped blade. The outer sheath is short and small. The design of spilt bottom part is different from different groups of aboriginal people.
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Tsou
The characteristic of their knives are fish belly shaped blade. The outer sheath is short and small. There is a wooden strip on the back of the sheath, with no decorations at all. The soldiers of this tribe will use this knife and stab the hogs during the ritual. Then, wipe the blood on the blade to the tree, in order to worship the god of war. The warriors will shout towards the sky, climb up the tree and cut of the branches, which means climbing up the ladder of heaven remove obstacles in life.
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Ping Pu
When they go out, they always bring their knives with them. There are two kinds of knives, one is rectangular shaped blade while the other is sharp leafed blade. They’re no longer than one meter.
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Tai ya
Their blades are the longest, most curved and least decorated. The back of the blades are thick. The handles are decorated with vines. The fish shaped sheath is decorated with fur at the bottom part.
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Lu Kai
The end of the sheath is shaped like a snake head. The color of the sheath is often painted in red or wooden color. The other side of the sheath is zig zaged with two iron wire. The handle is decorated with shells, while the sheath is decorated with the designs of their ancestors and the snakes. The snake eye white at the end of the sheath is decorated with shells, the nails are the pupil. Metal sheet is for the nose.
(Picture source: Master Kuo provides)
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