Bitten by the Keris Bug

[kai]

Hello David,

Sorry for not noticing right away that we crossed posts. I'm a bit slow to respond these days, too...

Thanks for bringing this up: Indeed, in PoW pipit teleng and anak ayam teleng refer to different hilt types; I haven't seen this reflected by usage within the Malay keris community though and would love to have more input here!

Originally Posted by Laowang

I'm not sure I personally see the need to have all questions answered with absolute certitude. For me, the beauty of a hulu pekaka or hulu tajong lies within the grace of the form, the power of the carving, and the resonance of the original cultural belief system that created the piece and imbued it with power. It's nice to know the correct name, but it's not essential.

I agree that the name game is not really important except for convenience in communication. Thus, I've usually been trying to go with the flow and follow usage of the local communities. Sometimes new info can be brought to light if one tries to dig deeper and David and Alan bring up valid points, especially regarding seemingly inconsistent usage. I'll try to follow this up and get back with any updates.

Regards,
Kai