Draw your weapon

The markings on weaponry offer a window to a culture’s aesthetical values and into the character of the weapon. This is what I learnt at the recent exhibition of traditional weaponry at the Kuala Lumpur Craft Complex, which showcased decorative art on classic weapons.

Reflection of the maker
According to Zainal Abidin Che Pa, director of Malaysian Handicraft Development Corporation’s Conservation Department, the decorative elements on traditional weapons differ from one weapon to another.

“Weapons made by the Melayu often carry floral motifs and those made by the Chinese feature turtles, bells or dragons. For the Indians, their design elements often feature elephants,” explains Zainal.

“Weapons that feature ‘heavy’ decorative markings were also used as accessories for special events such as weddings,” he adds.

The decorations often indicated the status of the owner. In the olden days, weapons with engravings complemented with gemstones usually belonged to nobility and dignitaries, or those in the higher hierarchy of a community.

Types of weapons
There are various types of traditional weapons. Among them, the badik, golok, kelewang, keris, sword and sundang.

The badik is a small dagger used for self-defence. It was widely used after the keris was banned by the British government. The badik’s blade is made of metal and the hilt of wood or ivory horn, decorated with gold, silver and brass. Badik was the weapon of choice for women in the olden days.

The golok is a machete used in battles. Its shape is influenced by the Javanese and European swords. The shape of its blade is slightly rounded and sharp on one side. There are a variety of golok — Golok Kelantan, Golok Bugis, Golok Perak and Golok Minangkabau, among others.

The kelewang is a shorter version of a sword. But its blade’s design makes it prominent. Popular in the East Coast states, especially in Kelantan at the end of the 18th Century, its length measures 0.6m. Its blade tapers on one side and the size increases towards the tip. The blade has two tips with oneside carved.

But the traditional weapon with the most extensive decorative elements would be the keris. This weapon is synonymous with the Melayu community. To some extent, it speaks of the Malay identity. Having been in existence for six centuries, a keris’ hilt has the most weight in design.

Carved by master craftsmen, the process of carving a keris can be quite complicated. The carving styles for a keris’ hilt involves several processes. Before the hilt receives its beautifying finishing touches, the craftsman will first have to do a low-relief carving to define the outer facet of the hilt.


Then the base motifs, which have been traced using carving blocks, will be defined using a wooden chisel. The hilt’s carving technique is very fine.

“Craftsmen believe that the keris is very special and mystical. It is not something to toy with,” says Zainal.

Besides the keris, the sword is just as special. Designs in the country are influenced by designs from India, Pakistan, Persia (Iran), Japan, Sumatra and Java. For example, a type of sword called cenangkas looks like a sword from India and another type, jenawi, is somewhat similar to the Japanese katana or Samurai sword.

Then there’s the sundang. It is the largest item in the keris family. Its design too can be elaborate as it is used for royal installation ceremonies.

Hunting and protection
The traditional weapons of the Orang Asli in the country have completely different decorative features. The designs are influenced by the environment. Among the Orang Asli’s arsenal are blowpipes, spears, the adze and trident. They are made using materials found in the environment.

These weapons are decorated with inks of different colours. The weapons are used for self-defence and hunting. For Sabah’s Murut and Bajau communities, their most favoured weapon is the machete, which is available in different sizes.

Decades ago, the machetes were used to kill. In the olden days, enemies were beheaded using the weapons. But, not anymore. For Sabah-born machete craftsman Jamawid Soh, modern Sabah machetes are these days made as souvenir items and for personal collections.

Jamawid makes hand-carved Bajau machetes for a living. Among the machetes from the Bajau community are the gaya and barong.

“The Bajau machete is different because the carving is not only on the sleeve but also on the blade,” says the 42-year-old. Jamawid learnt to make the machete from his father. He started making machetes when young. He takes about three days to make a machete. The Bajau machete features a significant motif, a replica of the head of a bird. Jamawid says this design is called the Sigai.

In Sarawak, one of the better known weapons is the ilang machete also known as mandau. Like in Sabah, this machete was used for self-defence. The head-hunters would decapitate their enemies with it.

According to Zainal, the ilang machete is synonymous with the Iban community. Other types of machetes in Sarawak are the nyabur machete (used by the Sea Dayak people), and spear, pipe and jepur (sword).

These three weapons are significant to the Bidayuh people. Traditional weapons in Sarawak are made beautiful by decorations and carvings. Like the keris, the hilt is carved. The sheaths are made of animal skin or wood.

Often, the motifs for these weapons are geometrical. Additional features of the weapons include shells, beads and animal teeth.

By ZUHAILA SEDEK DE-BOOIJ
Sourced from http://www.nst.com.my/life-times/sunday-life-times/draw-your-weapon-1.236067#ixzz2NrqqtlEB

The Keris – Malay weapon, social symbol and talisman

Before the gun was invented, the dagger and sword were generally regarded as the most used weapons in the medieval world. The keris, also spelt and pronounced as crease, creese, kreese and kris is synonymous with Malay culture.

It originated in Java in the 9th century during the Sri Vijaya empire and subsequently spread throughout the Indonesian archipelago, Malaysia, Southern Thailand, Southern Philippines (Mindanao), Singapore, Brunei and some parts of Cambodia, Laos and Burma as the favoured close quarter fighting weapon. The serpentine blade is reminiscent of a snake in mid-strike.

Many functions are attributed to the keris, first and foremost as a double edged stabbing weapon, secondly as a symbol of social status and thirdly as a talisman for protection. It was also used as an execution device, for various ceremonies and rituals, and as an object of reverence, and was widely believed to possess supernatural powers.

There are seven main types of keris which are:

1.Keris Jawa
2. Keris Semenanjung atau Utara (Peninsular or Nothern keris)
3. Keris Bali dan Madura
4. Keris Sumatra
5. Keris Bugis
6. Keris Pattani &
7. Keris Sudang (sulu atau Mindanao in Philippines).

Each has its own characteristics and a straight or a wavy blade. Some of them underwent changes according to circumstances, for example, the Mindanao keris was modified and made longer like a sword (keris panjang) to counter the Spanish rapier. A good keris is made of iron, nickel, several alloys and a piece from a meteorite. Traditional keris makers are known as Empu in Indonesia and Pandai besi in Malaysia. Some Empu go into a trance when working the metal and thereafter fashion the red hot metal with their bare hands.

Javanese daggers owned by the writer

The keris must be compatible with its owner and is usually custom built for a specific person according to his rank and status. Usually the length of the blade should correspond to the distance between the nipples of its owner otherwise misfortune may befall him.

Each wave in the blade is called a lok and the number of lok would indicate the owner’s status. A three lok keris would belong to a warrior while a Rajah’s (Sultan’s) keris would have nine. The wave represents the Naga or cobra.

The keris is believed to have the power to jump out of its sheath and engage the enemy in battle on its own. It is also able to warn the owner of impending danger by rattling in its sheath. Keris which are tied to the main beams of traditional Malay houses as a talisman are known to fly on their own and kill the enemy.

The sheath known as “wrangka” in Indonesia and “sarung” in Malaysia usually denotes the owner’s status i.e. red for the Sultan or his close relatives, green for Ministers, brown for courtiers and black for people in general. A keris was usually presented by the Sultan to his warriors as a special token of appreciation. It was held in such high esteem that if one cannot attend a wedding or ceremony, one can send one’s keris through a son or close relative and the host would deem that he had attended. Giving up one’s keris also signified surrender. A well dressed Malay would consider himself “naked” without his keris to complement his attire. The royal keris worn by the King of Malaysia, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong is made of iron alloy collected from the soil of the 9 states of Malaysia.

It is said that you can hurt your enemy by simply thrusting the blade into his footprints. Water has been drawn from the point of a keris, and fire from a burning ship has been transferred to shore by pointing the tip at the fire and then elsewhere.

