Bamboo Cannons
In the Philippines, you can find gigantic bamboo plants deep within the tropical jungles, mountains, and even near the rice paddies. Many Filipinos use this bamboo to make "Kerosene Bamboo Cannons", which they use as an alternative to firecrackers, during Christmas and the New Year.
Originally, these bamboo cannons were introduced to the Filipinos by Chinese traders as WEAPONS, even before the Spanish colonizers arrived on the shores of the Philippine Archipelago.
The Muslim inhabitants of Mindanao have used these bamboo cannons (which they called 'Lantaka') to attack indigenous tribes from nearby islands who did not want to be converted to Islam.
The Filipinos also used this cannons to attack the corrupt Spanish government officials during the 19th century. Originally, bamboo cannons were used as firearms by inserting an arrow or rock in it, as it was used with gunpowder.
Courtesy: Guns&Ammo
Today calcium carbide is used instead of kerosene. First, all of the nodes except for the last one are removed. Then a small hole is made in the bamboo pole. A piece of calcium carbide is inserted in the hole and water is added until white smoke comes out of the bamboo pipe. This smoke is than lit with a match to trigger the explosion.
