Dagger for Identification

kai · 20th February 2022, 06:49 PM

Hello Detlef,

Quote:

They are still made as functional weapons I guess, I've seen 2006 a Bugis wearing a badik, near Makassar.

While the function as weapon never got retired, badik had the same function as keris in tanah Jawa. Thus, wearing a badik could have been due to many and possibly multiple reasons. Like for most people still carrying a knife every day nowadays, any possible weapon function is likely the least realized function (if ever)...

I was not implying that this badik got manufactured without any real use in mind. However, whenever the current tang attachment was chosen, I doubt that any heavy use (neither as tool nor as weapon) was intended. This may point to a later date but does not imply that other badik from the same period were not attached with some local sort of cutler's resin.

Regards,
Kai

A. G. Maisey · 21st February 2022, 07:59 AM

Kai, I've noted all your comments, it seems that I have not been particularly clear with my own comments.

I have no issue at all with whatever you or anybody else wishes to call this dagger, I have not offered a different name for it, and I will not offer one, as I have already said, I'll agree with any two people who wish to call it whatever they will. I have no stake in this, I really don't care what this dagger is called.

But the fact remains:- if it is to be called a badik, or perhaps somebody might like to call it a kawali, I have never seen a badik/kawali that looks like this dagger.

That is all I am saying.

No more, no less.

Everybody else can draw lines of similarity if they wish, I do not wish. But I'm not prepared to debate the matter. I'm offering an observation, just that.

However, there is one small matter that I must disagree with.

The badik/kawali does not & did not have the same function for the Bugis people as does & did the keris for the people of Jawa & Bali.

It has & had a similar function.

Am I splitting hairs?

No, not at all, the word "same" does mean the same as the word "similar".

21st February 2022, 07:59 AM	#2
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 7,015	Kai, I've noted all your comments, it seems that I have not been particularly clear with my own comments. I have no issue at all with whatever you or anybody else wishes to call this dagger, I have not offered a different name for it, and I will not offer one, as I have already said, I'll agree with any two people who wish to call it whatever they will. I have no stake in this, I really don't care what this dagger is called. But the fact remains:- if it is to be called a badik, or perhaps somebody might like to call it a kawali, I have never seen a badik/kawali that looks like this dagger. That is all I am saying. No more, no less. Everybody else can draw lines of similarity if they wish, I do not wish. But I'm not prepared to debate the matter. I'm offering an observation, just that. However, there is one small matter that I must disagree with. The badik/kawali does not & did not have the same function for the Bugis people as does & did the keris for the people of Jawa & Bali. It has & had a similar function. Am I splitting hairs? No, not at all, the word "same" does mean the same as the word "similar".