Suggestions for care and respect of Javanese and Balinese Keris.

nechesh · 12th July 2006, 01:44 AM

I agree with Rick. While the blade is certainly the most important part of any keris it would also be disrespectful to keep a nice keris in battered or damaged dress.
I tend to agree with you Bill about the showing of keris, but i also umderstand that every collector will have their own personal relationship with their collection and i certainly can't slight anyone if they choose to display their keris to the entire world. I am actually quite grateful to those who are willing to do this since it gives me an opportunity to see a lot of nice keris and helps greatly in my studies. Personally i would rather show my keris only to those i choose to, one person at a time.

I'm with you on most of the rest, but i am not so sure why i should smoke my keris on Thursday nights here in the U.S. or elsewhere. I could be wrong, but i had always associated that with Islamic tradition. Since i am not Molsem nor do i use my keris in an Islamic manner i don't personally see the need for that particular timing. The keris has been important in both Hindu (perhaps even pre-Hindu) and Islamic Indonesian culture and i think the proper day for smoking the blade is probaly different depending on your cultural beliefs. The keris seems willing to adapt itself to different religious belief systems. What i think IS important is that you DO smoke and oil the blades, at least for me.

I have never heard this taboo on smelling the blade. I wonder if this applies to the owner, who is, afterall, the one who is feeding the keris, or just to others who might be shown the blade. If i showed someone else one of my keris and they sniffed the blade i think i might see that as rude. The same applies to striking the blade with your finger to hear it's resonance.

12th July 2006, 01:44 AM	#3
nechesh Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 940	I agree with Rick. While the blade is certainly the most important part of any keris it would also be disrespectful to keep a nice keris in battered or damaged dress. I tend to agree with you Bill about the showing of keris, but i also umderstand that every collector will have their own personal relationship with their collection and i certainly can't slight anyone if they choose to display their keris to the entire world. I am actually quite grateful to those who are willing to do this since it gives me an opportunity to see a lot of nice keris and helps greatly in my studies. Personally i would rather show my keris only to those i choose to, one person at a time. I'm with you on most of the rest, but i am not so sure why i should smoke my keris on Thursday nights here in the U.S. or elsewhere. I could be wrong, but i had always associated that with Islamic tradition. Since i am not Molsem nor do i use my keris in an Islamic manner i don't personally see the need for that particular timing. The keris has been important in both Hindu (perhaps even pre-Hindu) and Islamic Indonesian culture and i think the proper day for smoking the blade is probaly different depending on your cultural beliefs. The keris seems willing to adapt itself to different religious belief systems. What i think IS important is that you DO smoke and oil the blades, at least for me. I have never heard this taboo on smelling the blade. I wonder if this applies to the owner, who is, afterall, the one who is feeding the keris, or just to others who might be shown the blade. If i showed someone else one of my keris and they sniffed the blade i think i might see that as rude. The same applies to striking the blade with your finger to hear it's resonance.