Keraton and the wearing of weapons

Gavin Nugent · 26th August 2022, 12:59 AM

Thank you Alan.

The insights are appreciated.

The Wedung, I did not know this. I shall look at them in a different light now.

The keris weapon debate... face off a scholar against a silat practitioner, keris vs keris, wearing only a sarong... I am sure opinions may then differ... but no one wants to play that game for some reason...

With thanks

Gavin

A. G. Maisey · 26th August 2022, 07:03 AM

Gavin, in respect of physical confrontations, every scholar I have ever known has been a committed disciple of Indiana Jones.

On the other hand, face off a practitioner of any of the forms of silat against a practitioner of Kuntao --- even an 80 odd year old female one with arthritis --- now, that could be quite enlightening.

There was a very solid reason why the Dutch employed Chinese as their overseers and body guards.

The keris : weapon debate occurred in the era of the old British empire. British sailors seemed to have a rather casual attitude towards the peoples of SE Asia and their ability as brawlers. People like Gardner, Hill, Woolley, Keith & etc became a little heated in some of their discussions.

26th August 2022, 12:59 AM	#1
Gavin Nugent Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 2,818	Thank you Alan. The insights are appreciated. The Wedung, I did not know this. I shall look at them in a different light now. The keris weapon debate... face off a scholar against a silat practitioner, keris vs keris, wearing only a sarong... I am sure opinions may then differ... but no one wants to play that game for some reason... With thanks Gavin

26th August 2022, 07:03 AM	#2
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 7,015	Gavin, in respect of physical confrontations, every scholar I have ever known has been a committed disciple of Indiana Jones. On the other hand, face off a practitioner of any of the forms of silat against a practitioner of Kuntao --- even an 80 odd year old female one with arthritis --- now, that could be quite enlightening. There was a very solid reason why the Dutch employed Chinese as their overseers and body guards. The keris : weapon debate occurred in the era of the old British empire. British sailors seemed to have a rather casual attitude towards the peoples of SE Asia and their ability as brawlers. People like Gardner, Hill, Woolley, Keith & etc became a little heated in some of their discussions.