mystical weapon in Malay kingdom Options

[little_egg]

Keris is a unique weapon synonymous to the Malay kingdom. In the ancient time, a man without a keris was akin to being naked. Simply defined, a keris is a double edged wavy blade dagger. However, what makes a blade a keris is not at its wavy form but the intricate details found at the surface of the blade; details that only exist in a blade named ‘keris’. There is always adventure and nobility in a keris. Because of its substantial significance to the Malay world, keris is always highly venerated and placed at the uppermost stature.


Keris is a unique weapon synonymous to the Malay kingdom. In the ancient time, a man without a keris was akin to being naked. Simply defined, a keris is a double edged wavy blade dagger.




However, what makes a blade a keris is not at its wavy form but the intricate details found at the surface of the blade; details that only exist in a blade named ‘keris’. There is always adventure and nobility in a keris. Because of its substantial significance to the Malay world, keris is always highly venerated and placed at the uppermost stature.

Click here to find out more!

[forrestcat]

The Keris of Muslim Malays differ from the ones from the ones the Hindu Balinese uses. Balinese keris have beatiful carvings of gods and animals on the keris hilt, sheath and sometimes on the blade.

Meanwhile, since Islam forbids such figures and carving of gods and animals, Muslim Malay keris are usually plain without any carvings or have carvings of Koranic verses on the hilt,sheath and cover.

Despite the differences, both Malay/Balinese cultures believes that the Keris could summon magic.

[little_egg]

The Keris of Muslim Malays differ from the ones from the ones the Hindu Balinese uses. Balinese keris have beatiful carvings of gods and animals on the keris hilt, sheath and sometimes on the blade.

Meanwhile, since Islam forbids such figures and carving of gods and animals, Muslim Malay keris are usually plain without any carvings or have carvings of Koranic verses on the hilt,sheath and cover.

Despite the differences, both Malay/Balinese cultures believes that the Keris could summon magic.

Good information forrestcat, even thought I am not sure about that.

Does anyone know where in Malaysia can I find a well-crafted keris? Not the one used as souvenir?

[jason76]

interesting read, more pictures?

[forrestcat]

I ave watched a documentary about Keris on Discovery Channel, hence, I had some knowledge on the differences between pre-Islamic and Islamic Keris.

As I recalled, the best place to get a Keris is in Bali and Java. The biggest Keris in the world is in Bali where there are still Keris makers and is quite old about 100 years or so. I am not aware of any Keris makers in Malaysia, modernisatiom might have killed off the trade in Malaysia. My granduncle has a Keris inherited from my great granparents, he takes good care of it and it still sharp and very beautiful. I last saw it when he made some sort of ritual for medicinal purposes on his daughter, my granduncle is kinda like a part time bomoh in my family.

[HangPC2]

Keris in Okinawa


http://old.blades.free.fr/utilities/okinawa.htm

[Bhaskara]

Err...I'm kinda disagree on the synanomousity of Keris with the Malay Kingdom. Of course I admit that Keris is important to Malay, but it's also important to many ethnic group in Indonesia.

The culture of Keris is still very much alive in Indonesia, notably in Java. The Keris is a sacred weapon, it is made with the most care and not everybody can make them. A person who make keris is called an "Empu", and they are higly revered (this is true especially in the past).

Nice pics, btw. I would love to see more. I think I ever saw a Malaysian Keris but with much more golden ornaments. Do u have any pic on that?

[Betong]

Long keris



Taming Sari in hand of Perak Sultanate




Largest keris in the world


Keris Pendek (Kedah Sultanate)

[malaccan]

Long keris

That was so last year. This is from yesterday.

Sirs, less rhetoric, more substance please.

Taming Sari in hand of Perak Sultanate

Wrong caption lah Betong.
I tried to look for the real Taming Sari at Sungai Duyong where Hang Tuah had cast them. No luck.

[Betong]

^^^Story about Taming Sari....

Legend had it that the mystical keris Taming Sari could fly and seek out the enemy, just like modern missiles. Not only that but it would even rattle in its sheath to warn its owner of potential danger.

