The subjugation of these countries resulted in bloodshed in some areas. In Sumatra, the Aceh and Menangkabaws had a long record of uprisings against the Dutch. The Bugis from Sulawesi also gave the colonizers a lot of trouble. The Moros favored bladed weapons. These bladed weapons were used for combat only.
Blades vary in size and weight to suit the individual warrior.
Handles were made of wood like bunti which is a hardwood from a root of a particular tree. The Southern part of the Philippines which is closest to Indonesia, picked up some cultural, religious, and social exchange early on. The Moros of Southern Philippines developed the Indonesian thrusting kris into a slashing combat sword. The Moro kris became a symbol of authority amongst the Sultanates that existed then. The Moro kris is an excellent sword in group fighting due to the fact that the double edge can be used in either direction.