Keris: The Spiritual and Cultural Icon of Southeast Asia

The material culture of power in Southeast Asia is most perfectly encapsulated by an object renowned throughout the Malay archipelago: the keris. This iconic dagger symbolizes potent connections to the invisible world and was particularly significant in pre-colonial Bali. The keris, with its intricate craftsmanship and mystical associations, served not just as a weapon but as an object of profound spiritual and cultural significance.

Keris are long daggers designed for close combat. Their blades are often spectacularly decorated, making them as much an art piece as a weapon. The upper part of the blade typically features curlicues, barbs, or intricate figures carved into it. The silver and black damascene patterns that run along the length of the blade are created through a meticulous process called pamor, where alternating layers of iron are beaten to reveal the design. This technique not only enhances the blade’s beauty but also signifies its mystical properties.

Many keris also have wavy blades, resembling flames or the sinuous motion of a snake. These curves, known as luk, typically come in odd numbers. This design is not merely aesthetic; it reflects the spiritual beliefs of the Balinese people. The blade of the keris is considered a portable shrine, akin to the multi-tiered roofs of Balinese temples. In both instances, the higher the number of curves or tiers, the higher the spirit believed to inhabit them.

Creating a keris was a deeply spiritual process in traditional Balinese society. The smiths, or empus, required more than just technical skills; they needed to perform specific rituals and recite mantras at every stage of the forging process. These rituals imbued the keris with a distinct “personality” and efficacy, making each blade unique. This spiritual essence needed to be maintained through regular offerings and rituals, symbolically reproducing the keris's creation.

One such ritual is observed on Tumpek Landep, a day sacred to metal objects and weapons, especially the keris. This day falls on Saturday-Kliwon in the Balinese week of Landep, which means “sharp.” On Tumpek Landep, keris are taken down from their shrines, cleaned, and rubbed with oil. They are then purified with holy water and provided with offerings. The most significant offering is the tebasan pasupati, which includes red ingredients such as the meat of a red chicken, red rice, red fruits, red pastries, and a dab of chicken blood. This offering is believed to recharge the keris's “kesaktian,” or mystical power.

In contemporary times, while the practical use of keris in combat has diminished, their cultural and spiritual significance remains strong. They are revered as heirlooms, symbols of power, and embodiments of ancestral spirits. The keris continues to be a potent emblem of the intricate relationship between the material and spiritual worlds in Balinese culture, reflecting a rich heritage that persists through generations.
Keris: The Spiritual and Cultural Icon of Southeast Asia

Pamor of keris

All Malay weapons if made of metal are divided into three classes, berpamor if damascened or laminated, meleda if plain steel, and besi bari if rough steel.

The term pamor is used to denote the Malay form of damascene markings. The word is Malay-originally meaning mixture or alloy. This exactly describes the manufacturing method of the keris blade: the forging together of various metals using a technique called “pattern welding”. The pattern welding work demonstrates the skills of the Empu but also characterizes the power of the blade.

Now it is often used to describe the nickelous metal in the kris-marking process and just as often used to denote the variegated patterns produced by the pamor metal.

The core of a keris is the only layer of steel. On each side of this is a layer of besi pamor made of iron bars welded together, then beaten into a sort of Greek key pattern. Welding, carving, cleaning and other processes can cause layers to be lost and the pamor is revealed.

A separate heating and hammering is needed for each wave In some keris especially those made in Patani, the waves are made by filing and grinding, but usually only in keris melela or besi bari as the beauty of the pamor is spoilt if it does not follow the waves.

Early in kris history 1600 A.D it was found that if one of the metals contained nickel, the pamor show bed sharply more contrast. Possibly at that time and certainly later nearly all nickelous iron came from the Celebes (Sulawesi) and was termed pamor luwu.

Such iron was often called ‘white iron’ because being more etch-resistant it left silvery threads on an acid-darkened blade. Probably late in the eighteenth century the first kris blades were made containing nickelous iron from the meteor that had fallen near Prambanan in 1749.

