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Originally Posted by A. G. Maisey
Yes, the ways in which European ideas of "magic" might have influenced Javanese perceptions of not only the keris, but also of other aspects of Javanese life is something that as far as I know has not been subjected to close investigation.
I'm thinking here of traditional European attitudes towards what we commonly regard as "magic". Don't forget that the early European contacts were a long time ago (16th century) and magic was still alive and well in Europe at that time and for a long time thereafter.
I have sometimes played with the idea that a lot of so-called magic associated with the keris was actually a Dutch perception that flowed back into Javanese society. Javanese attitudes towards outsiders and those who are hierarchically superior to them are well documented, briefly you tell these people what you think they want to hear. From long personal experience, I can vouch for it that this attitude is still very much a part of the Javanese character.
Then the technology came along, which as you point out must have had some effect. But what? Perhaps this technological invasion may have had no more effect than to facilitate supply of materials. The Javanese may have a magical world view, but that world view does not exclude a very pragmatic approach to achieving their ends.
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Alan, you may have understood Jussi's comment, but i think you kind of side step it in your reply. I believe the "magic" he is talking about is not the magical belief systems of the Javanese people or even the concepts of magic that might have been imposed upon Jawa by early European colonialists, but rather the "magic" of modern technology that is now all pervasive throughout the world. If we are going to talk about "magic" i believe that we need to come to some consensus of definition. I tend to use the Crowleyian definition which sees magick (with a "K" to differentiate it from stage magic) as "the Science and Art of causing Change to occur in conformity with Will." This definition includes the mundane as well as more ritual approaches to magick. So really the simple act a flipping a light switch in order to light a room is an act of magick. This may no longer seem like a magickal act to us in what is now our very highly technological world, but in essence it is. We now live in a world that is overrun with high technology and its presence and influence grows exponentially every day (or minute
). But even one hundred and fifty years ago the Western colonizers were introducing new technologies to the people of Jawa that have to have had an effect on their world view and understandings of their own magickal universe and, therefore, their own view of the keris. And as Arthur C. Clarke once wrote, "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."
Regarding blacksmithing, just about every culture has regarded it as a magickal act for some period, turning ore and base metal into useful tools and weapons through an act of will by the smith. Metal workers were often looked upon as magicians or alchemists by the common folk who did not possess their knowledge of the craft. It is, in fact, impossible for me personally to view the act of creating a keris as anything but a magickal act even without considering the ritual magick aspect of prays, mantras and other magickal intentions that were placed into the keris while working the metal into a dagger. The Dutch colonist's perception of this magickal act may have been somewhat different from the Javanese in specifics, but i would find it hard to believe that the Javanese culture did not have a very strong sense that the mpu's work was indeed a magickal art in its essence long before any contact was made with the West.