Bugis keris gonjo iras

JeffS · 31st December 2021, 01:45 AM

Does a separate gonjo have a practical mechanical function or is it completely a matter of mysticism/symbolism?

A. G. Maisey · 31st December 2021, 03:14 AM

Well Jeff, that depends upon the time, the place & the situation --- as well as a thousand other things.

In things to do with the keris there is never just one answer to any question.

Don't forget, it is at its core a Javanese thing, and for Javanese people, the more meanings, the more understandings that they can give to anything, the better it is for all concerned.

David · 31st December 2021, 03:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by A. G. Maisey

Well Jeff, that depends upon the time, the place & the situation --- as well as a thousand other things.

Your answer does seem to imply that there was indeed a time, place and situation where the gonjo did serve a “practical mechanical function”. Let’s start there. What would that have been?

A. G. Maisey · 31st December 2021, 08:34 PM

If we consider the design of early keris and other keris-like implements, as shown in 1000 year old monumental works, we can very clearly see that these weapons, at this time, did in fact have a separate gonjo.

http://www.kerisattosanaji.com/origin-of-the-keris

The manners in which a keris, or keris-like implement, was held when employed as a weapon dictates that the blade base needed to be sufficiently wide to cushion the hand and forefinger against impact. In many other weapons employed in a similar manner, but coming from other societies, this cushioning effect is achieved by the fitting of a separate guard to the blade.

The keris became an icon of its society of origin as time passed, and it achieved over time, the esoteric interpretations that it now carries.

In early Javanese literary works the keris is depicted as purely a weapon. This weapon function continued for hundreds of years, and still exists, alongside the many & various esoteric interpretations attached to the keris.

Some of these esoteric interpretations have existed for lengthy periods of time, other interpretations seem to arisen only very recently.

31st December 2021, 01:45 AM	#1
JeffS Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Singapore Posts: 441	Does a separate gonjo have a practical mechanical function or is it completely a matter of mysticism/symbolism?

31st December 2021, 03:14 AM	#2
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 7,085	Well Jeff, that depends upon the time, the place & the situation --- as well as a thousand other things. In things to do with the keris there is never just one answer to any question. Don't forget, it is at its core a Javanese thing, and for Javanese people, the more meanings, the more understandings that they can give to anything, the better it is for all concerned.

31st December 2021, 08:34 PM	#4
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 7,085	If we consider the design of early keris and other keris-like implements, as shown in 1000 year old monumental works, we can very clearly see that these weapons, at this time, did in fact have a separate gonjo. http://www.kerisattosanaji.com/origin-of-the-keris The manners in which a keris, or keris-like implement, was held when employed as a weapon dictates that the blade base needed to be sufficiently wide to cushion the hand and forefinger against impact. In many other weapons employed in a similar manner, but coming from other societies, this cushioning effect is achieved by the fitting of a separate guard to the blade. The keris became an icon of its society of origin as time passed, and it achieved over time, the esoteric interpretations that it now carries. In early Javanese literary works the keris is depicted as purely a weapon. This weapon function continued for hundreds of years, and still exists, alongside the many & various esoteric interpretations attached to the keris. Some of these esoteric interpretations have existed for lengthy periods of time, other interpretations seem to arisen only very recently.