Provenance Documentation Suggestion

Howard Wallace

Howard Wallace

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Feb 23, 1999
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Bill - Why don't you guys hire a young college student in Shop Two to type up a short history and background sheet to go with each khukuri? It could contain information on the kami, his experience and place of origin, and the style, as well as any unusual variations in that particular knife. Perhaps you could bounce this suggestion off Kami.

What do you other customers think? It would surely add a little to the cost of each blade. I'm guessing that it would be very little though. Maybe $1 or $2. Labor is fairly inexpensive in Nepal.
 
It is a good idea and I have been trying to do this for years, Howard, with no success. Perhaps when Kami gets here and sees with his own eyes that people here really appreciate a provenance he will try to get something done.

Even the kamis themselves don't consider this an important item. If the knife works why care about anything else? You remember the saying, "Nepal ho?"

Uncle Bill
 

That would be so appreciated - one of the best selling points of HI khukuris is the story that goes with them - the pictures of the kamis and the shop, Bill's stories about Nepal, etc.

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Namaste,
Jeff Paulsen
 
Europeans have a finely developed appreation for engineering exellence and technical accomplishment.The kamis just do not find these senses appealing and thus do not strike that responsive cord.Bill has done a lot for the American market but don`t expect a Colt Python with Royal blue finish and class A cut engraving. Everything is a trade off. They don`t get ulcers They won`t go to Mars either.

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I see your point, Ghost. We could just take all the fun out of it, and have a Purebred Khukuri Registry, like quarterhorses and poodles.
smile.gif


What the heck... if the kamis want to concentrate on making knives and leave the analysis to us, that's fine too. The knife is the point, and the story is secondary (but cool). If we do get some kind of provenance or documentation that just means that when I give away or sell the knife to someone who isn't completely into khukuris, they will have some idea how special it is.



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Namaste,
Jeff Paulsen
 
Speaking of provenance, Ganga Ram has been contacted and may decide to do the khukuris in his own shop. He does not care much for the hustle bustle of Kathmandu and feels the new fangled equipment might prove to be a curse rather than a blessing. If he does this it will be almost impossible to get pix of his work in progress. I was hoping he would opt to do the work in shop 2 where it could be documented but it is his choice, of course.

Uncle Bill
 
I think old Ganga Ram is the kind of guy I'd like to sit down with and share a few glasses of chang. You must learn a few things pounding steel for 70 years in a quiet mountain village. I'd choose the village over the city too!

OK, Bill, what does "Nepal ho" mean? If I ever knew, I forgot.

And you other forumites, can't we drum up some more support for this proposal? Where's John Powell? Or if you think it's a bad idea, let's hear why.

Bagh dekki sau dhan. (I think that's an old Itallian/Cherokee/Nepali saying upon parting.)

[This message has been edited by Howard Wallace (edited 02 September 1999).]
 
The Nepalies simply do not see things the way that we do.With the execption of the Ghurkas, these are farm inplements. I have plenty around, but bought a expensive spade with an unbreakable handle,(carbon fiber or something), because I was tired of being careful or replacing them.This one, I can put some prying on.I`d epoxy one to an axe, if they make one.In the mean time, if you saw the axe handle with the grain a few inches past the head, it will absorb vibration and not break on you. I wrap the cut with electicral tape.

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I think the more complete a history the better, but I can't expect a kami who is pounding steel to be too concerned with any documentation.
I truly wish there was a full photo essay to go with the manufacture of a particular knife and someone to write down the details, but let's get real here. If that was done I know I'd pay extra for it.
I feel fortunate just to know about when it was made and from what shop/village.

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JP
 
When I complain about no provenance the answer is usually, Nepal ho. Simply, "it's Nepal." That says it all.

"Bagh dekki sau dhan" means watch out for tigers. It is my own saying which resulted from the following.

When I was a new resident of Nepal I tried translating the old American saying friends use when parting -- take care, be careful, etc. It came out in my fragmented Nepali as something that could be taken for a challenge -- like "watch your step!" Or, "you better be careful!" A friend cautioned me against using it to avoid possible problems. So, I thought I would say something less threatening and decided on "watch out for tigers."

