[kai]

Originally Posted by Rick

My criteria is that if it is not made within the culture then it is either an interpretation or copy .

Hi Rick,

I guess you make exceptions if a member from another ethnic group goes through the proper training (within the culture) and continues faithfully the (once indigenous) forging tradition? (IIRC a few western bladesmiths claim to have received traditional Japanese sword forging skills.)

I believe Cecil's are made in country (Philippines), but are they interpretations because most likely they were made by Christian Filipinos rather than Muslims ?

http://www.kriscutlery.com/philippin...x_sundang.html - rhetoric question?

IMVHO countries with many ethnic groups/tribes/peoples/religions/whatever have several cultures which may be as foreign to each other as some of them are to us.

I've never considered the usual keris-inspired blades (wether punal-sized or swords) from the northern Philippines to be Kris nor Keris.

However, there seem to be relatively faithful interpretations which I feel might qualify to be called Kris supposedly coming from non-Muslim Moro neighbors: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tem=7330603936

Any comments? What are the oldest examples of this type?

Regards,
Kai