A warrior's keris

[Raja Muda]

Greetings gentlemen and a happy solstice to you too Neschech,
I've been following the rest of the thread with interest, especially the long debate on whether the keris remains a combat weapon or is simply a symbolic, talismanic cultural object.
Perhaps if we look at it from the Malay and maybe Bugis perspective, the keris is still seen primarily as a weapon with an added talismanic function.
If the number of perguruan silat or martial arts school that still teach keris fighting techniques is anything to go by, then, this might offer some clue to how widespread the use of the keris was as a weapon, at least in the Malay states of the peninsula and Sumatera.
Strange thing is, more emphasis is given by some schools to keris techniques than say that of parang, klewang etc, other more efficient hand weapons.
So, is keris a weapon of last resort? Maybe so. But the amount of training needed before a warrior can start wielding a keris effictively and the vast number of techniques taught speaks volumes of the place of the keris in the Malay martial arts world.
One the other side of the coin, from my conversations with a silat instructor, I gathered that very few Javanese perguruans still employ the keris in their combat techniques. Perhaps the Javanese may prefer other bladed weapons but that doesn't mean they've dispensed with the keris totally I guess.

[nechesh]

Well, I'm not sure one could argue that the keris "remains" a combat weapon aside from it's use in silat training. One would hardly expect a modern day soldier to use one in war.
But it probably WAS created for this purpose originally and certainly has been used this way in it's time. It appears again and again in Malay legend as well as a combat weapon. What is one to make of the stories of Hang Tauh and the keris Taming Sari?

[BluErf]

Hi Ronpakis,

No problem, I'll take some pictures and post on the forum, but I think you have to wait till this weekend because I get home late at night almost everynight and I prefer to take photos with natural daylight.

Hi Nechesh,

I think we are getting a little into semantics here. I think what Raja Muda is saying is that while no one would use a keris today, we still see 'combat' kerises around. The idea of the keris being used in 'combat' is also reinforced by the amount of emphasis put into keris training for silat.

Come to think about it, I think there was a recent case of a gang fight in Singapore in which a keris, a lawi ayam and some other traditional weapons were used. Someone may have been killed in that gang fight. For a while, the keris collectors here in Singapore got a bit worried because we feared that the police would start clamping down on kerises. Fortunately, nothing of that sort happened.

[ronpakis]

hello nechesh and of course all the others (sorry, wasnt paying attention to the spelling )

My point is that i believe that keris is no primarily weapon not then and of course not now. use it in need but when there is a choice try something different. (thats wat i was saying in my gold keris example) im a very stubborn guy and hard to convince of the opposite, sorry for that . pitch is indeed a normal material to fitt a blade. many swords are fitted with it. but i see no proof in a keris wich is fitted with it to be a weapon. simply because it could be a later addition. (perhaps it is used as a weapon but does this proove its primarily function) lets say you are a bugi guy in the 18th century. war with another tribe is comming up and you will have to choose your weapons. use a dua lalan or something like it. it kills "cows" very efficient. (funeral rites)
about the dutch, i meant if the locals made keris for this purpose or did they use their "pusaka" did they made a keris to be used as a weapon to kill others fighting on dutch side or did they use ones wich are already at hands.
its just that im a practical guy i have studied a practical proffesion and have some experience in martial arts (not silat) to me it is no logical choice to take a keris and fight with it.

blu, im looking forward to your pictures but be prepared! as stated before im very stubborn

[BluErf]

Its ok ronpakis. You are entitled to your opinions. The worst that can happen is that people stop responding to you.

[BluErf]

I figured that I'm not taking archival pics, so I'll just use the good old flash and quickly snap some pics of how to hold a pistol-gripped keris.

The elbow of the grip is held pushed against the centre of the palm. This is crucial to providing strong support for thrusting, but not for slashing. But Bugis kerises were never meant to be slashers.

The thumb and the 1st finger are used to pinch the picetan. The ganja rests against the base of the 1st finger, providing more support for a strong thrust. The thumb and 1st finger also provide very fine point control -- you can fine tune where your keris is pointing very easily.

The remaining 3 fingers wraps round the rest of the grip to provide a firm grip. The wrist remains at a comfortable and natural position. The blade is parallel to the ground, allowing it slide more easily between ribs, rather than getting caught by 2 ribs when held perpendicular to the ground.

When the fingers are wrapped in to form a fist, you would have noticed that it forms a 'L'-shaped hollow, as defined by the bend of the thumb. That's what we mean by the pistol grip being one of the earliest studies in human ergonomics. The L-shaped pistol grip moulds into the hollow of the fist.



Finally, what I want to say is that -- please stop talking about the use of keris in a war. Its a weapon of last resort in a war.

In non-war situations, most people would only carry their kerises around, and if they need to defend themselves, the keris is what comes in handy. Also, the keris is advantageous in certain situations -- e.g. in an enclosed area where a sword or spear cannot be wielded effectively. The keris also had a bad reputation for being an assassins weapon because it is easily concealed and can deliver fatal thrusts in very close quarters.

There are kerises for fighting, there are kerises for showing-off, there are kerises for casting a curse on your most hated enemies, there are kerises made to execute people, there are kerises given by father to son, there are kerises made for tourists, there are kerises made to signify a nation, there are kerises made to commemorate a significant event, there are kerises that can protect the owner, there are kerises made to represent the authority of a Raja, Sultan or Agung, there are kerises made as works of art, there are kerises... and there are kerises...

[ronpakis]

hi blu,

very nice pictures, it is very clear to see how a bugi style keris is to be handled. although im still not convinced i will let this topic for what it is perhaps someday i will be "turned to the other side"

i wont go any further on the subject warfare with keris either (although i find you all very eager to respond, > meant positive).

thanx for all your effort, lets put our energy into other, just as interesting, new topics

merry christmas to all of you and watch your fingers fireworks are sometimes more dangerous than keris