"Buginees 'Executioners' Keris" for comment

A. G. Maisey · 17th October 2012, 09:57 PM

I've just read an interesting account of Balinese execution in 1633. The Dutch Chief Merchant Jan Oosterwijk witnessed the execution by keris of 22 of the queen's women followers on the occasion of the death of the king, of course these women followers were following their queen who followed her husband. Widows, concubines, servants, other followers routinely followed their lord in death.
In Bali women of royal blood would often jump into the flames without the boon of a keris into the chest beforehand, but the servants and concubines more usually took the keris to the chest first, the more resolute would often thrust it into their own chest.
What Jan Oosterwick describes is this:-

"--- were divested of all their garments , except their sashes; four of the men seizing the victim, two by the arms, which they held extended, two by the feet, the victim standing, the fifth prepared himself for the execution, the whole being done without covering the eyes.
Some of the most courageous demanded the poignard themselves, which they received in the right hand, passing it to the left, after respectfully kissing the weapon. They wounded their right arms, sucked the blood which flowed from the wound, and stained their lips with it, making with the point of the finger a bloody mark on the forehead. Then returning the dagger to their executioners, they received a first stab between the false ribs, and a second, from the same side under the shoulder blade, the weapon being thrust up to the hilt in a slanting direction, towards the heart---"

It is only when we look more closely at the societies where the keris originated that we begin to understand just how closely it was tied to religious practice in its nature and traditional use. When it moved away from its roots in early Jawa, and then in Javanised Bali, it became primarily a weapon with some imperfectly understood social associations, in the other societies which adopted it. In its original context there was no doubt in respect of the sacred nature of the keris.

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search
Display Modes
Switch to Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Threaded Mode

17th October 2012, 09:57 PM	#8
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 7,019	I've just read an interesting account of Balinese execution in 1633. The Dutch Chief Merchant Jan Oosterwijk witnessed the execution by keris of 22 of the queen's women followers on the occasion of the death of the king, of course these women followers were following their queen who followed her husband. Widows, concubines, servants, other followers routinely followed their lord in death. In Bali women of royal blood would often jump into the flames without the boon of a keris into the chest beforehand, but the servants and concubines more usually took the keris to the chest first, the more resolute would often thrust it into their own chest. What Jan Oosterwick describes is this:- "--- were divested of all their garments , except their sashes; four of the men seizing the victim, two by the arms, which they held extended, two by the feet, the victim standing, the fifth prepared himself for the execution, the whole being done without covering the eyes. Some of the most courageous demanded the poignard themselves, which they received in the right hand, passing it to the left, after respectfully kissing the weapon. They wounded their right arms, sucked the blood which flowed from the wound, and stained their lips with it, making with the point of the finger a bloody mark on the forehead. Then returning the dagger to their executioners, they received a first stab between the false ribs, and a second, from the same side under the shoulder blade, the weapon being thrust up to the hilt in a slanting direction, towards the heart---" It is only when we look more closely at the societies where the keris originated that we begin to understand just how closely it was tied to religious practice in its nature and traditional use. When it moved away from its roots in early Jawa, and then in Javanised Bali, it became primarily a weapon with some imperfectly understood social associations, in the other societies which adopted it. In its original context there was no doubt in respect of the sacred nature of the keris.