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Old 18th October 2007, 11:38 AM   #1
ganjawulung
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Default Jalak Budo

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Originally Posted by lemmythesmith
Hi all! Ganja-many thanks! A jalak budo is on my "to do" list! My signature is more on the peksi, a little stupa.....
Dear Lemmy,
This new thread is especially for you, and all of you who "love" Jalak Budo. I hope my "nude" jalak budo will bring new inspiration for you to create the Brit Jalak Budo someday...

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Old 18th October 2007, 11:53 AM   #2
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Default Jalak Budo and Wedung

Dear All,
This more angle of my third jalak budo, and also a special model of "keris" which we call it wedung. It is believed among some Javanese, that wedung is an "obligatory" dhapur to make for a keris empu...

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Old 18th October 2007, 12:12 PM   #3
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Thank you Ganjawulung for showing these, they are most interesting. What period/age do you think these are from
DrD
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Old 18th October 2007, 02:43 PM   #4
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Thanks for showing the others Ganja. I believe we have seen the first one before, which is my favorite among the ones you show.
I will argue however that even with quotations around it that a wedung should not in any way be considered to be a special model of "keris".
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Old 18th October 2007, 09:29 PM   #5
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Hi Ganja, thank you for posting these-very nice pieces!! I've just acquired some iron from Germany which ranges from 500-750 years old so it should be ideal for a jalak budo recreation, (along with the 'ol "sky iron") I understand these blades are not as long as later keris but are thicker and wider-can you supply some measurements?
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Old 19th October 2007, 02:31 AM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by drdavid
Thank you Ganjawulung for showing these, they are most interesting. What period/age do you think these are from
DrD
Dear Doctor,
This is the most difficult question to answer, doctor. Because we must argue while handling the blade... The first jalak budo, some of my friends speculated it came from Singasari era (13th century). Once again, this is only speculation on tangguh. Debatable.

The second is supposed from the younger period. And the third, still dubious whether it is a real old Jalak Budo or not. But quite sure, the material is old enough...

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Old 19th October 2007, 02:51 AM   #7
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Default On Wedung

Quote:
Originally Posted by David
Thanks for showing the others Ganja. I believe we have seen the first one before, which is my favorite among the ones you show.
I will argue however that even with quotations around it that a wedung should not in any way be considered to be a special model of "keris".
Yes David,
The first one I've shown once or twice before. On wedung, yes, may be it is not considered to be a special model of "keris". But it got much appreciation as pusaka too. Even it got better appreciation than tombak in javanese "perkerisan" (keris world). You may see from the picture which quoted from Raffles' book, The History of Java... (The picture below)

Among the young keris maker in Solo, it is regarded as an "obligatory" exercise (with quotation, on daily conversation only), for a keris maker. It looks simple, but not as simple as the appearance: not easy to make a good wedung.

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Old 19th October 2007, 02:59 AM   #8
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Default The Measurements

Quote:
Originally Posted by lemmythesmith
Hi Ganja, thank you for posting these-very nice pieces!! I've just acquired some iron from Germany which ranges from 500-750 years old so it should be ideal for a jalak budo recreation, (along with the 'ol "sky iron") I understand these blades are not as long as later keris but are thicker and wider-can you supply some measurements?
Dear Lemmy,
The first one -- the best of mine I think -- is only 11 inches (27,5 cm) long including the pesi. Without the pesi (including ganja and methuk), is only 9 inches.
The second one is bigger and wider but not thicker. It is 12,2 inches long (or 10 inches the blade and ganja not including the pesi) or total 30,5 cm long. And the third, as big as the first 11,5 inches.
The wedung? It has a normal size of such kind, it has 13 inches or 31 cm long...

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Old 19th October 2007, 08:12 AM   #9
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Thanks for sharing those Keris Pak Ganja!

I have heard about a metaphysical difference of "regular" Keris and the Jalak Budo. Could someone please share some more info on this aspect?

Here is a resembling Malay Keris that I suspect is inspired by your Keris - the Debek?
It doesn't have a methuk however.

Michael
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Old 20th October 2007, 02:12 AM   #10
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Ganjawulung

I am interested to know more about Wedung. Would you please let us know about the exact area of origin of Wedung. Is it originated from East, Middle or West java? I know that it might be quite hard to know the exact area of origin, anyhow maybe you could just come out with the most possible one.

Mohd.
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Old 20th October 2007, 08:38 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by VVV
Thanks for sharing those Keris Pak Ganja!

I have heard about a metaphysical difference of "regular" Keris and the Jalak Budo. Could someone please share some more info on this aspect?

Here is a resembling Malay Keris that I suspect is inspired by your Keris - the Debek?
It doesn't have a methuk however.