The most famous Malay dagger is the “Keris Taming sari” owned by the legendary Malaccan warrior Hang Tuah. The one, who possessed it, was said to be invincible. This was Malaysia’s equivalent of King Arthur’s sword, the legendary “Excalibur”. It is believed that Hang Tuah cast the “Keris Taming sari” into the Sungai Duyung river after he killed his childhood friend Hang Jebat in a duel, due to the latter’s disloyalty to the Sultan of Malacca.

Another well known keris in colonial Ceylon was the “Henaraja thalaya” (Blade from the thunderbolt) used by the legendary bandit Utuwankande Saradiel in the 18th century. This was a Javanese keris and it was believed that whoever had the Henaraja thalaya on his person was “bullet proof”. When Saradiel was gunned down by Police Sergeant Mahath, the keris was not on his person but under a pillow. The Sinhalese words “kirichchiya and kinissa” are probably derived from the Malay word keris.


A collection of Keris on display at the Kandy gallery of the National Museum
Owners of keris are required to bathe and oil the keris during the month of Muharram to retain the weapon’s supernatural powers. If the keris is neglected, it may cause the guardian spirit to depart from the weapon, leaving it powerless.

Usually a lime is cut in two and one half is rubbed on each side of the blade to remove rust, oil and grime and then thoroughly rinsed in running water. The blade is then dried over a low charcoal fire and fragrant oil (atthar) is applied on the blade, handle and sheath.

The curved wooden hilt is designed to fit snugly into the hand with a 10” to 15” long blade for close combat, unlike a sword which needs space and is unwieldy for fighting in jungles or confined spaces.

When held correctly it becomes an extension of the forefinger with the user having total control over the weapon. The hilt is gripped like a pistol at waist level with the blade parallel to the ground. An upward thrust will enable entry of the blade between the ribs. The targeted organs are the abdomen, lungs, kidneys and throat of the opponent.

The sheath is usually boat shaped since the Malays being sea-farers were fond of their boats. Motifs were engraved on the sheath to give it an aesthetic appearance. Gold or silver wire was also used in the decorative process.

It is the detail at the bottom of the blade which distinguishes a keris from an ordinary knife. Several guards have been designed to catch an opponent’s blade from reaching the hand and to prevent slipping. The elephant trunk and the precious stones arranged in the 8 petal lotus pattern at the base of the hilt signifies the connection the Malays had with their Hindu/Buddhist past. The hilt is usually carved into the shape of a mythical bird, beast or plant.

It is certain that the keris was introduced to Sri Lanka by the Indonesian nobility and political exiles, their retinue, Malay soldiers, Javanese mercenaries and various other recruits, who were brought to Sri Lanka during the Dutch and British periods. It was also a popular gift presented to Kandyan monarchs and adigars by British ambassadors visiting the Kandyan kingdom. More recently the Department of Museums has also come across Malay keris dating back to the Portuguese period. This would have been possible with the interaction of Malays from Malacca to Ceylon, which were both under Portuguese rule in the 16th century.

Some very fine Keris are on display at the Kandy gallery of the National Museum in Colombo 7 as well as in the upper floor.

(The writer is President, Sri Lanka-Indonesia Friendship Association and Vice-President (Social/Cultural Affairs) of the Mabole Malay Association)

Written by By M.D. (Tony) Saldin
Sourced from http://www.sundaytimes.lk/110807/Plus/plus_16.html

From Majapahit to PWTC

KUALA LUMPUR: An avid collector of antique keris for 17 years, S. Amin Shahab had never given any thought of parting with any of his prized possessions.

However, his dream of owning the Sundang keris, the biggest in the keris family, which can fetch up to RM20,000, has forced the award-winning movie director and music composer to let go some of his cherished items with a heavy heart.

“This is the best way for me to raise funds to buy the Sundang,” Amin told The Malay Mail when met at his stall at the Umno General Assembly in Putra World Trade Centre here yesterday.

Antique Keris For Sale

For more information, call (not sms): Ustaz Saiful Muhammad +6019 631 5668 or visit http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270521760232

Keris in Silat Telapak Nusantara

In Silat Telapak Nusantara, the keris plays a very important role. It signifies the higher levels of the physical techniques and symbolises the key to opening the spiritual side of silat or kebatinan. Keris is considered a weapon which in turn contains within it multiple weapons or functions. Every inch of the keris is used fully: from the blade, the handle to the sheath, every single part.

It is considered as the earliest 'extension' of the hand before a student learns any other kind of weapon. When holding a keris, one is considered to have extended one’s limbs. It is not treated as a foreign object. It can be use to stab, slice, slash and block; and can be a very versatile weapon of offense and defense.

The first lesson of keris in Pertubuhan Seni Silat Telapak Nusantara Malaysia comes from “Bunga Bongsu” or “Silat Pengantin”. A set of form called “Keris Kosong” inside “Bunga Bongsu” is trained with such details. One must feel all the movements, seen and unseen, coming from the “Keris Kosong”.

There are many variations for hands movements that must be understood and felt. All these variations have different results in reality of applications. There are also various body and limb movements. One must feel even the slightest movement while practicing. When one’s understanding deepens, not moving must also be considered as movement.

There are also many physical and spiritual philosophies that must be applied. Breathing techniques are also essential. There are many physical, semi-spiritual and spiritual practices that must be understood and applied in perfecting one’s keris skill. When one acquires a complete understanding of keris, one can fully utilise it from tip to toe, from handle to sheath, from the blade to the “ganjah”.

Many masters use the keris as a metaphor for the human body due to its many uses, uniqueness and functions. When attacking, a keris can inflict a lot of damage to many target areas with just one movement. The handle and the sheath can be made as very good defence tools or shields to block or parry enemy attacks; either empty handed or armed.

The handle and sheath can also function very well as a dangerous weapon of attack. Some keris masters carve their handle and sheath from extremely hard wood or very fine and hard metal. This will not only make their keris look very exotic but also enable their handles and sheaths with weapon qualities. In our school's style, keris techniques are mastered to tame the keris and not to worship it. There are many cultural and Islamic manners that must be implied in it.

After mastering the “Keris Kosong”, one must train in duel the “Keris Sanggah Satu” techniques. This is the first details of the “Keris Kosong”. Instead of using only one keris for both exponent in “Keris Kosong” technique, one keris for each exponent will be used in “Keris Sanggah Satu”. Both exponents will be train to use keris against each other simultaneously.

The blade is the first part of keris to be used in “Keris Sanggah Satu” followed by other part of the keris in the next lesson. There will be 3 levels in “Keris Sanggah” or “Sanggah Keris”. Each level is unique and will emphasise different aspects of keris utilisation while perfecting the previous level. It is said that taming a keris and its techniques signify a tamed nafs or oneself or one’s desire toward Allah (swt) with the Sunnah or the way of the Prophet Nabi Muhammad (saw).

Written by Ustaz Saiful Muhammad, guru utama Silat Telapak Nusantara Sourced from http://silat-melayu.ning.com/profiles/blogs/the-keris

Kedah Sultan launches book on keris

Steeped in tradition: Sultan of Kedah Sultan Abdul Halim Mu’ad­zam Shah putting a keris into its sheath to officially launch the ‘Semangat Keris Melayu’ book at the auditorium of the state public library at Jalan Kolam Air in Alor Setar yesterday.

With him are the Kedah Royal House Association chairman Datuk Tengku Zainol Rashid Tengku Yahya and Malacca Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam.

The book, written by Emil Bahari, is being sold at RM25 per copy. An exhibition on keris was also held at the library.

Congratulations to my old university-mate, Emil Azril Bahari for his coup de grace in publishing this long awaited book. At least I know my copy will be an autographed one.

Sourced from http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/2/25/nation/20090225084736&sec=nation

Deadly Weapons Used in Silat Melayu

The Keris
In the world of the Silat Melayu, the keris (a wavy bladed dagger or knife) is the principal weapon of defence and offence. It is a deadly weapon unique to the Malay world, and in the centuries past, it was the dreaded weapon of the Melayu, and normally carried around by the adult men especially for self-defence purpose.

Those were the days when carrying a keris was a normal thing, akin, in the western world, to the days of the cowboys when carrying pistols were normal and rife.

