keris and spirit

[PenangsangII]

Bro AlamShah,

I read Alan's excellent article a few times since at least 2 years ago...and I think it's very intelligent observation, moreover, the writer is himself an empu. I'll go thru it again, and again.....

What I have to offer is the possibility of another origin, or maybe even parallel origin of the keris. Please consider this, people of Nusantara are strong followers of Sunni sect, but what's the deal with cleaning up (merawat) pusakas esp keris during 10 Muharram every year?

[A. G. Maisey]

Please Penangsang, one correction:- I am not and never have been an empu.

I am a person who has made a number of keris, and I have been taught how to do this by an empu.The fact that this man passed much of his knowledge to me does not make me an empu.

[rahman]

I do not want to be drawn to yet another old debate from another forum. If you could check again in the kampungnet thread that you had dumped to the bin, I believe you would understand what Sepokal (sorry for using your name again) had said about the possible Islamic origin of the keris.

I too do not wish to drag what transpired at KampungNet into this forum. But would I logically dump good evidence into the Garbage Bin?

What we had were similar assertions as found here, but no supporting evidence. I was willing to accept these as folk traditions, but sepokal had not divulged which region/state his informaiton had come from, so I cannot even make any reasonable classification.

Alam Shah, pamor that exist in most Javanese keris are based on made belief too. I guess, it will always be part and parcel of keris lovers to go through this "made belief" stories.

Methinks that's the crux of all that we have -- make believe. If you believe it is so, so will it be.

Let me leave it at that...

I guess we mere mortals are not worthy of the arcane knowledge of the Grand Masters.

David -- I always thought the keris was from Mars, and swords from Venus. We have aliens too here n Singapore -- both legal and illegal.