Keris and Badik

With modernization, ancient civilization, tradition and rituals ceases slowly but surely. It is the price of development that one has to pay. Rapid technological development and technological innovation has improved our quality of life. We have hybrid vehicles, electric cars, animal cloning ability, satellite mobile phones, iPads, iPods, MacBooks, handheld PSP games and list goes on and on.

With these technological improvements or marvels, we are expected to enhance work productivity, work more effectively and efficiently, work with less manpower and resources and having shorter deadlines. The result is a hectic lifestyle that lacks sustaining value.

Ironically enough, the more we progress into the future and place more reliance on technology advancements; at the same time, we tend to reminiscence about the glory of the past, when life was more subdue and simple.  

More often than not, when a person reminiscence about their past, it is accompanied by a strong sense of ethnics and tradition.

Therefore, it is not surprising for people to collect anything from the past that tickles their fancy or rekindles some fond memories.

Hence, my nostalgia for ancient traditional Keris.

Why Keris, you ask? It the sense of traditional, reflection of a time when warriors once stood proud, art and mysticism.

The Keris in my collection is intended one day to be heirloom to my kids.

Most of what I have learned on Keris is through my Masters, who are the real experts. For that I thank humbly Master Cikgu Mohd Noordin Ab Hamid, Dr. Muhammad Alfi Ghani and En. Mohd Rizal Mohd Rais for their kind guidance, advice and inspiration. If it were not for them, I would have purchased many unsuitable and probably incompatible pieces.

To the layperson like me, my impression is made depending on looks and quality, i.e. more beautiful in appearance the more appealing and alluring it becomes. It is through their teachings and guidance that I began to uncover the real value of a Keris is not in looks alone but in the materials used to make it, measurements of the blade, quality of the pamor, compatibility with me, age and etc.        

Some of my Keris in my collection. You can see a small gold inlay lining in the metal

Full view. This Keris is believed to be over 80 years old

This Keris has an anak sungai in the middle

Full view. This Keris is also believed to be more than 80 years old

A small Badik in my collection. It has very beautify pamor on the blade

Also in my humble collection is a Teras Kelor. I acquired it for symbolic reasons.

Each creation of God has its own inner secrets, advantage and purpose for its existence. The Sun and the rain provide nourishing nutrients to the earth, plants, animals and mankind to flourish. Stored in nature’s creation are many unique secret just waiting to be discovered. It is through this discovery that people managed to decipher the benefits of God’s treasures.

For example, Agate is used to heal stomach upsets, Citrine to combat depression, Magnetite for asthma and cramps, Bitter Melon to lower blood sugar, Aloe Vera for wounds and burns, Tea Tree for acne and etc.

And then there’s the secrets, advantages and benefits of Teras Kelor.

Teras Kelor is believed to be energized Gemunggal Wood Core which contains Kudrati 'FORCE STRENGTH OF ENERGY "created naturally by nature