The Malay sundang

The sundang is a traditional weapon utilized by the people of the Malay Peninsula, Sulu, and Bugis. It features a blade as wide as a sword and is commonly employed in the Malay Peninsula and Southern Philippines. Historically, it was favored by captains and admirals.

There are two well-known variations of the sundang: the sundang lipas, a double-edged sword-shaped type, and the larger dagger-shaped sundang, which can have a curved, straight, or straight with a hilt design.

The sundang is primarily employed for slashing or hacking rather than stabbing, mainly serving an offensive purpose rather than a defensive one.

In Malaysia, the sundang holds significant importance as the only two-edged sword of note. The straight, single-edged sword with a consistently wide blade is referred to as "chenangkas" in the Malay Peninsula and "lamang" in Java. A heavier, two-handed sword is known as "berandal" and is commonly found in Borneo. The two-handed swords of Chinese and Japanese origin are called "jenawi."

Some "chenangkas" possess a metal crosspiece perpendicular to the hilt, possibly intended to prevent the hand from sliding when applying wrist pressure during wielding. It is worth noting that some "chenangkas" currently in circulation may be recent reproductions or counterfeits.

Of particular interest, and often displaying superior craftsmanship, is the curved sword known to Malays as the "shamsir." This term exclusively refers to the curved saber or scimitar originating from Persia. The Indian counterpart, the "shamsir" or "tulwar," is a cross-hilted sword. The hilt is commonly made of brass, occasionally iron or silver, and incorporates a pommel at the end to ensure a secure grip during cutting motions. The pommel is typically large and hollow, designed to maintain the sword's balance while keeping it lightweight.
The Malay sundang

The blade of kris

The kris is famous for its distinctive wavy blade, but many have straight blades as well. Both a weapon and spiritual object, kris are often considered to have an essence or presence, with some blades possessing good luck and others possessing bad.

Kris blades are usually narrow with a wide, asymmetrical base. The blade, always of steel, may be straight or sinuous; the scabbard, usually of wood, may be encased fully or partially in metal or is sometimes fully or partially of ivory. The hilt, usually of wood or ivory, is sometimes found in silver or brass and rarely, in gold or shell. The fittings are usually brass or copper, often silvered or gilded. Fittings of silver or gold are frequent, as are styles decorated with glass cabochons, or rough-cut germs.

Kris has been researched in terms of supranatural power, resulting in the facts that kris has a special energy depending on the patterns of metal alloy decoration (Pamor) on the blade (Bilah), designs of blade (Dhapur) and Tangguh—period of production.

Bilah is the principal blade of Kris. It will determine whether the Kris is straight or wavy (resembling a snake). It is usually narrow with a wide asymmetrical base. Although Kris measures differently, its length is between 15 to 50 cm, sharp on both edges and tip, broader and asymmetric shape near the hilt.

The blade is the most important part of the kris. Granting the technical superiority of the Japanese blade over all other, and the excellence of good Persian blades, the kris blade yet shows greater artistry and imagination on the forging and decoration of its many complex forms. All three of these very different blades from quite different cultures are forged by procedures that are common in many aspects.

In kris practices, the ‘empu’ is identified as the blade maker, while the ‘mranggi’ is identified as the supplementary craftsman. In high quality kris blades, the metal is folded dozens or hundreds of times and handled with the utmost precision. ‘Empus’ are highly respected craftsmen with additional knowledge in literature, history and occult sciences.

The kris and early Persian blades were forged by a technique known as ‘pattern welding’ – one in which two or more layers of different steels were pounded together while red-hot, folded or twisted, pounded more and folded more until the desired numbers of layers, or laminae, were obtained. The rough sword blade so achieved was then filed and polished smooth and finally acid-etched to bring out the contrasting colors of the low and high carbon steels.

The pattern so obtained may be controlled by a skillful smith who produced all sorts of fanciful designs. The designs range from misty and diaphanous to bold, three-dimensional textures. Some of their names are revealing: ‘rice grains’ or ‘nutmeg flower’; in Persian work, a ladder pattern called ‘forty steps’; in Japan work a superb textured wood –grain effect called mokume, etc.

The blade of Kris is either straight or wavy (like a snake). The (straight) Kris philosophically symbolizes ‘determination’ to maintain principles while the wavy Kris symbolizes ‘wisdom’ (strategically talented).

The blade requires a sheath that is decorated with a ‘pendhok’ and this has become an integral part of the aesthetics of the kris. The sheath is often made from wood, though examples from ivory, even gold, abound.
The blade of kris

Traditional weapon: Lawi ayam

Lawi ayam is a short claw shaped dagger curvy weapon (but not a sickle), sharp along at both the inner and outer edges of the blade (sometimes only single edge is sharpened as a personal preference), equipped with a hole to insert finger at the hilt, and used with specific movements to wound, immobilize and even kill the opponent.

The Lawi Ayam artifact is also described as a personal protection tool for women. It is a small weapon that can be hidden in specific places on the user‟s bodysuch as woman‟shair bun or man‟s cloth fold.

The lawi ayam blade is arguably the most unique, efficient and deadliest blade used in Malay Archipelago’s silat fighting arts. This knife can tear through flesh like paper, cut off fingers with little effort and disembowel a human with one swipe.

Lawi ayam is believed to have originated among the Minangkabau people. The lawi ayam’s design is based on a tiger's claw. The razor-sharp blade should be optimized for hooking, tearing, ripping, slicing and maximum efficiency with minimal effort.

The blade developed strong roots in Malay Peninsula, where it was used as a defensive and backup weapon and for every day chores.

Each lawi ayam is traditionally created based on the owner’s eye size and the width of blade is based on the forefinger. Using the owner’s body measurements was believed to be the best way to make the weapon. Every lawi ayam was specially designed with a specific measurement of the user, thus highlighting the knowledge of the Malay blacksmiths on logical calculation of human body parts.

According to the researchers Lawi Ayam is used by village people as a survival technology. The transformation of its use happened in wars be-tween the 15th and 19th century in certain states of the Malaysian peninsula such as Kelantan, Pahang, Johor, Selangor, and Perak.
Traditional weapon: Lawi ayam

Kris Pekaka

This is also called Kris Pattani or Kingfisher. The origin of this kris is from Pattani and common in the northern state of Malaysia. Kris pekaka refer to the hilt, which may derive from the bird-herded Garuda, but it is often much more like demon, or one of the gods or demigods of the ‘wayang kulit’ (shadow puppet), though they do not have such long noses.

The term hulu pekaka is a distortion of the name chikakak, a performer in wayang kulit. It is worth remembering, however, that the ‘wayang kulit’ was, and still is very popular in Pattani and Kelantan.

Though wayang kulit characters are two dimensional, these hilts are fully three dimensional and are richly decorated. They have all the features of a human, from the neck, face, eyes and eyebrows, mouth, teeth, nose, chin, right up to the hair and crown top.

A form of hilt showing a demon head with the teeth and tusks and a long nose, though not a beak like the ‘kingfisher’ type. The Patani blade is fairly long, and may be almost or quite as long as a kris bahari.

The blades of this type of kris are always straight, and the weapon is provided with a very long sheath in order, it is said, that the wearer may at a moment's notice kick the blade into his hand by a blow of his heel.
Kris Pekaka