Bitten by the Keris Bug

[F. de Luzon]

Originally Posted by Laowang

In my view, a good-quality Bugis-style blade, in relatively recent peninsular Malaysian dress in the style of the Terengganu region.

I agree that this isn't the finest rendition of the hilt form that I've seen. I've seen this particular style of hilt referred to by at least one Singaporean dealer as anak ayam teleng ("cuddling chick"), and appropriate for Terengganu dress. It's apparently the Terengganu form of the jawa demam hilt, at least according to this dealer. (Reviewing the thread, it occurs to me that I'm repeating things that kai has also said) I've seen other keris with this kind of hilt paired with the Bugis hilt cup; in my view, I think the entire ensemble is fine, and I personally wouldn't mess with it.

I wouldn't be sorry to have this blade, and dress, in my possession. Welcome to the forum, F. de Luzon.

I will take your advice Laowang. For now I will invest in books on the keris, a truly fascinating topic. Thank you very much!

F. de Luzon

[David]

Originally Posted by F. de Luzon

I will take your advice Laowang. For now I will invest in books on the keris, a truly fascinating topic. Thank you very much!

F. de Luzon

I would encourage a similar path with this keris. I don't think you need to be considering upgrading the dress at all. It is what it is.

[Laowang]

Originally Posted by David

Unfortunately in the case of a word like "pekaka" we are now in a situation where some people still consider this a word for the tajong or "kingfisher" variety of hilt while other consider it a proper term for the peninsula version of Jawa Demam (Northern Jawa Demam). This does create some problems for communication showing the importance of the "sometimes it is essential" part of Alan's above statement.

David, I think we mostly share the same opinion here. I agree that names do matter because we use them as a form of communication, and as a shorthand for the form itself, so we need some consensus so we know what we're actually referring to.

In my view, most people in the contemporary keris collecting community (in my admittedly limited experience) in Malaysia/Singapore refer to the tajong as a tajong. Sometimes the Northern jawa demam is called a pekaka (or perkaka, in Spirit of Wood). Gardner's 1936 book aside, I don't sense much disagreement on this.

Kai Wee/Adni, et al. apparently differ from Spirit of Wood regarding the appropriate name for the anak ayam teleng form, but it's easy enough to avoid the controversy, in my opinion, by simply referring to it as jawa demam, Terengganu variant, until someone manages to settle the disagreement.

Besides, isn't unintentional miscommunication a fundamental part of the human experience?