In the 15th. Century, when he wanted to ask for the hand in marriage of Majapahit princess Raden Galoh Chandra Kirana, Sultan Mansur Shah traveled to Java with his royal bodyguard, Hang Tuah.

Unfortunately, Hang Tuah, instead of the Sultan, became the center of attention there.This was the opportunity that Pateh Gajah Mada had been waiting for to oust Hang Tuah permanently from the Sultan’s favourite list.

The envious palace official engaged a Javanese warrior, Taming Sari, to kill Hang Tuah but the tables turned and Hang Tuah won the fight as well as Taming Sari’s keris (also named Taming Sari). Thus began the legendary saga of Malaysia’s most celebrated dagger.

Taming Sari, classified as keris kuasa or bawar, is made of an alloy of 20 metal composites, some said to come from bolts holding Mecca’s Holy Kaabah gates.

A keris kuasa is said to poses supernatural powers and has to be “cleansed” in the melimau ceremony periodically to retain its potency.

When he could not persuade Puteri Gunung Ledang to marry Sultan Mahmud, Hang Tuah threw the Taming Sari into Sungai Duyong out of frustration. One legend said that if the Taming Sari surfaced up Sungai Duyong, Melaka will be famous again

Another legend said that Tun Mamat did history a favour when he recovered the Taming Sari for the Sultan’s safekeeping.

In 1511, the Portuguese conquered Malacca and Sultan Mahmud fled to Johor-Riau and later to Kampar in Sumatra.

Taming Sari finally found a permanent home in Perak as part of its state regalia when Sultan Mahmud’s son, Sultan Muzaffar Shah 1, was installed as the first Sultan of Perak and the keris was passed on to his successors till present day.

Footnote: The keris is a weapon peculiar to the Malay Archipelago which encompasses Thailand’s Pattani region, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines’ Mindanao region and certain parts of Cambodia. Historians believe the first keris was developed in 9th. Century and perfected by 14th. Century. In Aceh, the keris is call rencong and Sulawesi, badik.

The keris is surrounded by mystery and there are tales of deaths being caused by simply thrusting the keris into a victim’s footprints.
Sculptures of keris, dating back more than 400 years have been found in Central Java’s Chandi Borobudur where it is known as kujang.

Another keris frequently mentioned in Malay forklore is Keris Mahsuri though no one really knows where it is today. It was said to be the keris used to kill Mahsuri who was wrongly accused of adultery.

www.tourism-melaka.com
2005

[HangPC2]

Malay Canon (Meriam Melayu)

Malay Canon (Singora)






Sri Pattani (Pattani)



This post has been edited by HangPC2: Nov 20 2006, 02:09 AM

[Rocky Cuong V]

Looks like a bow and arrow.

[Betong]

^^^Bravo...
We dun have to use keris anymore

[Malay_guy]

Keris is nothing but a object of wood and steel. The only mystical properties came from the practice of dark magic. it is forbidden in Islam to practice dark magic.

[Bhaskara]

I wonder if u can unsheathed the largest keris in the world...'cos if u can't then it'd only be a statue...

[Betong]

Mystical Weapon from Champa. But rite now in my house...

[Bhaskara]

Keris Taming Sari's story is a little weird. If it was a keris of a Javanesse warrior (which was a Hindu Empire back then), it wouldn't hold the bolts from Mecca.....

[Betong]

Hang Tuah modified it

[Bhaskara]

Nice theory

[Protoculture]

BTW, in Sarawak National Museum, there is an exhibit of Keris Sula collection. Evidently, during Brunei Malay Empire later taken by Brooke White Rajah Dynasty, Keris Sula is used in execution, primarily used to pierced the condemn from the lower abdomen (specifically speaking, stabbed the arse-buttock- & upward) & death are often excruciating.

It was believed the 2nd Rajah White Rajah abolished sula-death execution later on. A Sula Keris tip must be broken after it is commissioned to be retired, as failure to do so will influence the spirit of the Keris to haunt the owner (usually the executioner) to be overcome with madness & committing amok!