My first moro kris

[DaveA]

Originally Posted by nechesh

Sorry to digress, but a believe a gauntlet has been dropped (note how i try to tie my digression into weapons terminology )
The idea that you can find better kosher deli in Ann Arbor than you can in NYC is like buying a Moro keris that's been made in.......well....Ann Arbor.
And i really don't mean any offense. Just the facts, ma'am.

I know Zingermans and w/o a doubt they make a sandwich to die for. But I have to vote for NYC for best deli in the US.

Katz's deli
http://katzsdelicatessen.com/

[David]

Originally Posted by DaveA

I know Zingermans and w/o a doubt they make a sandwich to die for. But I have to vote for NYC for best deli in the US.

Katz's deli
http://katzsdelicatessen.com/

Finally, after all this time, someone came to their senses and agreed with me...

[A.alnakkas]

Congratulations, such a beautiful piece! I used to consider arab shamshirs (syrian and najdi) to have the best looking hilts. My view is completely changed the more I study the Keris. I must say that the craftmanship in a keris is one of the most beautiful. Too bad that I am cowering from buying a keris, I still need more studying.

Sorry for the hijack but can you point out what makes a Keris a Moro piece then any other philipino tribe? I always get impressed by the expertise of our members when they identify a Keris right to the ethnicy and tribe. You guys are a treasure!

[Rick]

To differentiate between the Moro and the Indo/Malay examples here on the forum at least, it avoids confusion to spell the Moro variety as 'Kris' and the Indo variety as 'Keris' .

Moro Krisses are discussed here in the Ethno Forum and Indonesian and Malay keris are discussed in the Warung .

The Moro krisses have a certain brutal efficiency to them; close combat slashing blades; some are indeed lovely .

I collected both; now I pretty much focus only on the Keris .

Be careful; addictive stuff !

Rick

[Rick]

Originally Posted by A.alnakkas

Congratulations, such a beautiful piece! I used to consider arab shamshirs (syrian and najdi) to have the best looking hilts. My view is completely changed the more I study the Keris. I must say that the craftmanship in a keris is one of the most beautiful. Too bad that I am cowering from buying a keris, I still need more studying.

Sorry for the hijack but can you point out what makes a Keris a Moro piece then any other philipino tribe? I always get impressed by the expertise of our members when they identify a Keris right to the ethnicy and tribe. You guys are a treasure!

I believe the only real Kris bearing group were the Moros .

There were and are sinuous blades around here and there in the central and Northern islands and reworked kris conversions from trade or capture .

Rick

[David]

Originally Posted by Rick

I believe the only real Kris bearing group were the Moros.

Perhaps A.alnakkas is referring to member's abilities to ID specific Moro tribes such as the Maguindanao, Maranao or Tausug. It must be remembered that the Moro are not all one people or culture.

[A.alnakkas]

Originally Posted by David

Perhaps A.alnakkas is referring to member's abilities to ID specific Moro tribes such as the Maguindanao, Maranao or Tausug. It must be remembered that the Moro are not all one people or culture.

Ahh, i thought these are seperate tribes. I had this idea that filipine has many tribes and each has a form of kris! Thanks for clearing it up

[David]

Originally Posted by A.alnakkas

Ahh, i thought these are seperate tribes. I had this idea that filipine has many tribes and each has a form of kris! Thanks for clearing it up

Glad i could clear that up for you. There are indeed many tribes throughout the entire Pilippines, but the kris is really traditional to the Moro specifically. Each of the Moro tribes do have subtle specific differences in their kris and you do often find cross-over pieces that make exact origin ID difficult. Here is a passage from Wikipedia:
The Moros comprise of various ethnolinguistic groups in southern, and western Mindanao who are the same as other Filipinos, but whose religion is Islam. The largest of these are the Tausug, the Maguindanao, the Maranao, the Samal, the Yakan, and the Banguingui. These ethnolinguistic groups are different in terms of culture, religion, and have been politically independent. Muslim Filipinos have an independent justice, and education system based in Cotabato City. They form about 5% of the Philippine population, making them the sixth largest ethnic group in the country.