Slim Kojuk Mrenges Keris Hilt from Madura

[Sajen]

Hello Patrick,

I have handled a lot of this slim Kojuk Mrenges hilts over the years but can't tell you the exact purpose of this slim hilts and I never have handled a keris with such a hilt where I have been sure that the ensemble is original and already long together. Will post my example when the light it allows to take pictures.

Regards,
Detlef

[David]

I'm not sure if it means anything, but my example is indeed on a patrem blade.

[COYOTE]

Thank you David and Detlef for your precious information.
As it seems, and I think it is absolutely correct, that the usual slim Kojuk Mrenges hilt will fit perfectly for small hands.
So, could this smaller model have been made for a very young child, not old enough to use it but as part of a ceremonial or festivities dress ?

[David]

Originally Posted by COYOTE

Thank you David and Detlef for your precious information.
As it seems, and I think it is absolutely correct, that the usual slim Kojuk Mrenges hilt will fit perfectly for small hands.
So, could this smaller model have been made for a very young child, not old enough to use it but as part of a ceremonial or festivities dress ?

I don't think very many very young children would have keris for ceremonial purposes. A hilt for a patrem seems more reasonable.

[A. G. Maisey]

Actually David, young children did wear keris. There is a reference to this in the Ying Yai Sheng Lan, and I've seen it in other places too. Even now, if a a young boy gets dressed in full formal dress, he will wear a keris sometimes. I think I remember that the age at which they began/begin to wear a keris was/is 6. A six year old Javanese child is quite a bit smaller than a six year old of European stock.

But this does not mean that a small hilt might not have been intended for a woman, or even for a small man.

[Jean]

This slim hilt has a normal lenght for a Madurese piece (about 9 cm) and a practical explanation for its small diameter could be that it was made from taring duyung (dugong tusk) which has a quite small size as compared to other local sources of ivory (elephant tusk and spermwhale tooth).
Regards

[David]

Originally Posted by Jean

This slim hilt has a normal lenght for a Madurese piece (about 9 cm) and a practical explanation for its small diameter could be that it was made from taring duyung (dugong tusk) which has a quite small size as compared to other local sources of ivory (elephant tusk and spermwhale tooth).
Regards

That was my first thought in post #2, that the size of this hilt was most likely determined by the size and shape of the material being used to carve it.
Alan, thanks for the additional info on children with keris. I was aware that this did happen, but always thought it to be a rare occurrence. Certainly not all children as young as 6 carried keris or we would see a lot more patrem size keris i would think. Or would they sometimes wear a full-size keris for formal occasions?

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by Sajen

Will post my example when the light it allows to take pictures.

Hello Patrick,

like promised, here my slim example side by side with a "normal" sized example.

Regards,
Detlef

[COYOTE]

Originally Posted by Sajen

Hello Patrick,

like promised, here my slim example side by side with a "normal" sized example.

Regards,
Detlef

Hello Detlef,
Nice pieces indeed.
Thanks again for your help.
Best from Rio,
Patrick

[Sajen]

You're welcome!