Michael
Beautiful Malay Keris, Michael. And the pamor, we call it the type of "pamor dwi warna" or two kinds of pamor. Upper blade with "lar gangsir" (mole cricket's wing) pamor and it has a special "batu lapak" (flagstone?) pamor in the lower part (sor-soran) of the keris.

Its dapur is also good-looking. And it has ressemblance of dhapur "ron teki" in Javanese term. (long gandhik or front lower part of keris) with sekar kacang above the gandhik. But usually, ron teki has no greneng or ron dha in the wadidang. There is javanese influence in the making method of lar gangsir pamor.

On Jalak Budo. Most javanese keris people believe that jalak budo is one of the oldest dhapur of keris. Budo itself doesn't mean as Budhha. But it indicates a period in the past -- say it -- around 6-10th century. There is a kind of sense of uncertainty in the word of "budo" or "buda". Maybe you may "translate" it as "very old" or "once upon a time"... Or "antah berantah" in the Malay term.

Most javanese keris people also believe, that old jalak budo could be used as "keris tindih" (I have written about "keris tindih" in another thread), to neutralize the bad influence of other keris. But keris tindih is not only Jalak Budo. Old keris with dhapur betok, also could be used as keris tindih...

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Old 20th October 2007, 08:51 PM   #12
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Default On Wedung

Quote:
Originally Posted by mohd
Ganjawulung

I am interested to know more about Wedung. Would you please let us know about the exact area of origin of Wedung. Is it originated from East, Middle or West java? I know that it might be quite hard to know the exact area of origin, anyhow maybe you could just come out with the most possible one.

Mohd.
Dear Moh,
I am not sure about the exact origin of Wedung. But from the form of the blade, it seems that it had Middle-East influence. But 'localized', javanised with kind of "greneng" in the lower part of the blade, and long-massive "methuk" above the short pesi...

Wedung usually used in the formal javanese dress-uniform by a "woman bupati" or woman regent in (Central) Java (in the past), or high rank person (prince). And it has a very specific scabbard, with long buffalo-horn peg (pls look at my previous picture)...

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Old 21st October 2007, 09:27 AM   #13
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Thanks Pak Ganja for your comments!
I do of course remember your earlier post about keris tindih but would love to read more.
On the term budo/buda I have of course seen it before and knew the meaning.
But I have had the impression that it originated in referring to the old time customs of the Hindu-Buddhist times?
Similar to that you often find many Sanskrit words in Indonesian or Javanese that over the years somehow has slightly deviated from the Indian meaning.
I am sorry if I have got it all wrong as my interest on comparing these languages is higher than my kindergarten-level speaking abilities.


Michael
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Old 21st October 2007, 01:02 PM   #14
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I have some difficulty in identifying a Middle Eastern influence in the wedung. In form it is simply a small, stylized golok.

The word "wedung" appears in Old Javanese where it has the meaning of "axe"; today in parts of East Jawa a large knife used for splitting coconuts is known as a "wadung", and personal advice from people who use this knife is that "wadung", and "wedung" are interchangeable words with the same meaning.

Raffles records that the wedung is symbolic of the willingness of the wearer to cut a way through the jungle for his king; Solyom records that the wedung is symbolic of the willingness of the wearer to do the bidding of the king.

I am inclined to believe that the wedung is purely of Javanese origin.
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Old 22nd October 2007, 05:56 AM   #15
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Default Kalak Budo

Dear all,

I am more inclined towards the really old metal used in forging this particular dhapur. The dapor to me is very simple, and any modern pandai wesi can make it.
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Old 22nd October 2007, 05:29 PM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by VVV
On the term budo/buda I have of course seen it before and knew the meaning.
But I have had the impression that it originated in referring to the old time customs of the Hindu-Buddhist times?
Similar to that you often find many Sanskrit words in Indonesian or Javanese that over the years somehow has slightly deviated from the Indian meaning.
I am sorry if I have got it all wrong as my interest on comparing these languages is higher than my kindergarten-level speaking abilities.

Michael
Dear Michael,

I hope your impression is right. According to Mr Bambang Harsrinuksmo, "zaman kabudan" (buda period) is a periodisation in keris in Java. He wrote in his Ensiklopedi, that this period was about from 6 to 9 or 10th century, or the same period of the building of Candi Borobudur (in central Java) to the era of Kahuripan kingdom. Bambang referred to some relief in the buddhist candi which pictured people were bringing weapons that ressemble keris that people called as buda keris. Not only in Borobudur, but according to Bambang, also in Prambanan temple (in Yogyakarta).

But according to Mr Haryono Guritno -- the writer of Keris Jawa antara Mistik dan Nalar -- the term "kabudan" is like "once upon a time" term. Old time, but not exactly when...

