Author Description

What is a Kris? If you want to answer that question, several points of departure are available to you. To name but a few: the secrets of the Kris smith, the 'Proto' kris and its manifold later variants, the position of the Kris in Indonesian society, or the Krisses in private and public Dutch collections. Practically every kris, whether old or recently acquired, has its own story to tell. Through those stories, the Kris contributes to the personal and political relations between Indonesia and Holland. The background information contained in this publication allows you to upgrade your gifts for 'Kris determination'. The kris, especially in combination with its socio-cultural context, offers infinite possibilities for discovery. The changing motifs and representations on its blade and hilt reflect Buddhist, Islamic and Western colonial influences. On that level, the Kris opens by an unexpected panorama of an ancient society in the process of continuous evolution. The illustrations are from the splendid collection of the Royal Tropical Institute, Amsterdam.