Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post

A. G. Maisey · 11th July 2010, 12:56 AM

I thank you for your comments , Jean.

A guru is simply a teacher, and I would prefer to be known as somebody who attempts to assist by imparting information, rather than to be tagged as a "guru", a designation that in the western world carries a whole lot of baggage with it.

Yes, it is true that I have been fortunate in making the right connections at the right times, and because of this I have gained exposure to knowledge, understanding and training that is not generally available. However, this does not mean that others who have an intense interest in the keris and its culture cannot follow their own path to knowledge. All it requires is committment.

Garrett Solyom once said to me that of the people who have a deeper knowledge of the keris, no one person had a complete understanding, but that we all had a little bit:- "--- none of us has it all, but each of us has a part ---".

This is absolutely true.

Any person who has the committment can further his knowledge of the keris and its culture, and the result will be an addition to overall knowledge.I have my own approach, considerations, and knowledge, but somebody else who has a different mindset will gain different knowledge.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with being a collector. We all probably began as collectors. However, if we wish to learn, we must study, and study requires a lot more effort than simply accumulating objects.

The difference between a collector of keris, and a student of the keris is the difference between a storeman and an engineer:- both have different skills, and both are essential in the functioning of a major undertaking, but the difference between them is that the storeman can classify perfectly, whilst the engineer understands that which goes into providing the classification.

However, to return to the blade in question.I think we have probably come back to where we began. It really needs a very close examination under magnification by somebody who understands a little bit about pattern welding, after that a firm opinion may be able to be formed.

11th July 2010, 12:56 AM	#12
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,992	I thank you for your comments , Jean. A guru is simply a teacher, and I would prefer to be known as somebody who attempts to assist by imparting information, rather than to be tagged as a "guru", a designation that in the western world carries a whole lot of baggage with it. Yes, it is true that I have been fortunate in making the right connections at the right times, and because of this I have gained exposure to knowledge, understanding and training that is not generally available. However, this does not mean that others who have an intense interest in the keris and its culture cannot follow their own path to knowledge. All it requires is committment. Garrett Solyom once said to me that of the people who have a deeper knowledge of the keris, no one person had a complete understanding, but that we all had a little bit:- "--- none of us has it all, but each of us has a part ---". This is absolutely true. Any person who has the committment can further his knowledge of the keris and its culture, and the result will be an addition to overall knowledge.I have my own approach, considerations, and knowledge, but somebody else who has a different mindset will gain different knowledge. There is absolutely nothing wrong with being a collector. We all probably began as collectors. However, if we wish to learn, we must study, and study requires a lot more effort than simply accumulating objects. The difference between a collector of keris, and a student of the keris is the difference between a storeman and an engineer:- both have different skills, and both are essential in the functioning of a major undertaking, but the difference between them is that the storeman can classify perfectly, whilst the engineer understands that which goes into providing the classification. However, to return to the blade in question.I think we have probably come back to where we began. It really needs a very close examination under magnification by somebody who understands a little bit about pattern welding, after that a firm opinion may be able to be formed.