Apropos display

[A. G. Maisey]

The keris is a symbol of the male.

This is recorded in the earliest Javanese literature and is still the case today. I doubt that there is anybody who would challenge this assertion.

In Javanese culture, even numbers are feminine numbers, and uneven numbers are male numbers.

The waves in a keris must always be of an uneven number --- we can hardly have a symbol of the masculine bearing feminine characteristics.

Where keris are displayed they are correctly displayed as an uneven quantity, for this reason the traditional display racks (ploncon) used in Jawa to display keris always hold an uneven number of keris.

If we display our keris in a even quantity we are, in my opinion, exhibiting a lack of cultural sensitivity, and acting in a way that could draw anything from a quietly amused smile to harsh criticism, from people who are Javanese, or who are accustomed to Javanese mores.