Based on written history, kerambit comes from Minangkabau.

Then, these objects were brought by

Minangkabau migrants centuries ago and spread to various regions, such as Java, the Malay
Peninsula and others. According to folklore, the shape of the kerambit was inspired by the claws of a
tiger which was indeed roaming the forests of Sumatra at that time.

Weapons in most parts of the archipelago were originally agricultural implements designed for raking
roots, gathering rice stalks and threshing tools. But unlike kerambit, it is deliberately designed to be
more curved like a tiger’s nails, after seeing a tiger fight using its claws, this is in line with the
Minangkabau philosophy which reads Alam takambang jadi guru. Kerambit eventually spread
through the Southeast Asian trade network to the countries of Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar,
the Philippines and Thailand.History books in Europe say that soldiers in Indonesia were armed with
a dagger at their waist and a spear in their hand, while the kerambit was used as a last resort when
other weapons ran out or were lost in battle. Karambit looks very manly, because he is used in short-
range combat that relies more on courage and martial arts skills. Minang silat warriors, especially
those with the tiger silat wing, are very adept at using this weapon. The Sulawesi Bugis warriors are
also famous for their skill in using the kerambit. Currently, kerambit is one of the main weapons of
silat and is commonly used in martial arts.