Bugis keris

tom hyle · 19th March 2005, 12:35 PM

There seems to be some confusion over the concept called "trade k(e)ris"; it seems to have two different definitions referring to seperate categories (though there may be some overlap); the "bundle" kris, of (in, evidently, varying degree) a more mass-produced nature than an ordinary k(e)ris, all 20 forged in a single session, and with at least less attention and concentration on the proper rituals (kind of like trying to make love to 20 women at once I should think; a common fantasy that has always seemed as silly to me as dogs chasing cars); and the term is also being used to refer to blades that were originally/long ago sold off-island. BTW, I have heard that the spirit in a k(e)ris doesn't like to/can't cross water; any info? Doesn't sound true to me. Mind you I dont mean it doesn't sound like a genuine cultural belief; what I mean is it doesn't sound like the way spirits in blades behave to my experience....and if the natives take it seriously, why do they move the blades around so much? And how could they carry them to war? (I understand that even the "oh, no it's a religious artistic talisman, not a [shudder] weapon" crowd don't dispute that k[e]ris were carried to war, for their magical properties, if nothing else) Not every war is among the people of a single island, of course.

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19th March 2005, 12:35 PM	#34
tom hyle Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Houston, TX, USA Posts: 1,254	There seems to be some confusion over the concept called "trade k(e)ris"; it seems to have two different definitions referring to seperate categories (though there may be some overlap); the "bundle" kris, of (in, evidently, varying degree) a more mass-produced nature than an ordinary k(e)ris, all 20 forged in a single session, and with at least less attention and concentration on the proper rituals (kind of like trying to make love to 20 women at once I should think; a common fantasy that has always seemed as silly to me as dogs chasing cars); and the term is also being used to refer to blades that were originally/long ago sold off-island. BTW, I have heard that the spirit in a k(e)ris doesn't like to/can't cross water; any info? Doesn't sound true to me. Mind you I dont mean it doesn't sound like a genuine cultural belief; what I mean is it doesn't sound like the way spirits in blades behave to my experience....and if the natives take it seriously, why do they move the blades around so much? And how could they carry them to war? (I understand that even the "oh, no it's a religious artistic talisman, not a [shudder] weapon" crowd don't dispute that k[e]ris were carried to war, for their magical properties, if nothing else) Not every war is among the people of a single island, of course.