WHAT IS THE KARAMBIT?

The Karambit can be traced from Sumatra to Malaysia and Java. The Kerambit of Lombok, is traditionally a larger or “battlefield sized” Kerambit and is much larger than its more personal-sized Javanese cousin. There is also another variation of the Kerambit hailing from neighboring islands. There are also many different shapes and designs of the Kerambit such as Rajawali (bird head shape) and others which include protruding spurs used for tearing flesh in the heat of battle. The Kerambit is also referred to as the Kuku Bima (literally “the claw of Bima”). Pre-12th century influence as a result of Hindus settling in Indonesian archipelago, brought the Mahabharata (“great epic of the Bharata Dynasty”) and the Ramayana, (two major epics of India, valued for both high literary merit and religious inspiration), to Java. Contained within the Mahabharata is the Bagavadgita (“the Lord’s song”) which is the single most important religious text of Hinduism. Bima is a character from the Mahabrapta. Also known as Kuku Hanuman (literally “the claw of Hanuman” -a character from the Ramayana), the Kerambit, magical claw which protrudes from between the center of the hands of Bima and Hanuman, has become the weapon of the traditional arts of the Southeast Asian archipelago namely Pencak Silat. Traditionally spelled either "KERAMBIT" or KARAMBIT" this amazing and ancient artifact can be used as a utility tool and as the last line of personal defense in a close quarter altercation.