Indonesian Knives

Indonesian Knives:

The introduction of a different culture to the martial arts mix will often influence both weapons design and fighting techniques. The bladed arts of the Philippines and Indonesia have been very influential in modern knife design. For example, the handle of my Cobra is shaped similar to a Keris or Lawi Ayam from Indonesia. Perhaps no other culture has invented and utilized a greater variety of exotic edged weapons than the peoples of the Philippines and Indonesian Archipelago.

Before you go running off and buy a Golock, Barong, Badik, etc. I should warn you that there is one caveat to this wonderful bounty of sharp things, it is that these culture-specific knives are often very narrowly focused in application. This does not necessarily mean they are not fully functional weapons, but they may not be good all-around weapons. Another problem with exotic weapons is finding a qualified teacher who can instruct you in their proper use. Unless you find a legitimate teacher you may never extract the knife’s full potential. There are also certain edged weapons whose function is more closely associated with religious or mystical ritual rather than combat. That is a topic for another time and currently beyond my scope. Having said this, I would recommend that you spend the time to find a teacher and invest the money in one or more of these knives. Their unique shapes will force you to learn new movements and techniques, therefore increasing your skills, but only if you seriously apply yourself to learning them correctly. A good reference book on Indonesian combat styles is Donn Draeger's, "The Weapons and Fighting Arts of Indonesia." You can still find copies of this through Alibris.

Blade shapes from this region of the world are extremely diverse! They range in style from recognizable Bowie-looking knives to looking like something evil from "Lord of the Rings." They come in all sizes and shapes. Many of these weapons have an organic sort of look to them that is not found in the West. It is difficult to learn about these weapons because many of the books about them are written in Dutch. Go figure. For you younger readers it was Dutch Indonesia for many years. Many of these reference books are out of print and quite expensive. On Noviar’s recommendation I finally found and bought a copy of "TRADITIONAL WEAPONS OF THE INDONESIAN ARCHIPELAGO" by A. G. Van Zonneveld. This 160 page encyclopedic book provides brief descriptions and 650 photos of the weapons from this region. The photos are sometimes small, and while it is not cheap it is in English and an invaluable reference.

It was by chance that I became acquainted withZola Octanoviar. He is a young man who is working diligently to raise awareness of Indonesian edged weapons and to "improve our pieces to reach global accepted quality." During many subsequent emails back and forth we have discussed topics as far ranging as Scottish dirks and how to polish buffalo horn. Noviar is assisted in his efforts by his best friend Luck Prianata. Lucky is also a fervid Silat practitioner. Together they have marketed the local knife craftsmen’s wares on Ebay, organized a booth at a craft/trade fair, and personally donated monies and materials to assist struggling artisans in their local area.

From the numerous photos and videos they have shared with me, the knives they are selling seem to be of exceptional quality and artistry. Before too long I hope to review them in person and provide you with a critique of how well they perform and the fit and finish. To help them replace some of the books they lost in the tsunami a couple years back I have agreed to exchange books for knives. As part of our relationship they have asked for my input on American tastes in knives and how to size the handles to fit larger western hands. Lucky and Noviar are passionate about their traditional edged weapons and weapons arts and want to offer only serious knives, not tourist trash. I will keep you posted as this project evolves. I cannot wait to handle the Badik and other knives they made especially for this review. If you seeone of their knives on Ebay you might want to add it to your collection and find someone qualified to teach you how to use it.