At first my Nepali pals would say, "there are no tigers in Kathmandu." And I would reply, "watch out for them anyway." They began to understand that I was a crazy American and humored me by returning the parting phrase themselves. Once in a great while I will receive a letter from an old friend in Nepal and they will sign off with, "bagh dekki sau dhan." Nice they remember this.

Actually, I have little hope for a decent provenance but I will keep trying. If you do not try nothing will ever happen. Who knows, I may be able to change the thinking of a 2,500 year old culture. That is what we are up against.

Uncle Bill
 
Now I remember. Nepal ho. This is Nepal. That’s the answer I got when I first arrived in Kathmandu and asked where I could find a restroom.
 
:
Hi guys.
I have been a little under the weather.I am coming off of a corticosteroid I have been on for a year.I get tired pretty quick right now.

To the Tigers.I read a story one time about a saying when departing of,
"May your house be safe from tigers."
Tis went on for many years and someone said,"but we have never been bothered with tigers." The reply was,"See,It works!!"
The person upon moving from that country and into thier new home far away went home one night and barely escaped being killed by a tiger in thier house.There weren't supposed to be any tigers there either.
it was probably on of those science fiction or fantasy things I like to read.
May your house be safe from tigers.

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>>>>---¥vsa---->®
The civilized man sleeps behind locked doors in the city while the naked savage sleeps (with a knife) in a open hut in the jungle.

 
Good to see you back Yvsa!
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Did you get my e-mail about the Yew and Lemonwood?

-Dave

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"Smooth Bastard..."
 
Howard, I remember my first day in Nepal at Tribuvan airport when it was still the way you saw it when you were in Nepal. That "charpi" (restroom -- if we dare call it that) was so rank it brought tears to my eyes.

I knew you would remember because that is such a common term -- Nepal ho. It explains the unexplainable.

Someday I'm going to write a post about my first day in Nepal. One of the most memorable days of my life and if I can get it down right it will make entertaining reading.

I got so worried about Yvsa I sent him email to see if he was okay. As I told him I worry about everybody and everything -- this is why I get ulcers.

Uncle Bill
 
Kami Sherpa,

I wanted to bring this thread to the top to call it to your attention.

Some of us place great value in the experience and traditions that have gone into the khukuris. But we often do not see those things when we receive a knife. Information on the life and experience of the maker(s), regional style of the blade, and unique characteristics of the blade would be appreciated. Is it possible to do something of this nature?
 
Howard, I'm going to answer this one myself.

The Royal kami, the old master kami who makes khukuris for the king of Nepal and his top ranked cohorts came to shop 2 and made me a "royal" khukuri, pix of which I'll be posting later. He was puttering around shop 2 for 15 days. I asked his name and Kami said, "I don't know. His nickname is Bura (old man) and that's what we call him."

Do you see what we are up against?

Uncle Bill
 

Aha. Now I think I understand 'Nepal ho'.

Reminds me of the upper class British woman who was asked by a friend, what is the proper form of address for the Earl of Such-and-Such. She thought for a while and said, "I don't know - we always just call him Phillip".


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Namaste,
Jeff Paulsen
 
Funny, Jeff.

But I have to report a major breakthrough -- I know the name of the Kami who made the Sun, Moon and stars khukuri Rusty got. It is Sanu Bishwakarma. Sanu means small and the American equivalent would be "Shorty."

Uncle Bill
 
Gee, big help - made by Shorty (the) Smith.

That reminds me of why so many Jones came from Wales. They originally used their Christian name and their father's Christian name followed by "son", as in the Norse country fashion, i.e. if you were christened William, and were the son of David, you were William Davidson. This made it rather difficult for the English to collect taxes, so they mandated the patronimic surnames as we now use them in the western world. The crafty Welsh decided that as many as could get away with it would call themselves John's son, which corrupted to Jones. Result, tax collectors showed up to find 3/4 of a town named Jones.A lot of whom were officially christened John and Mary but called Frank and Kate by everyone in town when the bloody brits weren't around.
 
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