HBTV Archive No. 02 — Keris: The Sophisticated Silat Weapon A Missing Article by Prof. Jak Othman (2016)

An archival reproduction of Prof. Jak Othman’s article on the Keris, originally written in 2016 for the now-defunct Harimau Berantai TV website.

In this piece, Prof. Jak examines the Keris not as a ceremonial object or collector’s item, but as the core weapon of the Silat warrior. Drawing from personal lineage, lived training, and decades of teaching, he addresses why the Keris is often misunderstood, underestimated, or dismissed by martial arts historians outside the Malay world.

The article explores:

• The cultural and warrior significance of the Keris
• Lineage and transmission within traditional Silat systems
• Why true Keris experts are rare outside the source regions
• How misunderstanding arises when cultural context is removed

This article is presented as originally written, with no alteration to arguments, positions, or intent. Only minimal corrections were made for readability. The voice, stance, and perspective remain intact.

Reader note: This article is direct and uncompromising. Written by Prof. Jak Othman.
If you know, you know.

This PDF is part of an ongoing archival effort to preserve primary Silat writings that are no longer publicly accessible.

What you’ll receive

• A print-ready PDF
• The complete article by Prof. Jak Othman
• Archival context and source information
• Presented as a historical document, not a modern reinterpretation

Details

• Author: Prof. Jak Othman
• Original publication: Harimau Berantai TV (2016)
• Archive Series: No. 02
• Format: PDF
• Language: English

Archival credit

Preserved and presented by Ilmi Khalid,
as an archive — not an editorial reinterpretation.