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Even the spelling has been disputed or butchered since someone first tried to
describe this knife: khookree, kookerie, khukri, kukery or even Cookerie. What
we see is an Anglicized version of a word first heard by English ears back in
the early 18th century. The spoken word is actually 3 syllables: kook-er-ee and
has finally come down to today’s accepted spelling of kukri or khukuri
The kukri has been one weapon of choice for the Gurkhas of Nepal since at least
the 1600s, and used for everything from a tool for building, digging a furrow or
cutting up meat and vegetables, to the unique and effective fighting knife that
has made its reputation. The actual origins are lost to time, but it is pretty
certain that it is of Indian origin and before that a similar blade was carried
by the early Egyptians called a kopesh. The Greeks copied that design and called
it a kopis and then the Macedonians continued using the unique forward curved
blade shape and referred to it as a machiara or later as the Roman falcatta. |
Two Rare Hanshee Kothimora Kukris with silver mout Scabbards --- John Powell
Collection |
It could have found its way to India with Alexander the Great or via the
extensive trade routes from the Arabian peninsula into the sub-continent. The first visual
representation of a kukri occurs in India in a temple drawing from around 600 AD
and the earliest known Nepalese style kukri is in the Arsenal Museum in Kathmandu and belonged to Raja Drabya Shah who was King of Gorkha in 1627. This
particular kukri has a large, deep-bellied blade, carved wooden grip and a step
at the ricasso rather than the more common cho.
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Prior to the use of firearms in the early 18th century Gurkha warriors were
armed with the kora (also referred to in old texts as a konra or khura). This is
a short sword with a blade of varying length and width and sharpened on the
inside edge. The blade does not have a point, but usually ends in two shallow
curves. It comes in a few variations depending on its origin as it was also
manufactured in Tibet, Bhutan and India. Many anthropologists and some
historians believe this to be the true native weapon of Nepal since it wasn’t
influenced by India or other surrounding ethnographic groups as was the tulwar (tarwar
in Nepali) or katar which was prevalent in the Nepalese weapons inventory. It
comes in a variety of scabbards and grip treatments and was worn across the
back, or on the left side with the sling draped across the chest or over the
left shoulder. The kukri was used as a backup weapon and was stuck in the owners
sash (patuka) directly in front of his body. Today the kora is only used as a
ceremonial execution weapon of bullocks at the festival of Dasain (referred to
as Dashera in India and by the original British Regiments). There is also a
kukri with a length of up to 30” for this purpose and in ancient times a weapon
known as a ram dao was also used. |
Historical Budhume Kukris --- John Powell Collection |
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In early Nepal most villages would have a metal smith (or lohar of the kami
clan) who forged kukris, koras and any other metal implements for the local
populace. The early steel was either locally produced and forged using a
sophisticated layering process, or with steel traded from India or Tibet. After
the English were allowed into Nepal in the early 19th century the kamis found
discarded carriage springs to be ideal to re-forge as blades. This practice
continued throughout India with railway carriage springs and sections of track
and is still in use today. The early blades can be of the poorest locally made
steel up to the most sophisticated “watered” steel, but will vary widely
depending for whom the knife was being made. Kukris were being made in India,
Assam and one is known to have been ordered by the Prime Minister of Nepal from
Italy in the late 19thc. There are some of the ultra rare varieties that were
made in London and one regiment produced a very unique and large kukri during
the third Afghani War in 1878 replete with the local armourer’s mark. As with
all kukris, variations abound and it is very difficult to speak of absolutes
when referring to these knives. |
Historical Hanshee (above) and Budhume Kukris with Karda and Chakmak made of
barking dear horn
---John Powell & Mark McMorrow Collection |
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Nepalese kukris after 1800 will always have a notch or kauri commonly referred
to as a cho cut into the blade directly in front of the grip and bolster. The
kauri is greatly disputed as to its necessity: Is it a practical design to catch
and neutralize and enemy’s blade or a Hindu religious symbol representing male
or female organs, or does it represent the sacred cow’s hoof? Many Indian and
very early Nepalese versions will not have this notch nor will some later
military kukris. Kamis would display their skill by forming this small part of
the blade into designs and even fleur de lys or other floriate shapes.
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Three Military examples --- Mark McMorrow Collection |
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The scabbards are 2 piece wood frames covered with the leather of goat, water
buffalo or elephant and may have a brass or metal chape though early pieces will
have no point protection. In many cases the leather is dyed black or dark brown.
There will also be two small knives called a karda and chakmak attached to small
scabbards directly behind the scabbard’s throat: the former used as a small
utility knife and the later used to hone the blade or strike a small piece of
flint that was carried in a pouch (khalti or goji) that was attached to these
small scabbards. Most military knives of mass production from WW I and WW II
will not have these knives or pouch, but the kukris now issued have returned to
having the small knives with an eye towards tradition.
Blades are rarely decorated as they are made for toughness and hard work. They
are found with one or two fullers running along the spine or with a simple
floral engraving in the same area that can be referred to as the pwankh or the
rato karang. |
Two Historical Hanshees Kukris & handles
--- Joohn Powell collection |
Some of the better blades will be hollow ground in one (ek), two
(dui) and sometimes three (tin) fullers. Older Nepalese blades may have one or
more half moon symbols on them indicating armoury manufacture and Nepalese Army
issue. There may also be symbols of the sun (surya) the moon (chandra) or one of
their many deities. Then again the crescent symbol was also added by individual
kamis to give their blades a bit more cache.
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The grips were usually of the local walnut (pat-pate) wood, chandan or
sisnal and were fitted as one piece with a tapered tang either fitted in
part way or all the way to the pommel and peened over on a metal pommel
plate. This plate may also have an additional keeper in the shape of a
diamond (hira jornu) which is a traditional Nepalese detail. Both these
plates and the bolsters are found in steel if the kukri was made before 1910
and brass or German silver thereafter. Except for the chape, military pieces
didn’t start using brass furniture on the knife itself until post WW I. To
help secure these one piece grips a mixture of pitch, honey and tree or
plant saps is heated and poured into the carved out grip prior to sliding in
the tang. This material also helps hold the bolster and the pommel plate and
is known as laha and is as strong as today’s epoxies. The other style of
attachment is scales of wood, bone, and horn or ivory that are riveted to a
wider tang and known as pana butta. |
Two more example
of Historical Hanshee Kukris
--- Mark Mcmorrow Collection
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Grips vary
from the materials mentioned to highly engraved or repousseed silver or gold
sheets over a wood base and after 1900 solid white metal or aluminum was used.
Kukris have been found with both mammal and marine ivory, other exotic woods
than previously mentioned, plus giraffe and rhinoceros horn. Today’s issued
kukri has a handle made of cured water buffalo horn and is usually in one piece
with a brass pommel cap and bolster.
To close this chapter I would like to dispel two of the common myths associated
with the kukri: |
This is a very
unusual old Military Kukri, presented in a box-type mount --- Mark McMorrow
Collection |
The knife does not have to taste blood every time it is drawn from its scabbard.
Were this so, no Nepalese would survive a week with the loss of so much blood
and his hands would be unable to function from multiple cuts.
The kauri/cho is not a sighting device to be used to find and attack prey, human
or animal and tossed like a boomerang to come back to its owner after
dispatching the target.
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More Unusual old
Military Kukri, presented in a box-type mount --- Mark McMorrow Collection |
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"Photos courtesy of John Powell and mark McMorrow" |
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