In the old days, a keris once taken out of its sheath must “taste" blood, as they say, and if not the enemy’s, the owner's blood. So, it is not a plaything - it is a deadly weapon to be respected. Some say that the blade of the keris, to be effective, must be laced with arsenic, so that once the enemy is stabbed, his days are numbered. Those were during the old days.

Nowadays, however, the keris is sometimes regarded as a status symbol only, with elaborate designs and expensive stones embedded. It is nowadays worn by the groom during traditional Melayu weddings, and as ceremonial dressing and ornamental accompaniments by high public officials and royalties, during traditional ceremonies and public occasions.

Many Melayu families today keep the ancestral keris, which had been handed or passed down from their ancestors and from one generation to another as family heirlooms and as, perhaps, a memento of their ancestors' glorious and rich past.

The Mystique of the Keris
The keris nowadays can be bought at shops and malls selling traditional Melayu costumes and products. However as a weapon for use in a fight or battle, not just any keris will do for the owners. To ensure that the keris is compatible with the owner, and would give him certain mystical, and perhaps supernatural, powers, the keris must be custom-made and molded based on certain calculations and measurements of the owner’s body.

For instance, the number of waves for the blade of the keris is based on such measurements, and therefore you might find that a keris might be longer or shorter than normally expected.

As the keris is made based on the owner’s requirements, specific measurements and temperaments, its weight and length would also be dependent on the calculations made, to ensure its compatibility with the owner.

And to ensure invulnerability and to bring good luck to the owners, ancient iron implements found or deliberately sought were re-smelted and used in the manufacture of the blades of the keris. In fact, in the olden days, no keris was really lucky (or “bertuah” in Bahasa Melayu), unless it was at least in part, composed of a prehistoric iron implement.

Preservation of the Keris
In the old Melayu world, the owner of the keris, in order to preserve its effectiveness, would carry out certain rites or prayers, and it is usual to “smoke” the keris with kemenyan (fragrant incense) and to cleanse or wipe it with the limau kasturi (Citrus microcarpa, a lime fruit) juice, every Friday night.

And a keris is never sharpened after it is made and given to the owner, not even, as they say, after it had been used to stab opponents. Therefore it is unlike the work implements such as the machete, knives or other sharp object used as utensils for work, which has to be sharpened after use.

Shape of the Keris
Normally the handle of a keris has elaborate carvings as the hilt and the normal creature carving is birdlike called the jawa demam. The blade of the keris is wavy and has different numbers of waves depending on the owner’s criteria.

From the structure of the handle, we can see that the keris is used only to be held in one hand. It cannot, and is not meant to be held by two hands unlike the big swords of the western world.

The usage of the keris is therefore in consonance with silat movements where the hand is used in combat with or without the keris in hand. A keris in hand would however be an added advantage.

The sheath (or 'home') of the keris is also an art form and a beauty to behold. It is normally made of wood with silver or iron coverings at its mouth, and mostly with carved designs.

Most Famous Keris
Various names based on their origin and owners are given to the keris. “Keris melela” is a variation of the keris, which in the old days in Pahang, was used as a weapon by the Melayu of Pekan (a town).

Like pets, owners of kerises often give names to their keris, as a sign of affection and respect, and, if they have a few as is normal then, to distinguish between the different kerises they own.

One of the most famous kerises that has been recorded in the Malay history books is named “Taming Sari”. It is said that with this keris, Hang Tuah became invulnerable or invincible, and he defeated all opponents with this keris in his hand.

During his battle with Hang Jebat, the Taming Sari was in fact in the possession of Hang Jebat, as he had taken it during Hang Tuah’s exile. Hang Tuah was only able to defeat and killed Hang Jebat only after he had tricked Hang Jebat into exchanging their kerises. The story of this fight is depicted in the Malay epic “Hikayat Hang Tuah”.

Crime Rounds & Execution of Criminals
In the old days (in the 1800s), in Pahang, capital offences included treason, murder, amok, arson and even adultery. The old version of the modern police force in Pahang is the “juak-juak" or “hamba raja”, of the Bendahara’s (perhaps equivalent to the Prime Minister nowadays) police, who usually went around apprehending criminals armed with a short keris (“keris pendek”) and a spear.

There were different methods of execution in the 1800s and early 1900s in Pahang. The most common way was death by the keris. The convicted criminal was stabbed with the long execution keris provided by the Bendahara – the famous keris penyalang of Koris (now said to be part of the Pahang State regalia). Although it sounds gory, it was said that death by the keris was actually one of the more humane forms of execution practised then.

For instance, in those days an amok is to be stabbed by the hurling of javelins. A woman convicted of adultery was strangled to death, and crimes involving betrayal of trust required the criminal to be crucified and the body thrown to the sea.

And criminals were also subject to other forms of capital punishment such as through drowning the criminal by attaching stones to the body, or tying his neck and dragging him in the river using a boat until he drowns.

Other Weapons Used in Silat Melayu
While the keris is the chief weapon of the Malays, there are other knifes or blades used in silat, such as the badik, tekpi, kerambit, parang, sundang, sabit (sickle), lembing and also sticks.

Parang or Golok Pahang (or Pahang machete) is a weapon made by the Pekan people of Pahang. In the old days Pahang was famous for the manufacture of fine machetes or golok and it was recorded in history books (in late 1490s) that Sultan Mahmud of Melaka sent a Pahang machete as one of his presents to the Pasai sultan.

Lading
The “lading” is a weapon used by the exponents of Silat Cekak Hanafi, which originated from the Malaysian state of Kedah Darul Aman. The shape of the lading is like a meat butcher’s knife with a short handle and a wide and sharp blade.

The lading however is used only for defence purposes, and not for attack. It is consonant with the philosophy of Silat Cekak Hanafi that its martial arts form is only for self-defence purposes and that also includes the use of its main and unique weapon, the lading. The “lading” is given as an honor and award to those Silat Cekak Hanafi exponents who have reached the highest level of the silat art.

And just like the keris whose effectiveness to the owner would depend on it being customised based on certain body measurements, the lading is also measured and custom-made based solely on the person using it. Therefore it could not be handed down as a hereditary weapon to the son, for example, as its effectiveness is compromised.

Uses of Weapons in Silat
The use of weapons in Silat, unless the art is specifically to teach the use of the particular weapon, is taught by the master to his students only at the highest level of the silat. This is to ensure that the student has mastered at least the basic techniques and movements of the silat before he is taught the use of weapon which is more difficult and perhaps more dangerous.

But most of all, the use of a weapon is taught to a student when the master has known the student intimately, his character, temperament, etc., and has assured himself that the student will not misuse or abuse the knowledge for evil gains.

So only those students who have gained the complete trust and faith of the master in that they will use the knowledge for good intentions and purposes only are taught the highest level of the weapons’ techniques and movements.

Written by Mohd Yamin
Sourced from http://www.pahang-delights.com/deadly-weapons-silat.html

Al-Bahr is now mine

If you notice, the Keris For Sale box is missing on the sidebar. There's a very good reason for this. The keris now belongs to me.

The keris, named Al-Bahr was presented to me by Ustaz Saiful Muhammad of Silat Telapak Nusantara Malaysia as a gift. I say gift because the dowry which took its place in his hands is too measly a sum to compare.

We don't know much about the keris except that the hulu and sarung are made of buffalo bone and bears a striking resemblance to ivory. I intend to have it inspected by several keris experts to determine its type and age.

In the meantime, I invite anyone reading this blog to contribute their knowledge of the design and if they have ever seen it before, to provide some historical background to the weapon. It's exciting for me, because, although some people might never believe it, it is actually my first keris. I've never owned one before this.

So, welcome Al-Bahr, to our humble home.

Update 5 Feb 2009 I spoke to the previous owner, Ustaz Saiful and he told me that the keris is approximately 30 years old and was made by an empu in Johor of Bugis descent. The name Al-Bahr was given by Ustaz Saiful to commemorate the keris's elegant make.