It was reported that the nickel content of pamor luwu as 0.4 per cent and pamor Prambanan as being 4.7 per cent. However, present day samples of the latter iron each essay a 9.4 percentage of nickel.

Pamor can be classified according to the forging technique:
*Pamor mlumah, for luck and tranquility, the lamination is parallel to the flat surface of the blade, it is the most common type
*Pamor miring, for glory, the lamination is aligned to an angle to the flat surface of the blade, this type is much more elaborate
Pamor of keris

Traditional Malay Weapon: Keris

The keris (kris) is an iconic cultural artefact unique only to the Malay Archipelago. For all the magic and mysticism and ritual associated with the Keris, it was, for the first few hundred years of its existence, primarily a weapon of defense and sudden assault. Literature abounds with accounts of its use in assassinations and executions, intrigues, rivalry and sneak attacks.

Indeed, at one time and in some areas, it was considered a despicable weapon, fit only for brigands, a weapon of treachery and with poisonous qualities at that. The very smallness of the weapon, fitted as it was with a bent- over or pistol-like grip made it a perfect stabbing instrument.

It was easy to make a straight –line thrust to the belly or kidney of the victim while the elbow was bent. This made was effective in a confined space and no doubt contributed to its reputation as a weapon of ill reputed.

In ancient times, blacksmiths were considered among the elite occupations and assumed to be a principal contributor in creating early concepts of understanding the behavior of metals, particularly iron.

Keris can be divided into two parts: mata/bilah (blade) and hulu (hilt). Its distinctive wavy edges known as luk, are always odd in number, from three to thirteen waves.
Traditional Malay Weapon: Keris

The spiritual aspect of kris

A kris is a dagger with an asymmetrical, double-edged blade that is either straight or wavy, and with an unmistakeable enlarged blade heel. This leads into the Ganja, the cross-piece that continues the shape of the blade, which is adapted to the shoulder of the blade and constitutes a typical feature of the kris.

The essence of the kris is a complicated topic. For the most part, blades were considered to almost be alive in some cases, or at the very least vessels of special powers. Krisses could be tested two ways. A series of cuts on a leaf, based on blade width and other factors, could determine if a blade was good or bad. Also, if the owner slept with the blade under their pillow and had a bad dream, the blade was unlucky and had to be discarded. However, just because a blade was bad for one person didn’t mean it would be bad for another. Harmony between the owner and the kris was critical.

The symbolism meaning of the kris visuals, kris as a giver of security for the user in the form of a sharp weapon is more functioning as a weapon with supernatural power (esoteric essence), whose main function no longer lies in the sharpness of the kris as a tool weapon in the violence. It exists from its internal strength, that is a kind of imagination and spirit formed from the ‘yoni’ power (inner power) or prayer that is obscene (such as mantram, asmaan, rajah).

It was said that some krisses helped prevent fires, death, agricultural failure, and myriads of other problems. Likewise, they could also bring fortune, such as bountiful harvests and the like. Krisses could also have tremendous killing power. Some are rumored to be able to stand on its tip when its real name was being called by its master. Legends tell of krisses moving on their own volition, and killing individuals at will. When making a blade, the empu (keris-maker) could infuse into the blade any special spiritual qualities and powers the owner desires.

Many of these beliefs, however, were erroneously derived from the possession of different keris by different people. For example, there is a kind of keris in Java that was called 'Beras Wutah', which was believed to grant its possessor easy life without famine. In reality, this keris is mainly assigned to government officers that were paid, in whole or in part, with foodstuff (rice).

Because some krisses are considered sacred, and people believe they contain magical powers, specific rites needed to be completed to avoid calling down evil fates. For example, pointing a kris at someone is thought to mean that they will die soon, so in ceremonies or demonstrations where ritualized battles are fought with real krisses, the fighters will perform a ritual which includes touching the point of the blade to the ground to neutralize this effect.
The spiritual aspect of kris