Jawa Dapurs and Wayang Figures

Pusaka · 30th August 2006, 04:41 PM

HI Boedhi Adhitya,

Thank you for the information, I just thought that because the wayang figures each have different personalities they might also have different pamor keris.

Rick · 30th August 2006, 10:03 PM

So at this point we have two Wayang figures represented in dapur .
Are there any more ?
I have heard that there are some figures expressed in Javanese ukiran ; could we see some of those ?

Is this representative of one of the Pandawa brothers ?

A. G. Maisey · 30th August 2006, 11:53 PM

Actually, the connection between the keris, and wayang characters is not quite so simple and straight forward as there being a pamor, or dapur that equates to a character, nor is this the case with handles.

Its much more indirect and obscure than that.

In times past, and still today, to a degree, the wayang permeated Javanese life and thought. People themselves are likened to wayang characters, either because of their physical characteristics, or their natures, or their habits or way of life. People will often have nicknames that are the names of wayang characters, because of these percieved similarities with wayang characters.Even things that happen during the course of a day, or more importantly political or high level social occurrences , will be likened to parrallel happenings in the wayang.

In his recently published book, Haryono Haryoguritno provides a list of keris terms from the wayang stories. These terms refer to various dapurs and handle shapes, however, to understand why they refer to these forms one really needs an understanding of the wayang.

My own understanding of the wayang is slight, but what is obvious in the handle forms with wayang associated names, is that the overall form of the handle resembles the overall form of the wayang character, so it seems that here was another example of the form being created, and then named in accordance with the Javanese propensity to liken things in this world, to things in the world of the wayang.

To understand the reasons for wayang related names being given to various dapurs and handle shapes could prove an interesting and rewarding study. For instance, in his list, Haryono Haryoguritno gives the names of seven keris dapur, all containing the word "pandhawa" . The pandhawa (pandowo, pandawa, pandava) were the five Pandu princes, sons of King Pandu, who was the brother of Dritarastra. Note:- five brothers. All these keris dapur have five luk (waves).

Possibly the dapur pasopati is the most well known as having a wayang association, but this does not mean that it is a direct association. Pasopati was the arrow of Arjuna (one of the Pandu princes),that he was given by Siwa (Siva) and that he used with the bow gandiwa that he had been given by the god Agni. According to belief, this arrow had the form of wulan tumanggal, which is an arrow with a wide, crescent shaped head.

Now, how did a keris dapur get likened to an arrow with a crescent shaped head?

I do not know, but a careful study of the dapur pasopati might suggest some reasons:- possibly because although this is a straight keris form, it ideally has a slight forward curve---perhaps this is suggestive of the shape of the arrow head; possibly because the kembang kacang puguk is suggestive of a curve; possibly because the line between kembang kacang and tungkakan presents a curve---possibly, possibly, possibly.

We do not know why the keris dapur pasopati was called pasopati, but you can put hard money on it that it was not a haphazard choice of name. There would be a physical similarity somewhere in the first keris of this dapur that suggested the form of pasopati.

As I have already stated, my own knowledge of the wayang is only very slight, but for a person with a good knowledge of the wayang, and a good knowledge of the keris, it would be possible to provide logical and supportable reasons as to why various dapurs and handle shapes have been given names associated with the wayang.

Alam Shah · 31st August 2006, 02:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rick

So at this point we have two Wayang figures represented in dapur .
Are there any more ?
I have heard that there are some figures expressed in Javanese ukiran ; could we see some of those ?

Is this representative of one of the Pandawa brothers ?

Rick, your example is a representative of Semar.
See the similarities and the profile of the body.
http://www.chicagogamelan.org/wayang/Images/Semar.jpg

30th August 2006, 10:03 PM	#2
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,336	So at this point we have two Wayang figures represented in dapur . Are there any more ? I have heard that there are some figures expressed in Javanese ukiran ; could we see some of those ? Is this representative of one of the Pandawa brothers ? Attached Images Last edited by Rick; 30th August 2006 at 10:25 PM.

30th August 2006, 04:41 PM	#1
Pusaka Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 341	HI Boedhi Adhitya, Thank you for the information, I just thought that because the wayang figures each have different personalities they might also have different pamor keris.

30th August 2006, 11:53 PM	#3
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,992	Actually, the connection between the keris, and wayang characters is not quite so simple and straight forward as there being a pamor, or dapur that equates to a character, nor is this the case with handles. Its much more indirect and obscure than that. In times past, and still today, to a degree, the wayang permeated Javanese life and thought. People themselves are likened to wayang characters, either because of their physical characteristics, or their natures, or their habits or way of life. People will often have nicknames that are the names of wayang characters, because of these percieved similarities with wayang characters.Even things that happen during the course of a day, or more importantly political or high level social occurrences , will be likened to parrallel happenings in the wayang. In his recently published book, Haryono Haryoguritno provides a list of keris terms from the wayang stories. These terms refer to various dapurs and handle shapes, however, to understand why they refer to these forms one really needs an understanding of the wayang. My own understanding of the wayang is slight, but what is obvious in the handle forms with wayang associated names, is that the overall form of the handle resembles the overall form of the wayang character, so it seems that here was another example of the form being created, and then named in accordance with the Javanese propensity to liken things in this world, to things in the world of the wayang. To understand the reasons for wayang related names being given to various dapurs and handle shapes could prove an interesting and rewarding study. For instance, in his list, Haryono Haryoguritno gives the names of seven keris dapur, all containing the word "pandhawa" . The pandhawa (pandowo, pandawa, pandava) were the five Pandu princes, sons of King Pandu, who was the brother of Dritarastra. Note:- five brothers. All these keris dapur have five luk (waves). Possibly the dapur pasopati is the most well known as having a wayang association, but this does not mean that it is a direct association. Pasopati was the arrow of Arjuna (one of the Pandu princes),that he was given by Siwa (Siva) and that he used with the bow gandiwa that he had been given by the god Agni. According to belief, this arrow had the form of wulan tumanggal, which is an arrow with a wide, crescent shaped head. Now, how did a keris dapur get likened to an arrow with a crescent shaped head? I do not know, but a careful study of the dapur pasopati might suggest some reasons:- possibly because although this is a straight keris form, it ideally has a slight forward curve---perhaps this is suggestive of the shape of the arrow head; possibly because the kembang kacang puguk is suggestive of a curve; possibly because the line between kembang kacang and tungkakan presents a curve---possibly, possibly, possibly. We do not know why the keris dapur pasopati was called pasopati, but you can put hard money on it that it was not a haphazard choice of name. There would be a physical similarity somewhere in the first keris of this dapur that suggested the form of pasopati. As I have already stated, my own knowledge of the wayang is only very slight, but for a person with a good knowledge of the wayang, and a good knowledge of the keris, it would be possible to provide logical and supportable reasons as to why various dapurs and handle shapes have been given names associated with the wayang.