Bali keris holder use

SidJ · 3rd December 2023, 04:22 PM

Hello keris devotees
A quick question. How were Bali keris holders used traditionally? Were they kept outside the house entrance and used to hold the keris of visitors? Or were they used to hold the keris of the householder themselves? Or both? Was it considered impolite to ask a visitor to remove their keris if they came to your house in Bali? Finally is there any source material you can direc t me re the above? Theres lots on keris holders here but not.much in terms of their use within bali culture I can find. Thanks

David · 5th December 2023, 01:56 PM

Hi Sid. This is indeed a very good question and a good subject for discussion. Unfortunately i cannot personally answer these questions. He is a link to a thread we had a while back showing some examples. Within that thread there is another link to a thread started by a person came to our forum because they were doing a research paper on these. I don't think they ever got back to us on their project or presented any final results.
http://vikingsword.com/vb/showthread...i+keris+holder

SidJ · 7th December 2023, 11:00 PM

Thanks David
Strange no one seems to have any informed thoughts on this.
Best
Sid

Rick · 8th December 2023, 03:37 AM

I cannot imagine anyone, no matter the culture having a Keris stand or other family heirloom, kept outside of their house where it would be accessible to any stranger who happened by.
Maybe this is a Western view of the practice, I don't know, but it seems that an object of power and familial reverence would not be left in an insecure place.
Could it be that the Keris holder would be for the use of Visitors and not for the Host?

(He shrugs)

Bob A · 8th December 2023, 07:45 AM

I believe the original series of questions to be so broad, while demonstrating an equally wide lack of information regarding the culture in question, that an effective answer might require volumes, and an equal measure of time and study.

It might seem at least slightly offensive to a person steeped in the keris culture to be confronted with a series of uncomprehending guesses; politeness would dictate an answer based on the expectation of the questioner, but the gap between the two seems quite wide, making that answer difficult to formulate.

Then too, sometimes silence is an answer, of sorts.

All very enigmatic.

Bob A · 8th December 2023, 06:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SidJ

Stop being so tediously pompous and condescending for Gods sake. What an odious response. It was a simple question drafted in plain english. Get over yourself.

Thanks for the advice.

3rd December 2023, 04:22 PM	#1
SidJ Member Join Date: Apr 2020 Posts: 177	Bali keris holder use Hello keris devotees A quick question. How were Bali keris holders used traditionally? Were they kept outside the house entrance and used to hold the keris of visitors? Or were they used to hold the keris of the householder themselves? Or both? Was it considered impolite to ask a visitor to remove their keris if they came to your house in Bali? Finally is there any source material you can direc t me re the above? Theres lots on keris holders here but not.much in terms of their use within bali culture I can find. Thanks

5th December 2023, 01:56 PM	#2
David Keris forum moderator Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Nova Scotia Posts: 7,041	Hi Sid. This is indeed a very good question and a good subject for discussion. Unfortunately i cannot personally answer these questions. He is a link to a thread we had a while back showing some examples. Within that thread there is another link to a thread started by a person came to our forum because they were doing a research paper on these. I don't think they ever got back to us on their project or presented any final results. http://vikingsword.com/vb/showthread...i+keris+holder

7th December 2023, 11:00 PM	#3
SidJ Member Join Date: Apr 2020 Posts: 177	Thanks David Strange no one seems to have any informed thoughts on this. Best Sid

8th December 2023, 03:37 AM	#4
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,265	I cannot imagine anyone, no matter the culture having a Keris stand or other family heirloom, kept outside of their house where it would be accessible to any stranger who happened by. Maybe this is a Western view of the practice, I don't know, but it seems that an object of power and familial reverence would not be left in an insecure place. Could it be that the Keris holder would be for the use of Visitors and not for the Host? (He shrugs)

8th December 2023, 07:45 AM	#5
Bob A Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Posts: 415	I believe the original series of questions to be so broad, while demonstrating an equally wide lack of information regarding the culture in question, that an effective answer might require volumes, and an equal measure of time and study. It might seem at least slightly offensive to a person steeped in the keris culture to be confronted with a series of uncomprehending guesses; politeness would dictate an answer based on the expectation of the questioner, but the gap between the two seems quite wide, making that answer difficult to formulate. Then too, sometimes silence is an answer, of sorts. All very enigmatic.