Sewar

{{Italic title}} {{Infobox weapon |name= Sewar | image= COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Kris met houten greep en houten schede TMnr A-3916a.jpg | image_size = 350 |caption= A Sewar, pre-1887. |origin= [[Indonesia]] ([[Aceh]]) |type= Dagger  |is_bladed= Yes  |service= |used_by= [[Acehnese people|Acehnese]], [[Gayo people|Gayo]], [[Alas people|Alas]], [[Minangkabau people|Minangkabau]] |wars=  |designer= |design_date= |manufacturer= |unit_cost= |production_date= |number= |variants=  |spec_label= |weight= |length= {{convert|12|-|29|cm|abbr=on}} |part_length= |width= |height= |diameter= |crew=  |blade_type= Single edge, sometimes double edged |hilt_type= Wood, horn, ivory, Bahar roots |sheath_type= Wood, horn, ivory |head_type= |haft_type= }}

'''Sewar''' ('''Sejwa''', '''Sivas''', '''Siwah''', '''Siwai''', '''Siwar''', or '''Siwaz''') refers to a [[dagger]] of Indonesian origin, typically carried in a belt and used mainly in [[Sumatra]], [[Indonesia]]. The blade is also referred to as '''Sewah''' by the [[Gayo people]], '''Seiva''' by the [[Minangkabau people]], '''Siva''' by the [[Alas people]], and '''Siwaih''' by the [[Acehnese people]].

== Description == The sewar is a short-bladed [[dagger]] used in traditional [[Indonesia]]n close-quarter fighting styles.<ref>{{cite book|author=Centre for Strategic and International Studies|title=The Indonesian Quarterly, Volume 5, Issues 1-3|year=1977|publisher=Yayasan Proklamasi, Centre for Strategic and International Studies}}</ref> The weapon has a slightly curved single or double-edged blade. From the handle's base, the blade either narrows or widens at the tip, depending on the style. The double-edged sewar has a back edge that runs from the tip of the blade to the base of the hilt. Typically, the blade is either flat ground, without a mid-line ridge, or [[hollow grind|hollow ground]]. Sometimes it has a slightly hollow grind and a reinforced (integral) back, or comes with several slightly hollow sections.

Unlike other [[List of premodern combat weapons|traditional combat weapon]]s, the sewar's handle lacks a finger guard. Usually a [[ferrule]] made of brass is mounted at the base of the handle to better secure the handle and the blade. For ceremonial versions, a ferrule clamp is extremely ornate (''Tampo''). Its design can be rectangular, hexagonal, octagonal, or triangular (''Glupa''). Traditionally the handle is made of wood and often decorated with carvings or metal ornaments. Various versions of the handle are crafted differently, in styles such as the ''Hulu Boh Glimo'' or the ''Akar Bahar''.

The sheaths are usually made of wood, with oval-shaped cross-sections, and are decorated with carvings. Expensive versions are often decorated with precious metals or embedded with gems. The sheath consists of two pieces of wood held together with rattan or silver and gold bindings. On one side of the sheath's "throat", where the protrusion of the daggers are visible, more expensive examples are covered with [[plique-à-jour]] mountings worked in precious metal and filled with enamel. The Sewar is regarded as outstanding for slashing.<ref name="Draeger1992">{{cite book|first=Donn F. |last=Draeger|title=Weapons & Fighting Arts of Indonesia|url={{google books |plainurl=y |id=g3FLFtThkU0C}}|year=1992|publisher=Tuttle Publishing|isbn=978-0-8048-1716-5}}</ref>

The sewar is similar to the [[rencong]] and the [[Tumbok Lada]], but its blade is longer, heavier and rests in a distinctly different sheath.<ref name="Zonneveld2001">{{cite book|first=Albert G. van |last=Zonneveld|title=Traditional Weapons of the Indonesian Archipelago|url={{google books |plainurl=y |id=DMneAAAAMAAJ}}|year=2001|publisher=C. Zwartenkot Art Books|isbn=978-90-5450-004-9}}</ref> The sewar has functional, ornamental and cultural similarities to the [[kris]], found on the Indonesian island of [[Java]], with variants indigenous to Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, Thailand and the southern Philippines.

== Culture == === Tari Sewah ===

The ''Tari Sewah'' (meaning "Sewah Dance") is a traditional [[Minangkabau people|Minangkabau]] dance performed by two or three dancers wielding the Sewar. If there are two dancers, only one carries the Sewar. With three dancers, two carry the dagger to portray offensive dance movements towards the unarmed dancer. The Sewar is never used by dancers who hold personal grudges against the unarmed dancer. This traditional dance is one of the ''Tarian Pancak'', a category of traditional dance influenced by some styles of traditional [[Indonesia]]n martial arts, [[Pencak Silat]].<ref name="MaryonoKeary2002">{{cite book|first1=O'ong |last1=Maryono|first2=Lisa |last2=Keary|first3=Rosalia |last3=Sciortino|title=Pencak Silat in the Indonesian Archipelago|url={{google books |plainurl=y |id=G9DfAAAAMAAJ}}|year=2002|publisher=Yayasan Galang|isbn=978-979-9341-60-0}}</ref>

==See also== {{Portal|Indonesia}} {{Commons category|Sewar}} *[[Pisuwe]] *[[Rencong]]

== References == {{reflist|30em}}

== Further reading == * {{cite book|first=George Cameron |last=Stone|title=A Glossary of the Construction, Decoration and Use of Arms and Armor: in All Countries and in All Times|url={{google books |plainurl=y |id=chVfUm2Hz3MC |page=34}}|date=13 March 2013|publisher=Courier Corporation|isbn=978-0-486-13129-0|page=34}} * {{Citation | author=Adolf Bastian | title=Indonesia: or, The Islands of the Malay Archipelago, Volume 5 | publication-date=1996 | publisher=Graham Brash | page=34 | isbn=978-981-218-059-9 }}

[[Category:Daggers]] [[Category:Weapons of Indonesia]] [[Category:Weapons of Aceh]]