My Bugis keris

A. G. Maisey · 21st October 2016, 10:48 AM

Yes, I know I said I wouldn't comment, and I will not --- on the keris.

This is about the word "kalawija".

Kalawija is a variation of palawija.

In the courts of old Jawa cripples, deformed people, dwarfs and so on were kept as servants and clowns. These people were called "palawija".

The people who were palawija, along with other unusual individuals such as artists and eccentrics were deemed to be the ones who could carry a palawija (kalawija) keris: they were deformed, and in the Old Javanese value system, so was the palawija keris.

The maximum number of luk for a "normal" keris was held to be 13 luk. This of course raises the question of why 13 should be the barrier between normal and not normal.

And that is a whole other story.

kai · 21st October 2016, 11:25 AM

Sorry, just saw that Jean already answered.

Quote:

Originally Posted by A. G. Maisey

And that is a whole other story.

Take a peek here: http://kerisattosanaji.com/INTERPRETATIONPAGE1.html

Regards,
Kai

kai · 21st October 2016, 11:42 AM

P.S.: I'm with David and Jean:

1. These pendokok are almost universally made from brass; might well be (fire-)gilded though (I believe the close-ups show some areas where the plating has come off already). If you remove the hilt (recommended to clean rust off the pesi (tang) which can crack hilts after long storage), you will see patinated brass on the inner surface of the pendokok.

2. The Bugis nor Malays were not bound by the constraints (neither earlier Hindu nor central Javanese etiquette); 5-9 luk are quite commonly seen with these Straits keris though. I'm afraid there's not enough known about any esoteric implications for this area and time frame to make any reasonable speculations.

Regards,
Kai

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21st October 2016, 10:48 AM	#1
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 7,053	Yes, I know I said I wouldn't comment, and I will not --- on the keris. This is about the word "kalawija". Kalawija is a variation of palawija. In the courts of old Jawa cripples, deformed people, dwarfs and so on were kept as servants and clowns. These people were called "palawija". The people who were palawija, along with other unusual individuals such as artists and eccentrics were deemed to be the ones who could carry a palawija (kalawija) keris: they were deformed, and in the Old Javanese value system, so was the palawija keris. The maximum number of luk for a "normal" keris was held to be 13 luk. This of course raises the question of why 13 should be the barrier between normal and not normal. And that is a whole other story.

21st October 2016, 11:42 AM	#3
kai Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 3,255	P.S.: I'm with David and Jean: 1. These pendokok are almost universally made from brass; might well be (fire-)gilded though (I believe the close-ups show some areas where the plating has come off already). If you remove the hilt (recommended to clean rust off the pesi (tang) which can crack hilts after long storage), you will see patinated brass on the inner surface of the pendokok. 2. The Bugis nor Malays were not bound by the constraints (neither earlier Hindu nor central Javanese etiquette); 5-9 luk are quite commonly seen with these Straits keris though. I'm afraid there's not enough known about any esoteric implications for this area and time frame to make any reasonable speculations. Regards, Kai