Kris handles showing royal 'mascots'?

David · 3rd July 2012, 05:11 PM

Sorry my citing this posted example from the forum is irritating, and that you think it is misidentified is good information for me. I guess nothing was said at the time that the title might be thought to be misleading (?). And I did not mean to imply that I think that Twalen/Semar is hunchbacked at all; I merely said that to my unpracticed eye, that particular hilt seemed like it might be meant to show Twalen or Semar. Does anyone else think of Semar?

But conversion in Indonesia (at least to Islam or forms of Christianity) is sometimes just a 'new frosting' on the 'old cake'. Even in the 20th century some branches of the royal Central Javanese bloodlines and their retainers retained Hindu practices despite outwardly conforming to Moslem expectations.
[/QUOTE]
You citing was not "irritating" Cinna, but i do still think it was a misleading remark on the original poster's part. Just for the record, NONE of us here are experts in this field. Some are more informed than others, but we all have much to learn.
What you say about Jawa after the conversion is, of course, correct. There is also quite a bite of pre-Hindu animistic belief left around as well.
The closest thing to primates i have seen on a keris hilt would be depiction of Hanuman, who while monkey-like, can not really be called a primate.

3rd July 2012, 05:11 PM	#7
David Keris forum moderator Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Nova Scotia Posts: 7,211	Sorry my citing this posted example from the forum is irritating, and that you think it is misidentified is good information for me. I guess nothing was said at the time that the title might be thought to be misleading (?). And I did not mean to imply that I think that Twalen/Semar is hunchbacked at all; I merely said that to my unpracticed eye, that particular hilt seemed like it might be meant to show Twalen or Semar. Does anyone else think of Semar? But conversion in Indonesia (at least to Islam or forms of Christianity) is sometimes just a 'new frosting' on the 'old cake'. Even in the 20th century some branches of the royal Central Javanese bloodlines and their retainers retained Hindu practices despite outwardly conforming to Moslem expectations. [/QUOTE] You citing was not "irritating" Cinna, but i do still think it was a misleading remark on the original poster's part. Just for the record, NONE of us here are experts in this field. Some are more informed than others, but we all have much to learn. What you say about Jawa after the conversion is, of course, correct. There is also quite a bite of pre-Hindu animistic belief left around as well. The closest thing to primates i have seen on a keris hilt would be depiction of Hanuman, who while monkey-like, can not really be called a primate.