Two Tajong?

[ganjawulung]

Dear Jeff,

According to Indonesian point of view, we call such types of hilt as: "hulu pekakak". Bambang Harsrinuksmo wrote in his Ensiklopedi Keris (2004), that hulu pekakak is the hilt type used in Malaysian peninsula, Riau Island (Sumatra, Indonesia), Jambi (Sumatra, Indonesia), Serawak (Malaysia) and Brunei Darussalam. But excuse me, you put the hilt in the wrong direction. Actually, the hulu pekakak must face the opposite site of your blade. So, please turn the hilt 180 degree...

In Java Island (Indonesia), this type of hilt or handle is almost similar with Rajamala. But the nose is shorter, and the hulu's bend is a little bit more upward. Cirebon (the north-western part of Central Java) also have Rajamala with shorter nose like Solonese type. Some (Javanese) keris lover call the hulu pekakak as Raja Ikan or the King Fisher.

Pekakak is actually a kind of bird in the border of Malaysia and Thailand (Pattani). The Latin name of the bird is Pelargopsis amauroptera. There are two kinds of pekakak: (1) pekakak hutan (forest pekakak) and (2) pekakak udang (shrimp pekakak).

The right sheath, if I'm not mistaken, is a Bugis sheath. I don't exactly the different or the similarity between Bugis type sheath and Malay sheath. Anyway, you have old and good kerises...