pacul goang and gadung melati

[A. G. Maisey]

Usman, I for one applaud your initiative in opening discussion to the wider perspective of Javanese art and culture.

For years I have been telling anybody who would listen to me that they cannot even begin to understand the keris unless they first devote some time and effort to an attempt to understand the broad expanse of Javanese art and culture as a beginning.

You have targeted a couple of keris specific examples, but I personally feel that it would not be astray if we were to touch on some of the more diverse aspects of the way in which the Javanese people approach the world in general.

Let's face it:- there can only be so much discussion of "what dhapur", "what pamor", "what origin", "how old". This sort of thing I find superficial and quite frankly pretty boring. A few expeditions into the Javanese world-view, or the Javanese approach to artistic values might not go astray.

Here we are, right at the beginning of Lebaran--selamat Lebaran everybody--- so maybe now is a good time for us to expand our reach just a little.