BALINESE TIGA KANCU HILTS

[ganjawulung]

Dear Forumites,

I got this special hilts when I went to Bali last week (I left Bali, just on the day when a "small" bomb exploded in Jalan Duku, Denpasar on Febr 15, 2008). I bought them from a Balinese warangka (sheath) maker, Made Ardhika in Batuan, Ubud about 47 kms from Kuta or Denpasar. One of "prabu" (king) hilt, and the other is "dewa' (deity) hilt of Ganesha...

In Bali -- according to Made Ardhika and also Balinese keris maker, Ktut Mudra of Klungkung -- keris hilts which are made of "tri kancu" or "tiga kancu" wood (you may look at the picture, the small tiga kancu tree with "butterfly" leaves), are regarded as "precious". Because of the rarety of such bush-tree, and also because of the specialty in colour. It has "three colours" (tiga kancu or kencu) of white, reddish and a little black colours altogether in one wood).

Tri-colored wood of tiga kancu regarded by Balinese as a kind of symbolism of "tri pasupati" or three powers of the "jagat ageng" (big world), those are: The Brahma (the creator), Wishnu (life) and Shiva (destroyer, death). So, keris hilts which are made of the tri-colored wood, regarded to be able to "avoid the owner from danger...". (With special ritual for it). That is Balinese belief, of course.

Tiga kancu tree, can grow everywhere in Bali. But tiga kancu tree with three colours usually grow in a dry land -- like in some part of Nusa Dua, or Kuta hills, near the beaches.

I hope I don't disturb you with this post...

GANJAWULUNG (Febr 16, 2008)

[Marcokeris]

Excellent work!!
Sorry Ganja:...."I left Bali, just on the day when a "small" bomb exploded in Jalan Duku, Denpasar on Febr 15, 2008" What's happened??
In my cowntry till today i don't know nothing from newspaper or television. I hope no people hurt or dead

[ganjawulung]

Originally Posted by Marcokeris

Excellent work!!
Sorry Ganja:...."I left Bali, just on the day when a "small" bomb exploded in Jalan Duku, Denpasar on Febr 15, 2008" What's happened??
In my cowntry till today i don't know nothing from newspaper or television. I hope no people hurt or dead

Dear Marco and All,

Not “too serious” bombings, comparing to the previous ones in Kuta and Jimbaran in 2002 and 2004. According to police source, the “bombing” in Gang VII Jalan Gatot Soebroto I Denpasar (Lane VII Gatot Soebroto Street) on last February 5 and last Friday night on February 15 were “business motivated” actions of certain gang. Both bombing used low explosive type of bombs – which are usually used for “bombing” fishes (manually made bomb).

Two persons was wounded in the 15th of February incindent in Kebo Iwa Street (not Jalan Duku as I mentioned in the previous post), and both were owners of a karaoke bar in Denpasar. The low explosive bomb was thrown by motorcyclists – supposed to be members of certain gang. Similar incident happened on February 5.

Anyway, Bali is still “safe” for tourists for this moment. So, I hope those incidents won’t disturb your plan to visit Bali (next month?) too, Marco.

GANJAWULUNG (February 16, 2008)