I sent a photo of Al-Bahr to a keris collector friend, Fazli Ibrahim. He gave his first impressions that the keris isn't very old and the blade has been blackened by warangan (In fact, ustaz has been using his own homemade keris oil on it). As with Pok Nik's assertion, Fazli determined that it was a keris Melayu with heavy Madura influences.

Listening to these opinions has made me realise uniqueness of the blade and the sheath, of which I (nor anyone else I have met) have never seen before. This makes this keris one of a kind.

I recently introduced the keris to the public in Melaka when I performed a Silat Melayu Keris Lok 9 wardance for PETRONAS staff attending a team building program. As luck would have it, one of them immediately recognised the form as Lok 9.

TekpiWorks Seminar 2008

I considered keeping this post to myself, chiefly because I was jealous that anyone other than me would know it. However I feel, the greater good must be allowed to happen.

For the last several years, a mentor of mine, ustaz Abdul Hakim Abdul Rashid, a well-respected silat lover from Gurun, Kedah has constantly taunted me with his discovery of a great silat master up north. His famed line of "Mai Gurun" (come to Gurun!) always makes me envious of those who actually do take up his offer.

However, a recent sms from him just before Aidilfitri was the greatest taunt of all.

"Selamat Hari Raya. Mai Gurun. Guru tua nak perturun mainan 24 jenis senjata. Age 85. Anak saudara Yahya Said. Ada mainan 4 jenis tekpi. Guru P.Ramlee. Ada bukti dan saksi. Ada 12 jenis ikatan tanjak. Ada simpan mainan dan tekpi Panglima Nayan. Sundang Dato Maharaja Lela. Cindai dan lain-lain. Low profile. Mai le sebelum dia mati."

"Happy Aidilftri. Come to Gurun! An old master wants to impart 24 weaponplays. He's 85 years old. Nephew of Yahya Said. Learn 4 methods of tekpi play. He is P.Ramlee's teacher. There are evidence and witnesses to this. Learn 12 ways of tying your headgear. He possesses the method and tekpi of Panglima Nayan and the Sundang of Dato Maharaja Lela, cindai and others. He's very low profile. Come visit before he dies."

Everyone knows my affinity for anything related to Mahaguru Yahya Said's (more fondly remembered as Pak Yah) arts, even those slightly related to it, including Silat Kuntau Tekpi.

Add that to the fact that ustaz Hakim mentions that this old master, guru Jaafar, once asked Pak Yah to teach him Silat Kalimah, but all Pak Yah did was give him an exercise to perform, which apparently allowed him to extrapolate the whole of Silat Kalimah on his own. Interesting? Very! Now you know why I wanted to keep this all to myself.

But then ustaz Hakim's sms which came late last night forced me to change my mind.

"Assalamualaikum. Minta tolong. War-warkan iaitu Pertubuhan Seni Silat Harimau Bentara Garang dengan kerjasama guru tua Pak Jaafar menganjurkan Seminar Mainan Tekpi. Pada 29-30 November 2008. Fees RM200. Pak Jaafar ialah anak saudara pada Pak Yahya Said."

"Assalamualaikum. I require your assistance. Please advertise that Pertubuhan Seni Silat Harimau Bentara Garang with the cooperation of Guru Tua Pak Jaafar is organising a TekpiWorks Seminar on the 29th and 30th November 2008. The fees are RM200. Pak Jaafar is the nephew of Pak Yahya Said."

For more information, please sms me at +6016 3085 789 (Nadzrin) or email webmaster@silatmelayu.com.

Martial Arts expert shows off his moves

An internationally acclaimed martial arts guru showed off his skills at the Beachcomber Inn in Brean.

Unarmed knife defence expert and blade awareness instructor Maul Mornie from the Brunei school of martial arts visited the resort to hold a seminar with local people.

The art, which is known as 'Silat Suffian Bela Diri', teaches people how to protect themselves from knife attacks and instructs solid techniques for self defence and combat.

Frank Ellul, a teacher at St Johns School in Highbridge said: “Having Maul Mornie here is a bit like having Bruce Lee in Burnham. He is internationally known.”

Written by David Hemming
Sourced from http://www.burnhamandhighbridgeweeklynews.co.uk/news/villagenews/3799252.Martial_Arts_expert_shows_off_his_moves/

Cikgu Sani: The man behind P Ramlee’s Tekpi

In the movie 6 Jahanam, Allahyarham Tan Sri P Ramlee showcased his silat skills with a pair of weapons. As was tradition in Melayu films back then, the weapon most identified with pendekars of yore was the keris. However, in this film, P Ramlee introduced a different weapon, the tekpi.

In 6 Jahanam, P Ramlee played the role of Tantari, a businessman who seeks revenge upon the death of his wife, Masmera (Nor Azizah) who was brutally raped and murdered by the criminal gang known as the Enam Jahanam.The targets of his wrath: Mumbala (Shariff Baboo), Karambit (Ahmad Dadida), Jagindas (Ibrahim Sabtu), Katipang (Kamal Idris), Paragas (Osman Md.Amin) and Sujamang (Yusof Ali).

To mete justice to these criminals, Tantari carries with im a pair of tekpi. The three-pronged iron truncheon is also known as the ‘king of weapons’ due to its ability in countering all manner of bladed weapons. Amidst P Ramlee’s furious display of the tekpi in the film, not many realise that the Supreme Artisan (a post-mortem title given by the Malaysiam government to acknowledge his cultural contributions) actually drew his inspiration to introduce the tekpi on film from Sani Zainol Abidin.

A tiger with sheathed claws. Surely an apt description for former military intelligence officer Sani Zainol Abidin, better known among his students as Cikgu Sani or Pak Guru.

Apt indeed, in a time when other silat styles race each other to increase their popularity, Cikgu Sani feels more comfortable being a humble man, without exploiting the media for his own interests. What years he has left is now being spent in his hometown of Kampung Kampung Siput, Jalan Weng, Baling, Kedah.

While visiting him in his home three days before the beginning of Ramadhan, Cikgu Sani admits to me that not many people know that the tekpi display by P Ramlee in the film 6 Jahanam owed its performance to him.

“I am in P Ramlee’s debt for his willingness to introduce the tekpi on film. Many people criticised him at the time, to the extent of claiming that he would lose himself in the film.

“However, not many realise that through 6 Jahanam P Ramlee revealed to the Melayu that they had another ethnic heritage that they could be proud of , one feared its enemies, the dreaded tekpi,” he said.

The tekpi is the primary weapon of Silat Kuntau Tekpi, a silat style that existed during the reign of Sultan Ahmad Tajuddin Shah, the Kedah Sultan of the 19th century.

It was founded by a Panglima (military general) of the royal household named Panglima Taib bin Wan Hussin. This style was taught only to the cadre of panglima, palace guards and warriors to fend of Siamese incursions and other enemies of the era. Panglima Taib bequeathed his knowledge to his daughter Siti Aminah who was known as ‘Srikandi Kedah’ (Warrioress of Kedah). This style was then inherited by her son Zainol Abidin Endut and in turn by his son, Cikgu Sani himself.

Cikgu Sani’s friendship with P Ramlee began in Singapura when he was only 25 years old. Cikgu Sani was posted there at Fort Canning for a year to undergo training in a Military Intelligence Course.

“During my off days, I’d take the opportunity to walk around at the Jalan Ampas Studio. This is where I befriended P Ramlee and he got to know of my background with the tekpi.“Allah fated that we meet again when P Ramlee moved to Kuala Lumpur to work at the Merdeka Studio in Hulu Klang and I was posted at the Intelligence Department of the Ministry of Defence. We often met in Setapak.

“It was during one of those casual conversations that P Ramlee mentions that in Melayu films, the pendekar would often brandish a keris, a sword or a machete, and that it crossed his mind to make a film with a tekpi as a weapon. “He asked if I would teach him the tekpi if he were to film it. I felt honoured and said, why not,” he said.

According to Cikgu Sani, P Ramlee’s sincerity in his studies made teaching him easier. It took Cikgu Sani a month to train P Ramlee in parrying using the tekpi.

“I remember him telling me, ‘Sani, just show me how to parry with the tekpi. Camera tricks will handle the rest,” he said.