Beside "zaman kabudan", there is also another term of "zaman kadewatan". This term is more uncertain. Bambang wrote, that this period was before "zaman kabudan". Some people thought that this period was quite imaginary.

Serat Centini -- which was written by Javanese litterature writer Rongowarsito -- mentioned the name of empus, kings and keris dapur such as Empu Ramadi (empu), Prabu Destarata (king in wayang legend), and dapurs of Sempana, Carubuk, Kalamisani etc. Quite imaginary, although such dapurs still exist until now.

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Old 22nd October 2007, 07:27 PM   #17
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In my opinion, the terminology of "budo/budho" in keris refers to some reliefs in Budhist temples including Borobudur (surrounding Merapi mountain in central Java before "pralaya", there were bigger budhist temples than Borobudur). We still can imagine the similiarity between keris budo (including Jalak Budo) and keris images in temples reliefs. However, lots of dhapur jalak budo were made later (not in the era of kabudan). The original Keris Kabudan should have no pesi (see the image of relief).

According to history books, the golden era of budhist in Java was around 9-11 C during dynasties of Sanjaya v Syailendra.

warm salam,
Usman
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Old 22nd October 2007, 10:35 PM   #18
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There are no representations of the keris, nor of any keris-like weapons nor blades , to be found in the relief carvings of Borobudur.

To be keris-like the blade must possess some recognisable features that can be associated specifically with the keris. No such representations exist at Borobudur, however representations of keris-like blades can be found at Prambanan.

The keris is a blossom of Javanese Hindu culture; its roots are not to be found within the cultural framework of the Javanese Early Classical period, under the Syailendras.

The term "jaman buda" seems to be accepted by lexicographers as referring to the pre-Islamic period in Jawa.
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Old 23rd October 2007, 01:21 AM   #19
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Pak Alan,

if I am not mistaken, in ensiklopedi keris by bambang h, either in pg 25 or 26 there is a picture of part of Borobudur relief. it should be related to the topic of the ensiklopedi.

according to the shape of blade, in my opinion, there must be an evolution process.

warm salam,
Usman
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Old 23rd October 2007, 03:42 AM   #20
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Pak Usman,

No, you are not mistaken, a portion of a Borobudur relief is shown on page 27 of the second edition of Ensiklopedi.However, the dagger that is identified as resembling a keris buda bears absolutely no resemblance at all to a keris buda. None at all. Yes, it is a short, double edged dagger, but it lacks the assymetry of the keris blade, the blade shown carries no features that could be considered as keris-like, moreover this dagger has a substantial pommel and guard.
The dagger from the Borobudur relief is still identifiable as a distinctly Indian style.However, although it does display the common heritage of the keris, that of a leaf shaped blade, it has not yet begun the development which would ultimately result in the keris buda and then the modern keris. This Borobudur representation cannot in any way be considered a keris, nor to be keris-like.
Yes, of course there was an evolutionary process, and daggers such as the one shown in the Borobudur relief were possibly a part of that process, but to point to this Borobudur dagger and claim that it resembles a keris buda is an absolute nonsense.

Pak Usman, do you know the progression of this farce?

Please allow me to enlighten you.

In the 1988 edition of Ensiklopedi, Bambang Harsrinuksmo published a photo of a relief to be found at Candi Prambanan which does indeed show the first monumental depictation of a keris-like dagger. He erroneously captioned this photo as being a relief from Borobudur.Thus the error was planted that grew into the belief that a keris buda was shown in the Borobudur reliefs.

In the second edition of Ensiklopedi, Pak Bambang tried to smooth this error over.

On page 26 of the second edition of Ensiklopedi the photo of the Prambanan relief was published again, this time correctly captioned, however, the published photograph when compared with the earlier published photograph, and with my own photographs of the same relief, gives the appearance of having been retouched to emphasise the pommel and guard of the Prambanan dagger, thus providing a stronger resemblance to the Borobudur dagger.


It would be better for the study of the keris if we could put behind us this nonsense of trying to link the keris to the Borobudur reliefs.

The keris has its roots in Javanese-Hindu culture, and its development to the point of its absorption into Javanese-Islamic culture can be shown to reflect the Javanese-Hindu world view.

There is no evidence available at the present time that can in any way link the keris to the Syailendras.
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Old 23rd October 2007, 04:29 AM   #21
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Quote:
Originally Posted by A. G. Maisey
Pak Usman, do you know the progression of this farce?

Please allow me to enlighten you.

In the 1988 edition of Ensiklopedi, Bambang Harsrinuksmo published a photo of a relief to be found at Candi Prambanan which does indeed show the first monumental depictation of a keris-like dagger. He erroneously captioned this photo as being a relief from Borobudur.Thus the error was planted that grew into the belief that a keris buda was shown in the Borobudur reliefs.

