Coyness in posting keris pics

[SidJ]

Why is it there a marked reluctance amongst keris folk to share images of their keris? Is this Indonesian etiquette or is it to do with attributing the keris with some sort of lifelike quality whereby sharing images is akin to putting up images of a person for the world to gawk at or is it something else such as people judging a keris and casting aspersions on the custodian? I would be very interested to know.

[A. G. Maisey]

Sid, I think the line between those who will post photos of their keris for all the world to see, and those who will not is defined by personal standards.

The pure collectors are usually more than happy to display their possessions, whereas the people who are students of the keris and who have learnt that the etiquette in most, if not all keris bearing cultures is to keep those keris that they regard as personal keris hidden from the eyes of strangers.

Only close, trusted friends will be welcome to see the keris of a person who tries to observe the keris etiquette that is present in keris bearing cultures.

[SidJ]

Thanks Alan
This makes sense but raises a further question. What is the rationale or underlying premise of this widespread etiquette? It seems unique as other blade bearing societies dont share this. Is this something to do with the esoteric elements of keris? What would be the undesired result if this etiquette was breached and keris were openly discussed in these societies? If the view of keris in these societies has changed given our current times then is this etiquette as a cultural aspect also not amenable to be challenged? I am trying to develop my eframework here as I do feel conflicted with sharing stuff but I am by no means a student of keris per se. I am just a very mediocre collector of lower end items.

[jagabuwana]

My reasons are several, but here are some main ones in no particular order.

First is out of respect for the Javanese mother culture of the keris.
I'm not Javanese, but now that I have a deep interest in one of their essential artefacts, it seems only appropriate to afford it the same etiquettes and conventions.

Second is related to the first in that it is a very small way of better understanding Javanese thought.
Cultures other than your own can be hard to understand, but when you intentionally start to adopt certain ways of thinking, seeing and acting, sometimes it can provide some small but important glimmers of understanding. Though it does make it easier that I am partly of a culture has a shared history with the Jawa people.

As a result of 1 and 2 I consider now consider the keris to be a somewhat sensitive subject. So I am increasingly uncomfortable with the idea of displaying keris that are personal, with even some reluctance for keris that I would consider selling soon, unless its to someone I at the very least trust and have good rapport with. All I can say for now is that it feels tactless and I don't yet fully understand why.

[rasdan]

Hi Sid,

I know someone who does not share his collections openly mainly because he does not want to educate unwanted people by whatever small knowledge that might be generated from the photos/online knowledge sharing.

Some people likes being seen as keris specialist with little or no knowledge at all and many of this people have communication skills of a snake oil salesman. They can be very confident making statements with their make believe knowledge or knowledge that they just dig up online from other people's sharing to impress the public or his followers. And a lot of times these people mislead the public and his followers. Some can even make money out of it.

Obtaining keris knowledge is hard, you need to learn a lot of things, takes a long time and costs a lot. And the last thing this person want to do is to educate arrogant, pretentious people. To each their own I guess.

[A. G. Maisey]

Sid, my approach to this idea of sharing a personal keris with strangers began the very first time I went to Indonesia. I visited Jogja, I could not speak Indonesian, I hired a guide to show me around.

We were in the North Alun-alun and I saw one of the Jogja Kraton attendants (abdi dalem) dressed in traditional attire and with an interesting keris in his setagen (sash). I asked my guide if it might be possible ask this Javanese gentleman to see his keris. I was as green as grass. It was explained to me that if I were to do this it would be the height of bad manners and that there was no way of predicting the result of my rudeness.

In Jawa & in other keris bearing societies, a man's keris represents the man himself. To permit somebody to see that keris is exactly the same as permitting somebody to see you absolutely naked, but more than this, you not only expose your body, you expose your soul, along with all your hopes, dreams and fears.

It is a cultural thing Sid, and those people who wish to demonstrate respect to the culture from which the keris has come do not permit strangers to see keris that they might have in their custody.

[SidJ]

Thanks for your responses thus far. I can see why sharing pics may serve to enrich dishonest people. And I see also how in Java etc showing a keris can reveal a lot to strangers. But arent the reasons for this as follows:
1. Those keris are of deep personal significance with them being made to suit the owner or ancestral objects.
2. People only had one keris generally and did not seek to acquire collections as we know

Now we have a context where keris are traded internationally as commodities on the online market. Collectors buy large numbers of these based on various criteria. The keris is not made for them and is not an ancestral object. It is an object of art totally removed from the context Alan described I would think. A cherished keris today can on a whim be sold off the next. There is not remotely the connection between keris and custodian as occurs in the home nations. On this basis then this practice of not sharing keris images might be seen as merely giving a cursory whimsical, respectful and well meaning superficial nod to the culture but nothing more. A harsher view might be that this is a bit of convenient cultural appropriation. And might it be said that the collector who does post images recognises that they are not operating in the home nation cultural context at all and their appreciation is of a different but no less disrespectful flavour. Like a western appreciation of fine art in its purest sense? I again emphasise I mean no disrespect to anyone. I am only trying to find my own way through this ethical morass. I know there is no right or wrong way. But is there a better way to act?

[Anthony G.]

This is what I have experienced personally where your keris photo has been used by scammers who use it to scam unaware victims who thinks the keris belongs to the scammers.

After paying for it, the scammers just disappear.