Salam Ranggalana and Eric,
Sorry Eric I have no picture, but I will describe it better. It is normally used to keep a woman's hair bun in place - it is a hair pin.
Salam hangat,
Bram
What you describe reminds me on the "
sobra Nyai Ronggeng". This is a hair needle which was (is?) used by the "
Nyai Ronggeng" or "Dance maid" in a dance art from the Cirebon area in West-Java. The performance art is called "
Berokan" or "
Barong kepet". The musicians and dancers of the "
Berokan" art were
pesilat, as is the case with many traditional movement arts and dances in West-Java. I heard of it last in 2006, but I was told it isn't practiced any longer.
According to my interview partner, who is a reknown
pendekar from Cirebon, the "Dance maids" used this needle with snake poison whenever somebody came too close to them. The latest application of this tactic I was told happened during the days of the "
Perang Kemerdekaan" (1945-49). Then, "
Berokan" performance groups that sympathized with the Indonesian patriots applied the tactic on Dutch soldiers and police men ...
This is the story: The group appeared on public places, attracting an audience. The "
Nyai Ronggeng" then teased a chosen candidate, and the rest of the performance group invited the candidate to drink. When he had enough alcohol and tried to approach the beautiful woman, she drew the needle from her hair, and he might receive a fast poisoned sting from the "
ronggeng". Some days later, he was gone ...
What can we learn from this? You better don't you play with a "
ronggeng" in Cirebon
... One of the many, many "
carita kabudayaan Penca Sunda" yet to be investigated ...
Salam
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