Nias Keris (?)

[Alam Shah]

Originally Posted by David

Agreed. I would not call it a keris.

Perhaps, Bambang Harsrinuksmo when added it into Ensiklopedi Keris, might not have seen one. Instead, based on external information made the inclusion. There is no photo or sketch of the Nias blade presented in the book.

Ensiklopedi Keris is a good resource on Javanese keris, but does fall short on regional information from the Malay Archipelago, although there are limited attempts to include it.

[BluErf]

Would be useful to know what native Nias people call it.

[ThePepperSkull]

It may not be a Keris, but it in a very beautiful shape. I wonder what the Nias call it, and what significance it holds to the culture.

[Amuk Murugul]

Hullo everybody,

Not my area..... but I believe that Maurice's piece, shown via tunggulametung's link, is referred to as: Se/Si Euli.

Here's my contribution. Sorry for the bad quality..... but I haven't time.

Best,

[Alam Shah]

Originally Posted by Amuk Murugul

Hullo everybody,

Not my area..... but I believe that Maurice's piece, shown via tunggulametung's link, is referred to as: Se/Si Euli.

Here's my contribution. Sorry for the bad quality..... but I haven't time.

Best,

Yes, I've heard it called Se/Si Euli. The picture is fine, but typically, the blades that I've seen, 3 examples (at different times and places), all sports a similar blade like Maurice's example, without pamor. Although, blade shapes are somewhat a little different. Your hilt and blade are very different. The hilt with a human figure, looks somewhat Batak-like to me. Perhaps, an example of a newer adaptation of the weapon. The hilt, ('Nio' the general term used for a hilt in Nias).. does not looks like the general Nias archetype.

Si Euli examples can be found in Zonneveld's Traditional Weapons of the Indonesian Archipelago, pg 123-124.

[Mytribalworld]

Originally Posted by Alam Shah

Yes, I've heard it called Se/Si Euli. The picture is fine, but typically, the blades that I've seen, 3 examples (at different times and places), all sports a similar blade like Maurice's example, without pamor. Although, blade shapes are somewhat a little different. Your hilt and blade are very different. The hilt with a human figure, looks somewhat Batak-like to me. Perhaps, an example of a newer adaptation of the weapon. The hilt, ('Nio' the general term used for a hilt in Nias).. does not looks like the general Nias archetype.

Si Euli examples can be found in Zonneveld's Traditional Weapons of the Indonesian Archipelago, pg 123-124.

According to Elio Modigliani in " Un Viaggio a Nias" they are just knifes with a plain blade ( The Niha didn't made pamor blades) but is the scabbard shape meant to imitate the keris scabbards.

a nice exmple is this one form the museum in Amsterdam

regards,

Arjan

[Alam Shah]

Originally Posted by mandaukudi

According to Elio Modigliani in " Un Viaggio a Nias" they are just knifes with a plain blade ( The Niha didn't made pamor blades) but is the scabbard shape meant to imitate the keris scabbards.

Thanks Arjan.. exactly what I meant earlier. Those that said it's a keris probably haven't seen the blade.

For those who have a copy of Karsten Sejr Jensen's "Den Indonesiske Kris -et symbolladet vaben", is there a picture of the Nias blade in it?

[kai]

According to Elio Modigliani in " Un Viaggio a Nias" they are just knifes with a plain blade ( The Niha didn't made pamor blades) but is the scabbard shape meant to imitate the keris scabbards.

Any laminated blade has pamor (however weak) and I believe that anybody would be misled when assuming that the absence of any bold pamor would help to exclude these blades from being keris...

Regards,
Kai

[kai]

Originally Posted by Alam Shah

Your hilt and blade are very different. The hilt with a human figure, looks somewhat Batak-like to me. Perhaps, an example of a newer adaptation of the weapon. The hilt, ('Nio' the general term used for a hilt in Nias).. does not looks like the general Nias archetype.

Yes, this looks off and newly done. I believe this isn't genuine Nias work.

Regards,
Kai