Si Ginjai -- National Museum of Jakarta

A. G. Maisey · 22nd November 2007, 09:23 PM

No criticism Pak Ganja. None at all. Only praise for presenting this traditional story so well.

You have given a very clear retelling of traditional beliefs surrounding Ki Nom. I have no doubt at all that it will be of interest to many people who have not yet heard this story.

But we must remember:- this is traditional belief. It is a very important part of the study of the keris in Jawa, but it cannot be construed as history. It is historically based legend.

As previously stated, my personal feeling is that Ki Nom was a composite.

Additionally:- Pak Ganja, if every keris that I have seen was truly the work of Ki Nom--- and I would have seen only a tiny fraction of all "Ki Noms" in existence--- the Honoured Ki Nom would have had to live to at least 500 years of age, and worked non-stop 7 days a week, 24 hours a day.

I feel that what we have is a "school" effect, where blades were made by linked makers after a particular pattern. We know that mass production techniques were used in old Jawa, we know that top level craftsmen supervised work, rather than carrying it out themselves.

Possibly we need to begin to think in a slightly different way about "Keris by Ki Nom".

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22nd November 2007, 09:23 PM	#5
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,992	No criticism Pak Ganja. None at all. Only praise for presenting this traditional story so well. You have given a very clear retelling of traditional beliefs surrounding Ki Nom. I have no doubt at all that it will be of interest to many people who have not yet heard this story. But we must remember:- this is traditional belief. It is a very important part of the study of the keris in Jawa, but it cannot be construed as history. It is historically based legend. As previously stated, my personal feeling is that Ki Nom was a composite. Additionally:- Pak Ganja, if every keris that I have seen was truly the work of Ki Nom--- and I would have seen only a tiny fraction of all "Ki Noms" in existence--- the Honoured Ki Nom would have had to live to at least 500 years of age, and worked non-stop 7 days a week, 24 hours a day. I feel that what we have is a "school" effect, where blades were made by linked makers after a particular pattern. We know that mass production techniques were used in old Jawa, we know that top level craftsmen supervised work, rather than carrying it out themselves. Possibly we need to begin to think in a slightly different way about "Keris by Ki Nom".