Culture of the World

Kris is a typical Indonesian stabbing weapons. Based on ancient documents, a dagger in the initial form has been used since the 9th century. Strong likelihood that the dagger has been used before this period. Indonesian Minister Jero Wacik Culture has brought the keris to UNESCO and requested assurance that this is the cultural heritage of Indonesia.

The use of the keris it self scattered in clumps community Malays. At the present time, a dagger commonly known in the area of Indonesia (especially in the areas of Java, Madura, Bali / Lombok, Sumatra, part of Borneo, as well as some of Sulawesi), Malaysia, Brunei, Thailand and the Philippines (particularly in the Mindanao region). In Mindanao, the form of weapon which is also called the keris has few similarities though also a stabbing weapon.

Keris has a variety of forms, for example, there are winding blade (always an odd they are many) and some are straight bladed. Javanese people assume different forms have different effects esoteri.

Besides being used as a weapon, a dagger is also often considered to have supernatural powers. These weapons are often cited in a variety of traditional legends, like the keris Mpu Gandring in legend of Ken Arok and Ken Dedes.

Procedures for the use of different dagger in their respective regions. In areas such as Javanese and Sundanese, a dagger is placed in the rear waist peacetime but is placed in front on the war. Meanwhile, in Sumatra, Borneo, Malaysia, Brunei and the Philippines, a dagger is placed in front.

In addition to a dagger stabbing weapons, there are a number of others in the archipelago, such as rencong from Aceh, badik from Sulawesi and West Java cleaver. Keris distinguished from other stabbing weapons primarily from the blade. Kris blade is not made from a cast in a single metal but a mixture of various metal layers. Due to this manufacturing technique, a dagger has a specific form of prestige on the blade.