Keeping the art of keris-making alive

Learning the trade: Master craftsman Harun Mahmud (left) showing Abdul Hakim the art of shaping the blade of a keris.

KLANG: Keris-making is an ancient art, going back to the ninth century and it remains a very important component of Malay history, tradition and culture.

Sadly, the art form as well as the keris-making trade is slowly disappearing as most of the masters in the field are no more or are ageing.