Although only one Melayu film showcased the tekpi, Cikgu Sani is grateful that the style was given such an opportunity by the Seniman Agung (a title given by the government to P Ramlee meaning Supreme Artisan). This is unlike Allahyarham A Rahim, who although did not immortalise his art on film, managed to formally study with Cikgu Sani.

“After P Ramlee passed away, the late A Rahim began studying from me in Ampang Jaya. He achieved his red belt which ranked him as an instructor. In fact, in the March 1991 issue of the PENDEKAR magazine, A Rahim was reported as a veteran instructor of Silat Kuntau Tekpi,” he said.

As Supreme Chairman of Pertubuhan Seni Silat Kuntau Tekpi Malaysia (PSSKTM), Cikgu Sani has now handed over the day to day running of the organisation to three of his children who are active in promoting the style, Khairunizar A Rani (39) as Chief Instructor, Kharirul Fazli, 37, (Senior Instructor) and Amirul Mukminin, 20.

Other than those three children by his late wife Latiffah Che Ya, Cikgu Sani also sired Nooranifah (42), former national pesilat to the SEA Games, Norziefahani (34), Khairul Azwadi (31), Noorazlita (28) and Amira Natasha (14).

For Cikgu Sani, even thought Silat Kuntau Tekpi is bereft of publicity, but it lacks no prestige with the presence of the President of Pekima (Malaysian Muslim Welfare Organisation), Hassan Adam at a special event in Baling, Kedah. The event also saw Najua (Nadia) Nasir, P Ramlee’s own granddaughter attend with her cousin, Nasreen Ngasri (Darling), producer at Nasreen Pictures Sdn Bhd.

By Adam Salleh Translated and edited from Harian Metro

Keris As-Sab'ah For Sale

This beautifully forged keris is named As-Sab'ah and is now put up for sale by its owner, Ustaz Saiful Muhammad of Silat Telapak Nusantara for RM900.00

Interested parties who want to know more about it may contact him at ustazshifu@senisilat.net

Competitions and Positive Values through Martial Arts

Penang is a small island off the north-west coast of Peninsular Malaysia and is home to a mixture of the races which make up the population of Malaysia. While the Chinese are in the majority, Indians, Malays and expatriates from all over the world add to the mix.

Ironically, it is precisely because of the majority status of the Chinese that the Melayu art of silat is so predominant on the island with a concentration of Masters and styles which is believed to be greater than in any other part of Malaysia. This is due to the fact that during racial tension in the late nineteen sixties, fearful that the minority Melayu group might suffer at the hands of the majority Chinese, teachers and experts in silat moved to the island to train their people so that they might better be able to defend themselves.

With the establishment of harmonious and peaceful relations between the different racial communities, the martial arts world in Penang now reaps the benefit of this concentration of masters. Not only are the major styles such as Gayong, Cekak and Lincah represented but lesser known arts such as the secretive Siku Duabelas, Silat Embo and the traditional Silat Tua are also flourishing here.

Knowing this I was excited to hear that there was to be a major team competition to be held at the Penang Silat Complex and I duly turned up at the stated time to watch Silat exponents representing, State, Style and even national teams, in the form of the Singapura silat team. The strongest teams were those from the Malaysian military and Singapore, with the team from Silat Lincah also firm favourites.

As is common with martial arts events the world over, the audience consisted mainly of family members of the participants and a few enthusiastic supporters. The atmosphere in the large wooden hall, however, was charged with anticipation and a barely repressed excitement. The sides of the hall, as is common with such buildings in Malaysia, were open to the elements and here, too a few spectators gathered, several of whom I recognized from the group I train with.

Silat competition takes two major forms. One is a demonstration routine performed by two exponents. This pre-rehearsed routine commences with empty hand then proceeds on to the use of weapons. These include the keris, the parang ( a machete) and sticks and staffs of various lengths.

The other competitive format is sparring which is full-contact but with restricted target areas. Kicks and punches are allowed to the body and competitors wear a specially-designed chest protector. Sweeps and takedowns are also permitted but there is no contact to the head.

In addition fighters are expected to perform the dance movements, known as silat tari, prior to engaging their opponent. Failure to do so results in warning and penalties. This is designed to ensure that the unique flavour of silat is maintained.

As so often happens here in Malaysia when the organizers saw that there were foreigners watching, we were quickly invited to join the VIPs in the raised seating area at one end of the hall. That this happened reflects the pride that Melayu take in the fact that outsiders are interested in their culture and arts.

We stayed for several hours watching the team sparring event. Each team consisted of three men and two women in different weight categories. The sparring was fast and furious and we later found out that many of the competitors had met in competition just a few weeks before to decide who was to represent Malaysia in the next silat world championships.

The flamboyant sweeps and throws which are the signature moves of silat were indeed spectacular to watch and the way in which the fighters rolled and dived to avoid these attacks made for an exciting exhibition. What impressed me, however, was the superb etiquette and, for want of a better term, “martial sportsmanship”, displayed by all of the competitors.

If one of them inadvertently committed a foul, he or she would bow humbly to the referee and could be seen asking for forgiveness. When one competitor downed an opponents/he would quickly move to help them up and often both would be smiling in appreciation of a good technique.

This was all the more surprising in the light of the fact that these techniques were executed with full speed and power and undoubtedly caused some degree of pain. Even in the midst of a furious flurry of techniques opponents could be seen smiling and there was a real feeling of fun and enjoyment about the whole event.

What there wasn’t was boorish displays of anger or aggression, derogatory comments being hurled at competitors from the crowd and blatant disrespect and displays of emotion directed at the referee or other officials.

As I watched I reflected that their behaviour demonstrated some of the positive benefits of martial arts training, namely self-discipline, self-control, humility, respect for others and politeness. Were more martial artists in the West to demonstrate such qualities it might be easier to convince people that these arts were truly more than just methods to train “deadly” fighting techniques and produce thugs and hooligans.

It must be stated that I am fully aware that most, if not all, of the positive attributes described above are very much aspects of Melayu culture and not unique to the martial arts. What is unique, however, is that these cultural values are still embodied in the art. It is important, now that silat is becoming more popular throughout the world, that these values continue to be both treasured and preserved, for they represent some, if not all, of the positive benefits of training in the martial arts.

Finals and Sharp Blades
The finals of this competition were held the next night at the Penang Exhibition Site which is known to the locals simply as Pesta. This large fairground and exhibition complex hosts events from all over the world and at weekend evenings is packed with locals and foreigners alike.

The competitors and spectators were gathered in the large display area right at the centre of the exhibition site and we took our place in the small crowd. This time the competition was to start with the finals of the two-person pre-arranged routines event.

The first pair on were two young women from the state of Pahang. They were carrying keris, the wavy-bladed Melayu dagger, which serves for the Malays as a potent symbol of their history, culture and traditions. For the first part of their routine they “fought” empty-handed then they respectively rolled and dived to where their weapons were and continued the “fight” with keris

It was obvious from where we were standing, just a few feet away from the action, that the weapons were real as was the effort, speed and power that the two exponents put into every stab and counter, every slash, grab and parry.

After this pair had finished several other pairs came out to perform their routines. The most impressive were those who wielded parangs (Melayu machetes) which they smashed blade to blade with what seemed a real ferocity, and sent showers of sparks into the air around the “fighters”. It was very obvious that one small slip or even a fractional mistake in distance or timing could result in severe injury or even death.

Watching, reminded me of a recent thread on a UK based martial arts forum about whether any instructors used “live” blades in training. The general consensus of opinion seemed to be that this was far too dangerous, contravened health and safety regulations, and would surely invalidate insurance cover.

Here in Malaysia, in silat groups the idea of using rubber knives would be greeted with howls of laughter. Wooden weapons are sometimes used with rank beginners but, as soon as possible live blades are used. Certainly this results in some training injuries, but these are few and far between.

