Pawakan

Bjorn · 3rd August 2021, 08:28 PM

The forum has been a bit quiet lately, so I thought we might do a small experiment on pawakan - the feeling evoked by a blade. To provide some more background:

Tangguh is evaluated according to a a blade's features, most of which - according to my understanding - cannot be appraised from a photo.

Pamor and pawakan, I feel, are most easily identified from photos, and it is pawakan in particular that this thread seeks to explore.

The descriptions on the definition and categories here are taken from Jean's book "The Keris - Legendary Weapon from Indonesia". The section on pawakan refers to the Ensiklopedi Keris as the main source. (Please correct me if I inadvertently got this wrong, Jean.)

Pawakan is defined as "the evaluation of the style and rhythm of the blade shape and the impression about its characterization". The following categories are listed:

kaku: clumsy, not harmonious
wingit: eerie, giving a terrifying impression
prigel: giving a deft and skilled impression
sedeng: average
demes: giving a neat impression and nice-looking
wagu: not harmonious
odol: coarse, sloppy
kemba: tasteless
tampa semu: not giving any impression
sereng: strong, fierce
bagus/ayu: handsome, pleasing

Now this is quite a list already and I get the impression there is some overlap between some of these terms.

How to play
Once someone has posted a photo (from profile, tip of the blade pointing up, kembang kacang pointing to the left) we can weigh in on how each of us perceives the pawakan and why it evokes such a feeling in us.

It'll be interesting to see if there are large differences in our perceptions of whether we will all end up at or near the same one.

Hopefully this will provide some entertainment and education!

3rd August 2021, 08:28 PM	#1
Bjorn Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Netherlands Posts: 188	Pawakan The forum has been a bit quiet lately, so I thought we might do a small experiment on pawakan - the feeling evoked by a blade. To provide some more background: Tangguh is evaluated according to a a blade's features, most of which - according to my understanding - cannot be appraised from a photo. Pamor and pawakan, I feel, are most easily identified from photos, and it is pawakan in particular that this thread seeks to explore. The descriptions on the definition and categories here are taken from Jean's book "The Keris - Legendary Weapon from Indonesia". The section on pawakan refers to the Ensiklopedi Keris as the main source. (Please correct me if I inadvertently got this wrong, Jean.) Pawakan is defined as "the evaluation of the style and rhythm of the blade shape and the impression about its characterization". The following categories are listed: kaku: clumsy, not harmonious wingit: eerie, giving a terrifying impression prigel: giving a deft and skilled impression sedeng: average demes: giving a neat impression and nice-looking wagu: not harmonious odol: coarse, sloppy kemba: tasteless tampa semu: not giving any impression sereng: strong, fierce bagus/ayu: handsome, pleasing Now this is quite a list already and I get the impression there is some overlap between some of these terms. How to play Once someone has posted a photo (from profile, tip of the blade pointing up, kembang kacang pointing to the left) we can weigh in on how each of us perceives the pawakan and why it evokes such a feeling in us. It'll be interesting to see if there are large differences in our perceptions of whether we will all end up at or near the same one. Hopefully this will provide some entertainment and education!