My appreciation of the keris

Johan van Zyl · 13th July 2017, 12:29 PM

Thanks, Marius & Bjorn. Yes, they are in Afrikaans, and yes, the one on the Bugis keris is available. The one on the Java keris is awaiting publication, so ethically I should not set it "free" yet.

You yourself would probably understand the Afrikaans, but I fear most of the Forum members will not. David might suggest that all those who want the Bugis keris article, can request I send it to them by email. What say you, D?

Johan

mariusgmioc · 13th July 2017, 02:14 PM

Unfortunately, despite living in the Netherlands, I cannot understand Dutch well as I am an expat here.

David · 13th July 2017, 06:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Johan van Zyl

You yourself would probably understand the Afrikaans, but I fear most of the Forum members will not. David might suggest that all those who want the Bugis keris article, can request I send it to them by email. What say you, D?

Johan, that would probably be best for now unless you wish to go to the trouble of translating the articles into English.

Bjorn · 13th July 2017, 07:01 PM

Thank you, Johan. I will send you a PM for the article. I look forward to reading it!

Johan van Zyl · 14th July 2017, 11:22 AM

Thank you, David & others. I am in the process of complying to the PM requests of some forum members. Please bear in mind that I had to make very compressed statements in an article of only two pages, and I tended to generalise for that reason. However, I am dead-set on not incorrectly representing the facts and therefore I am prepared to accept well-meaning criticism. If the article upholds the good name of responsible writing and it proves to be interesting and a pleasure to read, I am happy.

Johan van Zyl · 15th July 2017, 10:08 AM

Coming to David's suggestion that I translate the article: I might consider it if I can get my energy up for the task. Translation is never straight-forward, but an exacting art. To flex my translating wings, I grabbed the first two paragraphs and now give them to you below. (This might be the end of my translation fervour!)

"People who have an interest in the origin and history of edged weapons will have knowledge of the kris, the traditional dagger of the peoples of South East Asia.

"This distinctive weapon easily attracts the attention of gullible tourists who seek out suitable mementos of their trip around Indonesia. The markets there offer a wide choice of krisses, and some certainly command very high prices. More often than not it is the wavy blade that catches the eye, and some, if they allow their imagination to run away with them, would find it easy to believe that a blade of that shape is more lethal than a straight one. Then you begin to believe that there are degrees of comparison for 'dead'!"

(You see how easily one opens one up to differences of opinion when one puts something to paper. The very word I use to describe the kris as "distinctive" might cause some edged weapons collectors to disagree. Some might argue that the Moro kris, having very similar shape to the Indonesian kris, takes away the distinctiveness of the latter. I personally think the Moro kris is another type of weapon altogether, more a sword than a dagger; that is why I still like the description 'distinctive'.)

In another article I wrote: "there is no other dagger having a shape like that of the Indonesian kris".

13th July 2017, 12:29 PM	#1
Johan van Zyl Member Join Date: Sep 2016 Location: I live in Gordon's Bay, a village in the Western Cape Province in South Africa. Posts: 126	Thanks, Marius & Bjorn. Yes, they are in Afrikaans, and yes, the one on the Bugis keris is available. The one on the Java keris is awaiting publication, so ethically I should not set it "free" yet. You yourself would probably understand the Afrikaans, but I fear most of the Forum members will not. David might suggest that all those who want the Bugis keris article, can request I send it to them by email. What say you, D? Johan

13th July 2017, 02:14 PM	#2
mariusgmioc Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Austria Posts: 1,911	Unfortunately, despite living in the Netherlands, I cannot understand Dutch well as I am an expat here.

13th July 2017, 07:01 PM	#4
Bjorn Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Netherlands Posts: 188	Thank you, Johan. I will send you a PM for the article. I look forward to reading it!

14th July 2017, 11:22 AM	#5
Johan van Zyl Member Join Date: Sep 2016 Location: I live in Gordon's Bay, a village in the Western Cape Province in South Africa. Posts: 126	Thank you, David & others. I am in the process of complying to the PM requests of some forum members. Please bear in mind that I had to make very compressed statements in an article of only two pages, and I tended to generalise for that reason. However, I am dead-set on not incorrectly representing the facts and therefore I am prepared to accept well-meaning criticism. If the article upholds the good name of responsible writing and it proves to be interesting and a pleasure to read, I am happy.

15th July 2017, 10:08 AM	#6
Johan van Zyl Member Join Date: Sep 2016 Location: I live in Gordon's Bay, a village in the Western Cape Province in South Africa. Posts: 126	Coming to David's suggestion that I translate the article: I might consider it if I can get my energy up for the task. Translation is never straight-forward, but an exacting art. To flex my translating wings, I grabbed the first two paragraphs and now give them to you below. (This might be the end of my translation fervour!) "People who have an interest in the origin and history of edged weapons will have knowledge of the kris, the traditional dagger of the peoples of South East Asia. "This distinctive weapon easily attracts the attention of gullible tourists who seek out suitable mementos of their trip around Indonesia. The markets there offer a wide choice of krisses, and some certainly command very high prices. More often than not it is the wavy blade that catches the eye, and some, if they allow their imagination to run away with them, would find it easy to believe that a blade of that shape is more lethal than a straight one. Then you begin to believe that there are degrees of comparison for 'dead'!" (You see how easily one opens one up to differences of opinion when one puts something to paper. The very word I use to describe the kris as "distinctive" might cause some edged weapons collectors to disagree. Some might argue that the Moro kris, having very similar shape to the Indonesian kris, takes away the distinctiveness of the latter. I personally think the Moro kris is another type of weapon altogether, more a sword than a dagger; that is why I still like the description 'distinctive'.) In another article I wrote: "there is no other dagger having a shape like that of the Indonesian kris".