The benefits, however, far outweigh the dangers, as students trained with real weapons have a genuine understanding of distance and timing, tinged with that vital factor, that of fear. This was evident when the Singapore team, whose government does not allow them to use real weapons, performed. Their timing was, if you’ll pardon the pun, not as sharp as the other teams

Unfortunately it is a fact here in Malaysia that criminal elements often use bladed weapons and thus if you seek effective self-defence it is vital that you have an understanding of how such blades are used. This makes realistic training a necessity. There is, however, another element in this usage of live blades and that is the teacher-student relationship in silat groups.

When a student is accepted by a teacher the relationship is something like that between father and child or older brother and younger sibling. With this relationship goes all the responsibility that it entails. A teacher who allows his student to get hurt very soon loses the rest of his student body.

Indeed, among the more traditional teachers of silat, practices are passed down the lineage from teacher to successor designed to make the gelanggang (training area) a place of safety and power. Thus the teacher is believed to have both the physical and also the spiritual power to keep his students safe.

This may sound like so much mumbo jumbo to the western student but it is a firmly held belief and, as with many such beliefs, within its own cultural context, it has power and authority.
The bottom line, however, is that if you were have to face a group of attackers armed with blades would you rather have beside you companions who have trained with live blades or those who have become adept with rubber toys? I know what my answer would be.

Written by Nigel Sutton
Sourced from http://www.living-tradition.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=25

Indonesian Keris added to World Heritage list

Denpasar (ANTARA) - UNESCO (UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) has named Indonesia`s "keris", a wavy-bladed ceremonial dagger, as a world heritage, Neka Ubud Museum director Pande Wayan Suteja Neka said here on Thursday.

"The world has acknowledged the existence of Indonesia`s keris since November 25, 2005," Suteja Neka said, adding that similar daggers from countries such as Singapura, Brunei Darussalam and the Philippines were not as well-known world-wide.

He said daggers from Indonesia, especially from Bali, had been recognized by UNESCO as a world heritage and therefore they would be added the collection of the museum he had established 26 years ago.

"I have been collecting such daggers and some 413 paintings and statues since 1970," Suteja Neka said.

He added that so far he had collected 218 daggers which were tightly selected by keris experts Haryono Haryoguritno and Sukoyo Hadi Nagoro.

According to Neka, the daggers had been used as traditional weapons of Indonesian people, especially the Hindu community in Bali, from generation to generation.

"I have collected hundreds of kerises in the museum because of their beauty and artistic design, and not because of their alleged magic powers," Suteja Neka said.

Sourced from http://www.antara.co.id/en/arc/2008/7/17/indonesian-kris-added-to-world-heritage-list/

Keris at Okinawa Temple

SOMETHING DIFFERENT: A staff member of the Okinawa Prefecture
Archaeological Centre showing the blade of the keris found at the Enkakuji Temple grounds.

OKINAWA: An ancient blade of a keris found recently at the royal Enkakuji Temple grounds near the 15th century Shurijo Castle might unravel the ties the Malay world had with these southwestern islands of Japan.

As the war-ravaged Enkakuji Temple was being restored, construction workers stumbled upon a protruding porcelain pot handle at a spot where offerings were made to the gods.

The ensuing archaeological dig unearthed nine other items, including the wavy blade of a keris, foreign to this part of the world.

Historians believe the keris could be from either Melaka or Jawa as Okinawa and its surrounding islands under the old Kingdom of Ryukyus had diplomatic and trade ties with ancient cities and ports in Asia, including Melaka, before it became a part of Japan in 1879.

The blade measuring 22.1cm from the tip to hilt was found without the handle and sheath, as the wooden parts had been destroyed.

According to the Okinawa Prefecture Archaeological Centre officials the blade was found buried along with other items, including a clay plate with carvings of a dragon shaped boat, a glazed pot, a gold-plated door hinge and a metal door skirting.

The castle restoration work started in 1989 and the Shurijo Park was opened to public in 1992 while restoration work at the temple is still ongoing.

Prof Dr Kurayoshi Takara a historian from the University of The Ryukyus said the discovery had not been publicised much and is unknown to people outside Okinawa and Japan.

He believes the discovery of the blade of a keris would spark international interest among historians and archaeologists to determine its origin.

“I personally believe it could have been from Melaka because the Ryukyus Kingdom had started trading with Melaka in the 15th century,” said Prof Takara, who has been to Malaysia and Melaka to carry out research on the ancient ties the Kingdom of Ryukyus had with Southeast Asian kingdoms.

From historical records, Prof Takara said, the Ryukyus had started trading with Siam (Thailand), between 1425 and 1570, Melaka (1463-1511), Patani (Southern Thailand) (1490-1543) and several other areas in Indonesia (Palembang, Jawa and Sumatra) and Cambodia.

“Records also indicate Ryukyuan junks went to Melaka every year for 49 years and carried out trade with local merchants, Arabs and Indians.

“They would bring gold, silver, copper, tin, and Chinese ceramic from mainland Japan and China and trade them for ivory and wine,” he said, adding that there were also correspondence between the rulers of Melaka and Ryuyukus.

Malacca was also known for its high quality wine (believed to be nipah wine), but later years Ryukyuans started buying it from Thailand when Melaka stopped making it.

By Devid Rajah
Sourced from the Star Online, June 26, 2003

Pentjak Silat's Nine Deadliest Weapons: Indonesia's Savage Swords, Daggers and Spears

Kujang(Photos courtesy of Eddie Jafri)

Suryadi “Eddie” Jafri is one of the best-known instructors of the Indonesian martial art pentjak silat (also spelled pencak silat). Pentjak refers to the fighting movements, while silat means a “spiritual way.” Jafri’s style of pentjak silat, pera taki sendo, is a close-combat system using empty-hand techniques as well as traditional weapons. His system has combined some elements of Philippine arnis styles, as well as several classical styles of Javanese, Sumatran and Borneo silat.

The Indonesian archipelago is made up of 13,677 islands, the best known of which are Java, Sumatra, South Borneo, West Irian (New Guinea) and Bali. While Bali has a unique Hindu-Buddhist culture, the rest of the islands are Muslim, a result of proselytism and military incursions between A.D. 1275 and 1520, Islam having first been introduced by merchants from India and Persia.

The two major kingdoms prior to the Muslim takeover were the Sriwijaya Empire, beginning in the fifth century with its capital in Jambi (South Sumatra), and the Majapahit Empire, which began in the 13th century with its capital in Java. The Majapahit Empire extended all the way to the southern Philippines, where an interchange of martial arts occurred as the Filipinos adopted the keris (Indonesian dagger) and Melayu-style fighting arts before integrating the rapier and dagger techniques of Spanish conquerors.

In the 15th century, European colonial powers turned their eyes to the “East Indies,” which they saw as the “Spice Islands” because of their natural supplies of clove and nutmeg. In 1596 the Dutch, under the command of Cornelis de Houtman, solidified their hold on the islands, forcing out Portugal and the other European colonialist traders. Eventually the Dutch monopolized the spice trade, setting up the East Indian Company, Verenigde Oostindische Compagnie.

Indonesian patriots fought the company as best they could, using silat’s traditional weapons against Dutch firepower. Needless to say, firearms ownership was forbidden to native Indonesians, and even metal, from which edged weapons could be made, was restricted. The arts themselves had to be taught in secret.

The original system of pentjak silat dates back 4,000 years, and the first moves copied the strikes of animals such as monkeys, tigers and snakes. It provided defense against wild animals, bandits, madmen and foreign invaders. Its principal weapons were the staff and various bladed tools.

Badik (Photos courtesy of Eddie Jafri)

By the time of the Dutch conquest, Indonesian martial arts had already developed into complete systems. Except for primitive decapitating moves practiced with mandau jungle knives by the Dayak tribes of Borneo, virtually all Indonesian styles had developed defensive and offensive techniques for various weapons. The blade was emphasized over the empty hand or blunt instruments. Even today, there are more knife and sword designs in Indonesia than any other place in the world.

The traditional styles were adapted to modern combat first against the Dutch and later the Japanese. The objective was to infiltrate so close to the enemy that he could not use his rifle. During the early days of the Dutch conquest, this meant working against a single-shot musket, the objective being to avoid the first shot and then the bayonet.

