Thread: New keris
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Old 28th July 2005, 02:49 AM   #28
marto suwignyo
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Join Date: Jan 2005
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Empu Suparman was a part of the heirarchy of the Kraton Surakarta Hadiningrat, and his designation as empu came from that source.

I imagine Empu Djeno would have a rank within the Kraton Yogyakarta and would be designated as empu from there.

Bp.H.Pauzan Pusposukardgo followed Empu Suparman in the Kraton Surakarta, but Pauzan himself has always rejected being called an empu, even though he has the right to the claim, and when he was working preferred to style himself as "Pandai seni keris".

In Bali , in Kusamba , near Klungkung, there was Empu Mangku Wije, but I am not sure if he is still with us or not.

These people aside, I do not know of any other people entitled to call themselves "empu", in the modern era.

Lately you may have noticed that keris are being sold on ebay and marketed as the product of a gentleman living in Surabaya, and probably of Madurese extraction or origin. The claim is being made that this gentleman is the current empu of the Kraton Surakarta. I suggest that this claim may not be supportable.
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