"BATMAN" HILT - KERIS

[David]

Sorry, i don't have the Palembang name of this hilt either, but it is certainly a common form from there. However, i see nothing in this hilt form that indicates is any way that it is meant to represent Durga. I don't see anything even mildly feminine in the form. Can anyone give any clear reference to where this idea might have come from.

[Moshah]

Not so sure of the origin of this 'balu mekabun' terms. I've seen this one particular hilt (attached picture) on ebay last year, also touted as 'balu mekabun'.

However, in Kris hilts book by Greffioz J, there are a couple hilts which are of the same design as yours, albeit in its original form without the nice carvings, which he relates as coming from south sumatera (bengkulu / palembang). It was associated with Durga.

Some say it can comes from Karimun Island as well.

I also heard some people called it 'Topengan' hilt.

[David]

Moshah, i have seen the hilt you have posted associated with Durga, but in some of our discussions in the past there has even been debate as to whether that was it's original intention or just an association laid upon it at a later time. At least it has some female features to it though for some justification.

[ganjawulung]

Originally Posted by David

Sorry, i don't have the Palembang name of this hilt either, but it is certainly a common form from there.

Yes, still "at large..". But it is interesting to know, that Mr Harsrinuksmo had quite a lot of notes on Palembang keris, and some notes on its hilts in his Ensiklopedi Keris (2004). (I just don't want to involve in polemic on whether his book is a "reference" or "no-reference" on keris. I just want to appreciate that he had made some valuable "notes" on keris. I don't think his journalistic experience on Indonesian keris world while he was working at Berita Buana Weekly, had done nothing to this keris world...)

He didn't mention its name either. But according to his notes, this kind of hilt is not a Palembang hilt -- but a "Lampung" hilt. Usually, Lampung hilts were used for Palembang blades/kerises...

(I had been in Lampung for several times in the 70-s, not for keris purpose, but for reporting Javanese transmigrant lives in Way (River) Kambas, Way Seputih, Way Abung etc -- hundreds kilometer in the south of Palembang area...)

Originally Posted by David

However, i see nothing in this hilt form that indicates is any way that it is meant to represent Durga. I don't see anything even mildly feminine in the form.

Yes, more male figure than durga... And to me, it is still questionable, whether this kind of hilt -- the stylized one, has details such as "garuda mungkur" in Malay term, or some certain naming in Palembang terms...

GANJAWULUNG