keris borneo

[BluErf]

I've always wondered what a Borneo keris would look like. It's hard to imagine that this is what it looks like. Anyway, it is a young keris, and they can turn up in many unusual forms.

We have seen some Bornean sundang in Museums, but normal sized keris? Maybe more Bugis style than anything?

[David]

It looks like a mish-mash of styles thrown together. The hilt looks like new ivory, not particularly well carved and then colored to look old. Perhaps an old Javanese pendok thrown onto newly carved sheath. The blade is a bugis style. I too am having difficulty accepting this as a style of keris that is indigenous to Borneo.

[BluErf]

How about Non-Bugis trying to make Bugis-style blades?

[David]

Originally Posted by BluErf

How about Non-Bugis trying to make Bugis-style blades?

Possibly. That's why i said "Bugis-style" instead od just plain Bugis.

[semar]

oke thank you but ho can show a fuwe borneo keris for compering

regards semar

[David]

Semar, just about all the keris that i see from Kalimantan these days are new keris made mostly for the tourist market. The true antiques that i see from this area are mostly sundangs, not regular sized Indo-style keris. I see quite alot of new panjang style keris described as having Kalimantan origin. I have also seen the crudely painted sheaths with teeth ornaments described as originating in Borneo. These usually have fairly junky trade blades from Java or elsewhere. Frankly i doubt that any of these other than the actual antique sundang from the area have any true ethnographic bearing or application. I have never, for example, seen any old photographs showing someone in Borneo wearing one of these painted teeth decorated sheaths as a part of any traditional dress. I have seen no evidence that there was any particular traditional manufacture of keris from this area other than the sundang. If the standard Indonesian styles of keris were indeed used in this area traditionally i have a feeling that the origins of those keris most probably are from other areas of Indonesia. I don't think that we will find a traditional style that originates in Borneo.

[semar]

oke thank you David

regards semar

[Henk]

Originally Posted by David

I have also seen the crudely painted sheaths with teeth ornaments described as originating in Borneo. These usually have fairly junky trade blades from Java or elsewhere. Frankly i doubt that any of these other than the actual antique sundang from the area have any true ethnographic bearing or application. I have never, for example, seen any old photographs showing someone in Borneo wearing one of these painted teeth decorated sheaths as a part of any traditional dress.

David, these keris you are refering to are described to borneo indeed. But this kind of dress was original found on Papua New Guinea. I have an original one in my collection with paint made from natural materials and sometimes an original one shows up. But the most of these things showing up on ebay are newly made for those who travel with modern paint.