Once carried as a weapon and symbol of identity in the Malay world, the keris now survives mostly in ceremony. In Batu Pahat, Johor, Murtaza Maarof is among the last still forging Keris Melayu Johor by hand. This tradition traces back to the fall of the Melaka Sultanate in 1511. Using discarded metal such as springs and scrap steel, he reshapes what remains into blades that hold both history and change. This photo essay reflects on a fading tradition sustained through material, memory, and the careful reuse of what the modern world leaves behind.