The Acehnese of Sumatra developed a kicking style whereby the unique rencong knife was held between the toes to compensate for the superior length of the rifle’s bayonet. The bayonet could be parried with either a golok or another field knife, then the rencong was kicked into the groin. Such frontal combat could be suicidal against the Japanese in World War II, who were armed with modern repeating weapons, so Indonesians later emphasized subterfuge and assassination techniques.

The night attack, stalking of sentries and stragglers, and poisoning of officials became tactics of choice. Even today, poisoning is taught at the higher levels of silat for use against one’s most dangerous enemies.

Jafri teaches Philippine stick techniques to his students because Indonesian arts do not give the stick special emphasis. Police officers and those who need nonlethal self-defense methods can use the techniques to good effect. Jafri also teaches silat empty-hand techniques, although most of his students are not expected to strike banana trees with punches and kicks as he had to in his early training in Sumatra. Currently, most of his teaching is devoted to the Indonesian blade, the core of the old styles. The following are the silat weapons that he considers the nine deadliest.

Keris (Photos courtesy of Eddie Jafri)

Keris
The keris (also spelled keris) is the national weapon of Indonesia and the oldest distinctive weapon in that culture. It is found throughout the archipelago, as well as in Malaysia and the Philippines. It was the tool of ancient heroes and kings, becoming a symbol of both courage and beauty. Sultans had elaborate versions of the kris made for them by famous bladesmiths. Keris blades are hammer-welded of special iron, even meteoric iron.

According to legend, Empu Ramadi around A.D. 230 made the first keris. Early kerises were leaf-shaped and were called pasopati, paso or pisau, meaning knife, and pati, meaning deadly. Antique kerises are kept as heirlooms or votive objects, and some are said to possess magic power. The curved blade appeared around A.D. 329. The number of curves is always odd, and the correct number for a particular owner is based on a thumb-beside-thumb measuring ritual accompanied by “lucky” incantations.

The wavy blade or sarpa lumaku (walking serpent) was perfected and began to decline in the 15th century, the last period of “magic” kerises. The pamor (Damascus) blade-welding technique also began to die out after the Majapahit era. Hammer-welding three metal bars containing nickel iron and meteoric iron created the distinctive patterns. This allowed varying degrees of hardness in the blade, combining sharpness with shatter resistance. Rust and even poison were sometimes added to make the blade deadlier.

Each part of the keris blade has a name, as do the handle and sheath. The blade is attached to the handle by a short tang, which is not much of a disadvantage in a weapon used primarily for thrusting.

Kujang
According to tradition, the kujang, with its curved blade, was the weapon of West Javanese kings. It is said to take its shape from the antler of a deer. Many Indonesians believe it has mystical power and can bring good luck.

Rencong (Photos courtesy of Eddie Jafri)

Rencong
The L-shaped rencong has a 3-to-10 inch blade made of white iron or yellow metal, with a sheath of buffalo horn, ivory or exotic wood. The pistol-like grip allows powerful one- or two-handed blows as well as the kick-thrust. Because Acehnese are usually barefoot, developing the necessary foot strength and suppleness for kick-thrusts was not as difficult as it sounds. Boys would practice walking or running with sticks held in their toes until they could easily maneuver the rencong.

The blade was carried upward between the first two toes, and the handle curled under the others. Some rencongs were not even sharpened because they were designed for stabbing. Sometimes it was left impaled in the victim’s belly or groin, held by the barbs at the base of the blade. When used with two hands for a rib strike, the handle could be turned like a coffee grinder to produce a more destructive wound.

Golok
All Indonesian silat masters use the golok, especially in West Java. The blade length of this bolo-style weapon is usually between 12 and 24 inches. They are sometimes coated with scorpion or cobra venom to increase lethality.

Golok practitioners begin training by strengthening their wrists and hands. They do this by swinging sand-filled bottles between the thumb and forefinger. When they move on to the golok, they first practice techniques against banana trees or bamboo stalks.

As a jungle knife, the golok is unequaled. Even the British military issues its own version of the golok since its commando operations in Malaya (1948-60) and Borneo (1965-66).

Pisau Belati
The pisau belati is the universal kitchen utility knife in Indonesia. With a blade length of 7 inches or less, it is legally sold in any open-air market. It is carried everywhere by street vendors, fruit sellers, meat cutters, etc. It is the knife most likely to be available when a fight breaks out.

Because of its ubiquity, most silat masters use it as one of the training knives.

Mandau (Photos courtesy of Eddie Jafri)

Mandau
The mandau comes from South Borneo, the land of the Dayaks. The mandau is a jungle knife as well as the traditional headhunting sword. The handle is usually decorated with goat hair or human hair. The mandau may be used in combination with a shield, and the blade may be coated with poison for special occasions. While headhunting is supposedly no longer part of the Dayaks’ animistic religion, there is no doubt that the mandau is still capable of deadly battle.

Badik
The badik comes from Sulawesi and is a weapon for infighting. Its blade is usually 5 to 7 inches in length. The Bugis people of South Sulawesi are most noted for using it. The Bugis fighting style emphasizes quick and fatal strikes to the heart, stomach or kidneys. They practice by tying a sash around the waists of two fighters so that each must sidestep to avoid the stomach thrust of the other. In combat, the badik blade is sometimes poisoned.

Celurit
Celurit (Photos courtesy of Eddie Jafri)

The Madura celurit is shaped like a question mark. The Madurese use it as a sickle to cut grass for their cattle but also employ it in self-defense as part of a martial style called pamur silat. The celurit is difficult to evade because of its flexibility and hard to disarm because of its multiple directions of attack. It is sharp enough to cleave skulls or decapitate heads. The celurit has killed often enough to be notorious. The Indonesian government now punishes without pardon individuals who carry one in public.

Tombak
The tombak (spear) is used in most silat styles. In the old days, it was used from horseback or for long-distance fighting on foot. Most traditional spears today are kept at home as decorations, but as late as 1945, they were used in combat against the Japanese. Even sharpened bamboo spears were pressed into the fight against Japanese and Dutch oppressors. Sharpened bamboo makes for a slow death, and most enemy soldiers would have preferred to be shot or stabbed with a sword. The spear could also be used effectively against a bayonet. They were not meant for throwing, like a Roman pitumm, but for stabbing, like the Zulu assegai.

About the Author: David E. Steele is a Los Angeles-based freelance writer and martial artist whose specialty is weapons articles.

By David E. Steele
Sourced from http://www.blackbeltmag.com/pentjaks_silats_nine_deadliest_weapons_indonesias_savage_swords_daggers_and_spears/archives/584

This article first appeared in Black Belt Magazine, April 1990.

Art of the Keris

He is a third generation keris maker and he may be the last as none of Pak Mazin's sons shows an interest in learning the craft, writes WILLIAM THADDAEUS.

Pak Mazin forging seven types of metals to make the blade.

Rising above the banks of the Sungai Perak is a village called Padang Changkat near Kuala Kangsar. Here lives a diminutive little man plying an art that has been passed down three generations — the art of keris-making. Mazin Abdul Jamil, in his early 50s, is one of the few masters in this traditional art.

The keris was a weapon used by warriors in the old days, but it gradually became a symbol of royalty or nobility and a part of the royal costume.Nowadays, anyone can buy a keris but be prepared to dig deep into your pocket because they don’t come cheap. That’s because the making of a keris takes at least a month, depending on the design, size and type of materials used. Sometimes, it requires the work of several artisans to put together a keris.

For instance, if you require silver or gold inlays, then a gold or silversmith would work on this. Prices range from RM500 to RM3,500 depending again on materials, size and design. The most expensive types of keris are those with a handle and casing carved out of ivory.

Family Tradition
Mazin comes from a long line of keris makers. His grandfather, Pandak Mamat, arrived in Kuala Kangsar from Sumatra in the later part of 19th Century. The family has Javanese roots and his grandfather was said to be a royal swordmaker in Sumatra. When he died, his son, Pandak Mat Yunus, continued his craft.

