Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post

Mick · 17th December 2015, 08:17 PM

This discussion is veering into one of the "mystical" properties of beliefs in regard to the keris.

There is a small number of people who profess that they have the ability to determine if a keris has been empowered. They don't look at the workmanship of a piece, but just handle it with the most important portion being the blade.

One of these people told me that an empowered blade will give a tingling feeling to his hands while a regular blade will not. This individual visited me before I left the country about 40 years ago, went through the 20 or so of the kerises that I had on hand and picked out about three or four as having power. I, obviously, don't profess to have this ability, so I didn't feel any difference between these kerises and the rest of the bunch. But this is one of the things that arise when you really study the subject of kerises.

There was a great deal of keris information that was never discussed by the local population as this material was "almost" considered sacred. In addition to this fact, the few real experts on this topic "even if you knew them and were friends" would guard their information fiercely. Trying to obtain information from them was like pulling their teeth. Unfortunately, these few people have since died and, because of this "in western opinion" character flaw their valuable information died with them.

17th December 2015, 08:17 PM	#13
Mick Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Orlando Posts: 104	This discussion is veering into one of the "mystical" properties of beliefs in regard to the keris. There is a small number of people who profess that they have the ability to determine if a keris has been empowered. They don't look at the workmanship of a piece, but just handle it with the most important portion being the blade. One of these people told me that an empowered blade will give a tingling feeling to his hands while a regular blade will not. This individual visited me before I left the country about 40 years ago, went through the 20 or so of the kerises that I had on hand and picked out about three or four as having power. I, obviously, don't profess to have this ability, so I didn't feel any difference between these kerises and the rest of the bunch. But this is one of the things that arise when you really study the subject of kerises. There was a great deal of keris information that was never discussed by the local population as this material was "almost" considered sacred. In addition to this fact, the few real experts on this topic "even if you knew them and were friends" would guard their information fiercely. Trying to obtain information from them was like pulling their teeth. Unfortunately, these few people have since died and, because of this "in western opinion" character flaw their valuable information died with them.