Alan,
We live in strange modern times. Culture is a contentious term. In the olden days when things were set apart I would agree with your last sentence. But today pandes make and sell keris to folk outside their culture for commercial gain. On this basis, I see nothing objectionable in those outsiders expressing their opinions on the art they have access to. By objective standards the keris we see is plainly of a less sophisticated physical form than its forbears. It may be equally spiritually potent but no judgement is made in that regard. If the new form is accepted by the Balinese so be it. But because a Balinese chooses for whatever social norms or custom to not assess critically the form of the blade is perhaps one of the reasons why we now see this type of change? I say all this with the utmost respect and only in manner of Socratic questioning.
|