Pandak Mat Yunus has many sons, but Mazin is the only one who has carried on with the family tradition till today. Fondly called Pak Mazin, he started learning to make keris at the tender age of 12. A few years later, he was already making miniatures under the watchful eye of his father.

By the time he was 25, he had acquired all the skills needed to not only make keris but also other types of weapons like lembing (spears) and golok (machetes), the specialty being the ceremonial “golok Perak”.

In the 1980s, when Sultan Azlan Shah was appointed Sultan of Perak, Pak Mazin and his father were commissioned by royal intermediaries to produce 16 pieces of keris. He was also requested to display 45 of his keris at the Pasir Salak Museum.

Pak Mazin has also made the keris for other royal families but today, his business comes mainly from avid collectors who acquire them not only for the beauty of the art but also to maintain and upgrade their collections. His customers come from all over the country and include foreigners, especially Europeans and Americans.

Between 1973 and 1980, he was invited by the National Museum, University of Malaya and Genting Highlands to give demonstrations of his skills and to showcase his products. Sadly, none of his children is keen to follow in his footsteps. However, that does not stop him from teaching the art to others. In fact, there is a steady stream of students from various universities and other learning institutions who come to learn under his tutelage.

Painstaking Process
According to Pak Mazin, making a keris is a very compartmentalised operation, starting with acquiring hardwoods from the jungle for the sarong (casing) and ulu (handles). Kemuning, sena, petai belalang and surian are some of his favourite woods. Then begins the process of carving and polishing them, but probably the most difficult part of the whole process is the making of the bilah (blade). For this, he has to forge seven types of metals over a hot fire in his workshop and to hammer the blade into the required shape.

Pak Mazin lives in the village with some of his 12 children. In recognition of his skills, the government has, recently, helped finance the building of a small showroom next to his house where visitors can view his works or make a purchase.So the next time you visit Kuala Kangsar, make a detour to Padang Changkat to visit the master keris maker.

Text and Pictures by William Thaddaeus
Sourced from http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/TravelTimes/article/HeritageCulture/20080428151018/Article/index_html

The Taming Sari

Standing in front of the legendary Taming Sari, one felt a sense of awe; all around, the air positively crackled with reverence. It was a rare chance to get a glimpse of this 500-year-old keris which was displayed at Galeri Sultan Azlan Shah in April in conjunction with the Sultan of Perak's 77th birthday.

Legend had it that the mystical Taming Sari could fly and seek out the enemy, just like modern missiles. Not only that but it would even rattle in its sheath to warn its owner of potential danger. In view of this, perhaps the glass showcase made good sense - for the protection of curious viewers, rather than the other way around!

Politics were pretty nasty even in 15th Century. When he wanted to ask for the hand in marriage of Majapahit princess Raden Galoh Chandra Kirana, Sultan Mansur Shah travelled to Java with his royal bodyguard Hang Tuah.

Unfortunately, Hang Tuah, instead of the Sultan, became the centre of attention there. This was the opportunity that Pateh Gajah Mada had been waiting for to oust Hang Tuah permanently from the Sultan's favourites list.

The envious palace official engaged a Javanese warrior, Taming Sari, to kill Hang Tuah but the tables turned and Hang Tuah won the fight as well as Taming Sari's keris (also named Taming Sari). Thus began the legendary saga of Malaysia's most celebrated dagger.

Taming Sari, classified as keris kuasa or bawar, is made of an alloy of 20 metal composites, some said to come from bolts holding Mecca's Holy Kaabah gates. A keris kuasa is said to possess supernatural powers and has to be "cleansed" in the melimau ceremony periodically to retain its potency.

When he could not persuade Puteri Gunung Ledang to marry Sultan Mahmud, Hang Tuah threw the Taming Sari into Sungai Duyong out of frustration. Tun Mamat did history a favour when he recovered it for the Sultan's safekeeping.

In 1511, the Portuguese conquered Malacca and Sultan Mahmud fled to ]ohor-Riau and later to Kampar in Sumatera. Taming Sari finally found a permanent home in Perak as part of its state regalia when Sultan Mahmud's son, Sultan Muzaffar Shah I, was installed as the first Sultan of Perak and the keris was passed on to his successors till present day.

The keris is a weapon peculiar to the Malay Archipelago which encompasses Thailand's Pattani region, Malaysia, Indonesia, The Philippines' Mindanao region and certain parts of Cambodia. Historians believe the first keris was developed in the 9th Century and perfected by the 14th Century. In Aceh, the keris is called rencong and Sulawesi, badik.

The keris is surrounded by mystery and there are tales of deaths being caused by simply thrusting the keris into a victim's footprints. Sculptures of keris, dating back more than 400 years have been found in Central Java's Chandi Borobudur where it is known as kujang.

Another keris frequently mentioned in Malay folklore is Keris Mahsuri though no one really knows where it is today. It was said to be the keris used to kill Mahsuri who was wrongly accused of adultery.

By Casey Ng
Sourced from New Straits Times (Travel Times) 24 May 2005

Brunei Weaponry On Display

In a bid to showcase and reintroduce the culture and traditional items of the Brunei heritage, Orchid Garden Hotel (OGH) in cooperation with Kandarzari Krafts International yesterday launched the Brunei Traditional Weaponry exhibition at the OGH Lobby.

Deputy Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports cum guest of honour Pg Hj Bahrom bin Pg Hj Bahar officially launched the opening of the exhibition.

The day opened with a welcoming speech delivered by Shamsul Bahrin bin Pehin Dato Dr Hj Ahmad, who said, "Cultural tourism is fast gaining popularity in the Asian region. In Brunei, this is also evident in the government's efforts to enhance its products.

"Work on the Cultural Centre located in Kg Ayer has already commenced and we at Orchid Garden Hotel are also continuously working on finding ways to enhance and promote what Brunei has to offer.

"This exhibition is the second part of our Bruneian Exhibition for 2008 and is themed 'The Showcase of Weaponry.' There are a total of 20 historical items on display, related to past Brunei weaponry," he said.

"We are grateful for the support of the Brunei government, especially the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports, the Ministry of Industry and Primary Resources and Ministry of Home Affairs for supporting our effort in this exhibition.

"We will continue to bring two more exhibitions for the second half of 2008 with different themes. The purpose of these series of exhibitions throughout the year is not just to showcase Brunei's heritage to tourists, but also for locals and residents of Brunei to learn more about Brunei's legacy."

"We hope that our exhibitions will be a learning experience for everyone, especially the younger generation," he added.

Also speaking at the ceremony was Johan Suhaimi, owner of Kandarzari Krafts International, who encouraged the public and researchers to come and share the cultural information available at the exhibition.

Following the launching, the guest of honour was taken on a tour of the exhibition by the General Manager of OGH and owner of Kandarzari Krafts International, who enlightened him on the displayed items.

The exhibition is an effort by OGH to contribute to the community; diversify its standing in the community; present a platform to uphold culture, tradition, science and history; as well as support the KNK (Kenali Negara Kitani) movement.

The exhibition aims to expose and exhibit traditional items to the younger folks and the public, demonstrating the hotel's commitment in supporting the local cultures.

The guest exhibitor for the event, Kandarzari Krafts International, is presenting an exhibition of weaponry that dates back to 1700 AD and features various 'keris,' daggers, swords, vanity weaponry, shields, spears and a special item - the Impaling Iron or 'Kayu Sula,' which was used for execution purposes.

The exhibition is open to the public until August 10 and admission is free.

Sourced from http://www.brunei-online.com/bb/wed/jun11h28.htm

Revisiting the Keris- How We Betrayed Our Ancestors

The team at The Other Malaysia (TOM) http://www.othermalaysia.org/ is kicking off what a planned semi-regular series of public lectures.

The TOM team invites all interested to a free public lecture by the controversial socio-political scholar Dr. Farish A. Noor on the theme: Revisiting the Keris- How We Betrayed Our Ancestors.

Time: 3.00 pm
Date: 1st March 2008 (Saturday)
Venue: Annexe, Central Market, Kuala Lumpur.

Be there or be square!