How the Kukri Went From Weapon of War to Weapon of Peace

TRADITIONALLY, it was said that once a kukri (also spelled khukuri) was drawn in battle, it had to taste the blood of the enemy. If that didn’t happen, the Gorkha was expected to cut part of his own body before returning the blade to its sheath.

Then and now, bravery and honesty are qualities inherent in the Gorkhas (also spelled Gurkhas). When engaged in combat, they are renowned for doing what’s physically and mentally necessary to protect their nation or the ally for whom they are fighting. In hand-to-hand combat, their intellect becomes as sharp as a kukri, and at that point, they become almost fearless.

“I never saw more steadiness or bravery exhibited in my life,” a British officer named John Shipp said of the Gorkhas in 1816. “Run