Help identify Klewang

A. G. Maisey · 10th May 2017, 11:07 PM

The problem with the word "klewang, kelewang" is that it has a different meaning for collectors, especially collectors outside the area of origin of the klewang, than for native speakers of Malay, Bahasa Indonesia and Javanese.

In all three of these languages a klewang is defined as a sword, and in BI and Javanese it must be broad and curved. According to Wilkinson it was very much favoured by the people from Aceh.

But my understanding of the way in which collectors use the word is that it can be tagged onto just about any short, heavy tool/weapon used for chopping.

In respect of the item under discussion here, it is probably correctly termed "madhik". This is a very ancient Balinese tool/weapon:-

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=21896

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10th May 2017, 11:07 PM	#16
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,991	The problem with the word "klewang, kelewang" is that it has a different meaning for collectors, especially collectors outside the area of origin of the klewang, than for native speakers of Malay, Bahasa Indonesia and Javanese. In all three of these languages a klewang is defined as a sword, and in BI and Javanese it must be broad and curved. According to Wilkinson it was very much favoured by the people from Aceh. But my understanding of the way in which collectors use the word is that it can be tagged onto just about any short, heavy tool/weapon used for chopping. In respect of the item under discussion here, it is probably correctly termed "madhik". This is a very ancient Balinese tool/weapon:- http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=21896