The skewness of a keris blade

David · 24th February 2007, 01:42 PM

Hi Alan. While it certainly would be more trouble for you i would encourage you to try to answer this question in both ways if Buntel Mayit is indeed Javanese so that we non-Javanese might also understand your answer.

A. G. Maisey · 24th February 2007, 11:15 PM

Yeah, I thought about this David. In fact I thought about it for half a day before I even put up the response that I have. I did think for a while it might have been better to say nothing.

I am not sure that if I try to explain this idea of what is ideally intended in the condong leleh ( the forward lean of a blade over the gandik) it would be understood by anybody from a non-Javanese cultural background. The reason for this is that I would be trying to explain a feeling engendered by a particular gesture of respect. It is something that is simply outside the cultural framework that I live in in Australia, which shares a common cultural foundation with the USA,UK, and so on.
Don't worry, I won't use Indonesian or Javanese, I'll use English, but I cannot put the feeling or idea into an English framework.

Most of what Buntel Mayit has has raised can be addressed outright and is not a problem, but the feeling thing is.

Lets wait and see what Buntel Mayit responds to my post.

24th February 2007, 01:42 PM	#1
David Keris forum moderator Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Nova Scotia Posts: 7,229	Hi Alan. While it certainly would be more trouble for you i would encourage you to try to answer this question in both ways if Buntel Mayit is indeed Javanese so that we non-Javanese might also understand your answer.

24th February 2007, 11:15 PM	#2
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 7,048	Yeah, I thought about this David. In fact I thought about it for half a day before I even put up the response that I have. I did think for a while it might have been better to say nothing. I am not sure that if I try to explain this idea of what is ideally intended in the condong leleh ( the forward lean of a blade over the gandik) it would be understood by anybody from a non-Javanese cultural background. The reason for this is that I would be trying to explain a feeling engendered by a particular gesture of respect. It is something that is simply outside the cultural framework that I live in in Australia, which shares a common cultural foundation with the USA,UK, and so on. Don't worry, I won't use Indonesian or Javanese, I'll use English, but I cannot put the feeling or idea into an English framework. Most of what Buntel Mayit has has raised can be addressed outright and is not a problem, but the feeling thing is. Lets wait and see what Buntel Mayit responds to my post.