INDONESIAN CRAFT
Keris
Keris

The kris or keris is asymmetrical daggers with distinctive blade-patterning achieved through alternating laminations. Kris is a symbol of the governance of personal life and the social life of the people of the archipelago and has been recognized as an intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO. 

A kris can be divided into three parts: blade, hilt, and sheath. Kris is very unlike other daggers or knives, each part of the kris is considered a piece of art. A kris's aesthetic value covers the dhapur (the form and design of the blade), the pamor (the pattern of metal alloy decoration on the blade) and tangguh (age and origin of a kris)

The kris is acknowledged to have originated in Indonesia. And widely distributed throughout the areas of influence of the Majapahit Empire such as Cambodia, the Philippines, and Malaysia. 

Both as a weapon and a spiritual object. Kris were worn every day and at special ceremonies as accessories. In the Javanese community, a man was not considered a real man if he did not own a kris. Even today, particularly in court families, a father is obliged to present his adult son with a kris.

The kris is often regarded as sacred and has magical powers. Some legendary kris that possesses supernatural powers were mentioned in Indonesian folktales, such as Empu Gendering.  Even today, a kris is also believed to be able to increase bravery, help the owner avoid illness, and protect the owner from misfortune and black magic.

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