Coyness in posting keris pics

[A. G. Maisey]

Sid, my approach to this idea of sharing a personal keris with strangers began the very first time I went to Indonesia. I visited Jogja, I could not speak Indonesian, I hired a guide to show me around.

We were in the North Alun-alun and I saw one of the Jogja Kraton attendants (abdi dalem) dressed in traditional attire and with an interesting keris in his setagen (sash). I asked my guide if it might be possible ask this Javanese gentleman to see his keris. I was as green as grass. It was explained to me that if I were to do this it would be the height of bad manners and that there was no way of predicting the result of my rudeness.

In Jawa & in other keris bearing societies, a man's keris represents the man himself. To permit somebody to see that keris is exactly the same as permitting somebody to see you absolutely naked, but more than this, you not only expose your body, you expose your soul, along with all your hopes, dreams and fears.

It is a cultural thing Sid, and those people who wish to demonstrate respect to the culture from which the keris has come do not permit strangers to see keris that they might have in their custody.