Javanese machete??

[Henk]

Ian,

I really understand that you are a bit confused. Don't worry, so am I. The weapon you show is similar to the bendo in the book by Van Zonneveld. I have a similar one but the hilt is more a golok hilt. When I got my bendo, to give the thing at least a name, I thought it was a golok, but refering Van Zonneveld I found out it was a bendo.

But I'm very happy with the input Kiai and Marto are bringing up. I know that the names of weapons and knives, machetes(choppers) do vary in the Archipello and that names are used to point out a group of weapons/tools. Just like you said Marto, a parang is a general name for a chopper. Apparantly the name bendho or bendo could be a general name for a chopper as well. Van Zonneveld describes the bendo as a tool with an agrarian purpose. And this object that I'm showing could be very well an agrarian tool. The sickle formed tip looks excelent for pruning to me.

I was very surprised by the identification of "kudhi". Sure, it has a kudhi shape. But as far as I know a kudhi is described as a talismanic dagger for a priest. But as Kiai pointed out the pusaka type of a kudhi is called a kujang. May I presume that the small old version of a kudhi with a pamor blade, presented in the literature as a kudhi, that that description is not completely correct? and should be presented as a kujang?

Just like Ian, I'm getting a bit dizzy but it is a most interesting subject.
Marto with the reference of his wife with her background (my regards to the Mrs.) and the visions of Kiai.

Thanks, Henk