Shortening the pesi?

[A. G. Maisey]

Tell me Henk, do you think that these collectors can differentiate between a keris that truly has an essence, and a keris that does not?

Do you think they can differentiate between a keris that has been made by an empowered empu, and a keris that was made purely as an item of trade?

Or do they believe that all keris are sancrosanct ?

Some years ago a man who is very close to the top of the keris world in Jawa, and who is considered by some people to be a living national treasure made the remark to me that in his opinion most of the "mystical-magical" beliefs associated with the keris could be traced back to either a direct or an indirect influence of the Dutch.

This is most definitely not to say that there is no esoteric nature to the keris, but it is to say that the way in which that esoteric nature is understood can vary greatly between the understanding of a Javanese or Balinese person, and the understanding of somebody from outside the culture.