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Friday, March 18, 2011

Al Mat'thur


Also known as 'Al-Fijar Ma'thur' is a sword held by the Prophet Muhammad before he received the first revelation in Mecca. The sword was given by his father, and brought the time migrated from Mecca to Medina until it is given together with other war equipment to Ali bin Abi Talib.

Now the sword is in the Topkapi Museum, Istanbul. Shaped blade with a length of 99 centimeters. The handle is made of gold with the form of two serpents with emeralds and turquoise encrusted. Close to the handle there is a carved Kufic Arabic script reads: 'Abdallah bin Abd al-Muttalib. "
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The Rencong


A rencong (Acehnese: reuncong) is a traditional weapon from Aceh, Indonesia. It is slightly similar in appearance to a kris. As with krisses, people attribute mystical powers to rencongs. The rencong is still worn during traditional ceremonies.

A rencong's blade can vary in length from 10 to 50 cm. The blade can be cranked like a kris but sometimes it is straight. It is put in a scabbard that is made of wood, ivory, horn, or sometimes even silver or gold. The rencong is worn in one's belt on the stomach.

Acehnese believe the form of the rencong to represent the Basmala.

Aceh is also known as "The Land of Rencong" (Tanah Rencong).
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The Samurai


Samurai is the term for the military nobility of pre-industrial Japan. According to translator William Scott Wilson: "In Chinese, the character was originally a verb meaning to wait upon or accompany a person in the upper ranks of society, and this is also true of the original term in Japanese, saburau. In both countries the terms were nominalized to mean "those who serve in close attendance to the nobility," the pronunciation in Japanese changing t saburai." According to Wilson, an early reference to the word "samurai" appears in the Kokin Wakashū (905–914), the first imperial anthology of poems, completed in the first part of the 10th century.

By the end of the 12th century, samurai became almost entirely synonymous with bushi (武士), and the word was closely associated with the middle and upper echelons of the warrior class. The samurai followed a set of rules that came to be known as Bushido. While they numbered less than 10% of Japan's population samurai teachings can still be found today in both everyday life and in martial arts such as Kendo, meaning the way of the sword.
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The Badik


The Badik is a traditional dagger which originates from the coastal tribes of southern Sulawesi such as the Bugis and the Makasarese. Because of their trade relationship with other tribes, it has reached the coasts of Sumatra, the Malay Peninsula and to some extent Borneo, Java and Bali.

The blade can be in iron, steel or pamor. It is also believed the Badik has mysterious power such as for the Keris.

The Bugis Badik has a 90° pistol grip with round edges, whereas the Makasarese badik has a 45° conic pistol grip. The Sumatra and Peninsula Badik is very similar to the Bugis.

The Badik is also part of the traditional clothing and is wear by the bride for the wedding ceremony in Sulawesi or Sumatra. It is worn in front of the stomach into the pleats of the sarong.

One of the traditional way of fighting with the Badik is to have the two opponents enclosed in sarong with a Badik in a hand while the other hand holds the sarong with no possibility to escape.
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The Kris


The Kris (real name: Kris) is the national weapon of the Indonesian archipelago and precisely located on the island of Java comes in many forms. In general, this dagger worn by the King of the days of Empire. In the tradition and culture of the island of Java, a dagger is often used for rituals and considered sacred.
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Antique Bicycle


This is an antique bicycle, bicycle made in England around 1953 and 1960. In general, this bike is widely used by the fighters to Indonesia during the independence and before. But this stuff is rare to find so very step for the people of Indonesia.
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Gong Nekara, Bronze Age Artefacts


Nekara Gong is an historical and archaeological heritage as well as one of the many attractions in Islands District Selayar. Especially lovers of heritage objects, is a must to visit Southeast Asia's largest nekara in Indonesia precisely this when visiting the mainland Selayar.

A simple building Matalalang area, several kilometers to the north of the town of Castle, the place bersemayamnya Gong Dong Son Nekara it. According to expert interpretation of history, Nekara which is the cultural heritage of this Bronze age, suspected to have been about 2000 years old. Is a local resident named Pao who managed to find it in the board Lohea, Environment Bonto Saile, in 1868.

Again, according to historians, this Nekara has 3 function of its time, namely the function of Religious, Social, Cultural, and Political. Religious functions namely as a means of communication, ceremonies, and symbols. While the social function of culture as a symbol of social status, the ceremonies and works of art that has the magical power of the religious. While the political function that is a sign of danger or hint of war.
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