Keeping a keris for protection

[Raden Usman Djogja]

the existence of keris is unique in south east asian social system and believe.

the people who believe keris is an appartement of ghost/spirit tend to do an offering ritual as an obligation. Even, if not an obligation, they do more because they are afraid if the ghost/spirit inside leaving their kerises and trying to find new appartements in where full of kemenyan smoke every friday kliwon / tuesday kliwon or friday legi.

moreover, some people go beyond. for instance, even still in the same level of offering using kemenyan, there are variety of kemenyan. everyone has favorite kemenyans. more powerful ghost inside they believe, more special kemenyan they offer. Then, usually, more special kemenyan is more expensive.

competition of offering is not finished yet by offering the most expensive kemenyan.

to few people, they try to offer using fresh blood. In their believe, using blood is the ultimate offering to get the most powerful ghost/spirit from sixth world.

then, till this step, sometimes a question rises who the real master is: the owner of keris or the ghost inside keris which owning the soul of the owner. be aware

offering is an expression
expression leads awareness
awareness leads to the decision how many effort should be spent
then
the real power of protecting should still inside the people who do an offering
the keris remains merely a "medium"
even to the people who believe in ghost power
the keris master should be THE MASTER.

all mentioned above is just an opinion

OeS in Africa