Salawaku

Salawaku
A Salawaku shield, circa 1850–1900.
TypeShield
Place of originIndonesia (Maluku Islands)
Service history
Used byAmbonese, Buru people, Manusela people, Nuaulu people, Tobelo people

A Salawaku (in the Tidore and Pagu languages), is a traditional shield originating from the Maluku Islands. It is also known as Ma Dadatoko, Salwake, Saluwaku or Salawako in Galela, Salawakunu in Loloda, Hawau-mu in Madole, Emuli in Buru[1] or O Dadatoko in Tobelo.[2]

A 17th–19th century salawaku from Halmahera, housed at Singapore’s Asian Civilisations Museum. This specimen is made from wood, nacre, porcelain, and hair.
  1. ^ Waruno Mahdi (2007). Malay Words And Malay Things: Lexical Souvenirs From An Exotic Archipelago In German Publications Before 1700. Otto Harrassowitz Verlag. ISBN 978-3-447-05492-8.
  2. ^ P. E. De Josselin De Jong (1984). Unity In Diversity: Indonesia As A Field of Anthropological Study. Foris Publications. ISBN 90-6765-063-3.