How is the Khukuri used in Nepal?

not2sharp

not2sharp

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...Or, is it?

Putting aside for the moment the Gurkhas, and all the exciting things they have done, do kukuries play a part in the life of the average person in Nepal, or are they used primarily for ceremonial purposes?

Are they tools reserved for the affluent, or are they frowned on by the upper classes as symbols of menial labor?

Do the locals use such a wide variety of patterns and sizes, or is the variation we see on the market somewhat of an exaggeration made for affluent foriegners?

We spend alot time talking about the ideal khukuri to suit our purposes. Lets' take a moment to look at some of the styles and to discuss how these different knives are actually used within their native culture. Khukuries tend to make most of us want to go out and chop wood. I doubt there would be a tree left in Nepal if the population there suffered from the same impulse. The real story on the use of these knives by the locals should be an interesting one, and I hope some of the folks who have traveled within the country can share a little of that experience with us.

n2s
 
From what I understand, it is very common tool. It is used in most households for everything from spliting wood to food preparation. They kind of take them for granted. Others should have better info, correct me if I am wrong.
 
It is the most widely used tool in Nepal and as such is used for just about everything you can think of.
 
Axe, machete, drawknife, adz, sidearm, potato slicer, potato digger, slaughtering tool (from chickens up to water buffalo), argument settler, spatula, khukuri handle carver, hammer, status emblem, hatchet, chicken chopper ( you don't have to worry about maneuvering around pesky bones. Just chop in a checkerboard pattern and throw the little cubes in the pot.), butchering tool, ferris wheel maker…

As to no chopping of trees, I think many have the opportunity. When I was in Nepal years ago most families in the hills cooked and heated with wood. It is particularly memorable because they often have no chimney. You remember how it is when the wind blows the campfire smoke into your face? The whole house can be like that. Makes you want to run out into the cold fresh air to chop wood with a khukuri.
 
How and where do they carry their khuks? On a belt on the hip or in front or slung over the shoulder on a strap?:confused:
 
Seldom do we have a chance to see an entire society using traditional tools on a daily basis. There are so many different variations of khukuries that it would be good to look at how some of these are used. Are specific styles preferred by certain regions or sub-cultures, or, is it gender related; are the knives fitted according to the user's size and strength, or, is there a distinction based on the access to modern society? Perhaps those living in more urban centers prefer to carry khukuries that are more suited for defense then for field craft. There is a whole lot of good information to be gleamed from Nepal that we seldom discuss here. They have thousands of years of experience that can help us to understand how to make the best use of these knives.

It's a matter of canvassing the country, photographing khukuries, and asking each owner what he/she uses their khukurie for. By cataloging the answers it should be easy to spot patterns of usuage There are usually real and practical reasons for things being the way they are. So there should be an explanation for the great variety we usually encounter in these knives.

n2s
 
Many village people carry the khukuri in their hand. They take it out to do some specific task and when the task is complete they take the khukuri back to it's resting place. Others who have distances to go and loads to carry will carry the khukuri in a scabbard, usually hung over the hip pocket ala Gorkha style. Yangdu and a few gals I knew who carried small khukuris for self defense concealed them. Yangdu taped hers to the inside of her thigh.
 
Yangdu and a few gals I knew who carried small khukuris for self defense concealed
Click to expand...

Uncle,

What kind of khukuri are they carrying. Even a BAS is a fairly big knife to carry this way. Also, why are they carrying concealed knives when it appears that everyone else is carrying openly - even unsheathed and in hand?

n2s
Research, Research, Research. :D
 
N2S - You have to consider the culture. Men "wear" Khukuris, and the women use them around the house and farm, where they are carried in hand. Yangdu and friends, carrying for protection, wouldn't want to give up the element of surprise. There are smaller blades than the 12" models on the shopping site which serve very well as CQ blades, and hide out under traditional Nepali women's wear without being noticeable.
 
Walosi,

Thanks, I guess that is the kind of thing I wanted to check.

So, although women routinely use khukuries for every day tasks, they would not ordinarilly carry the knife openly as the men would. Instead they may carry a smaller concealed knife. Probably a good thing, since Uncle hinted last week that carrying a Khukuri in the open was tantamount to setting oneself up for an invitation to a knife duel.

I hate to agree with the guy :). But, Tisimi has a point about the limited effectiveness of smaller khukuries. Would these smaller knives be khukuries, or would the ladies carry something more dirk-like?

n2s
 
Uncle said "Khukuries" in his post, and Yangdu is Sherpa, after all:) I've seen small, highly decorated knives in some of the retail sites of Nepali artwork, and antiques, described as "knives traditonally carried by Tibetan women. There is also the "thee" pictured in Howard's FAQ which looks like it or a variation, might serve well in thils capacity.

Nepali society reminds me a great deal of the oil patch (Permian Basin) country in west Texas and southeastern New Mexico, where I grew up. "Way back" then, most anybody would help most anybody else, and nearly all made it a practice to maintain a certain pride and decorum. That said, when the time came to "cut and shoot", it was amazing how many were equipped to do so, and immediately. That aspect of our society is now referred to as the "gun culture" by the Clintoons and their ilk, who grew up with crooked politicians as role models, and what we would have called "eastern ideals". Actually, both reflect the normal human condition. The country people have traditionally gone armed to protect themselves and their property. Put off by this, the avaricious have moved to the cities, where the pickings were less dangerous. There, some of them established themselves in positions (criminal or political) which allowed theft without violent retribution, and over time became so established that they thought this was their natural due. Societies don't differ all that much in that respect. It has become so pervasive that some believe an elected legislator cannot remain honest for more than one or two terms. I can recall several Oklahoma county commissioners who retired after two or three terms, at $10G a year, with a large ranch, Angus herd, and a chain link fence around the whole thing. Nepal has had the same thing, but for several hundred more years than us. Kinda makes you wonder.
 
Gals generally carry something in the 9 inch range. Not much but it certainly discourages unwanted advances.
 
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