In the second edition of Ensiklopedi, Pak Bambang tried to smooth this error over.

On page 26 of the second edition of Ensiklopedi the photo of the Prambanan relief was published again, this time correctly captioned, however, the published photograph when compared with the earlier published photograph, and with my own photographs of the same relief, gives the appearance of having been retouched to emphasise the pommel and guard of the Prambanan dagger, thus providing a stronger resemblance to the Borobudur dagger.


It would be better for the study of the keris if we could put behind us this nonsense of trying to link the keris to the Borobudur reliefs.

The keris has its roots in Javanese-Hindu culture, and its development to the point of its absorption into Javanese-Islamic culture can be shown to reflect the Javanese-Hindu world view.

There is no evidence available at the present time that can in any way link the keris to the Syailendras.
Dear Usmen, Alan and all,
Alan's finding is very interesting. This argument shows us, that we still need to research furthermore on the origin of keris form. Archeologically, or whatever. Thank you, for the enlightment, Alan.

This will bring a good discussion too, if we bring this finding to -- for instance -- writer on keris world such as Mr Haryono Guritno. In his book, "Keris Jawa, Antara Mistik dan Nalar" (Java Keris, Between Mystique Belief and Logical Reasoning?) Mr Guritno wrote "on inscription" as follows (page 7):

... In some prasasti (old inscriptions) found in Java, as Prasasti Karang Tengah and Prasasti Poh (inscriptions on stones) which was made around 750 CE in the era of king dynasty of Sailendra (Buddhist), it had been mentioned of the word "kres" which bore the meaning of "keris" now. These prasasti which were found in Kedu (Magelang) Central Java, had said that a king from Sailendra dynasty had ordered an empu to make keris.

Also, according to Mr Guritno -- in Prambanan (Hindu) temple -- which was build around 910 CE (after Borobudur), there is a statue of Roro Jonggrang (Durga) which in one of her eight hands held a kind of "keris" that called as "kadga"...

It shows, that Mr Guritno still believes that keris had been known in the era of Syailendra (Buddha) too...

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Old 23rd October 2007, 06:12 AM   #22
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Pak Ganja, let's get this straight:-

I have not at any time said that the keris could not be traced to a point of origin that coincides with the presence of the Syailendras in Jawa.

In fact, I have demonstrated in my "Origin" paper that the Early Classical Period of Jawa, which coincided with the presence of the Syailendras in Jawa, was the beginning point for the keris.

However, the keris does not owe its origin to the Buddhist culture fostered by the Syailendras, but rather to the Hindu culture evidenced by the erection of Prambanan.

The weapon held by the Durga statue at Prambanan is more a sword, or pedang, than a form which can be likened to a keris. Yes, in Old Javanese the word "kadga" can be taken as either "pedang", or "keris", but in this specific instance the weapon concerned is not able to be considered as a keris. If it could be so considered, is it not logical that I would have used this as evidence in my "Origin" argument?

I repeat:- there is no evidence linking the origin of the keris to the Syailendras, nor to Buddhist culture.

In respect of the word "kres".
In Zoetmulder the word "kres" is not to be found.
However the words "keris" and "kris" are to be found.
Mr. Haryono Guritno mentions the word "kris" in the Rukam inscription, and "kres" in the Poh inscription, in all liklihood these are different renditions of the same word.
However, although these words occur in Old Javanese there can be no certainty that the implement to which they refer would be recognised as a keris in today's world. Possibly it would, however equally possibly, it would not. Do not lose sight of the fact that other words occur in Old Javanese which could also refer to an implement which we would recognise as keris. The meaning of words can change over time, and what was known as a "kris" 1000 or so years ago, may not have been what we recognise as a keris today.

In any case, when we refer to any "keris" of this period, it is to a weapon bearing proportions of the keris buda form, the modern keris did not evolve until much later.

I am on record as supporting the initial appearance of a keris-like dagger in Central Jawa during the Early Classical Period, a period which coincides with the presence of the Syailendras in Jawa, however, the Syailendras were foriegners:- they came, they held power for a while, they brought Buddhism with them, and then they went.

The indigenous kings of early Jawa were Hindu. They were there before the Syailendras, and they remained after the Syailendras left.

There is no evidence at all that can link the Syailendras, nor Buddhist culture, to the keris.

I am not at variance to Mr. Haryono Guritno in that the roots of the Javanese keris go back a very long way, at least to around 900AD, certainly to the Early Classical Period, and perhaps even before that. Personally, I see no point of disagreement between Mr. Haryono Guritno and myself.

My disagreement is with those who would wish to attach origin of the keris to Javanese-Buddhist culture, rather than to Javanese-Hindu culture. Those who may wish to promote this position need to produce evidence to support it; at the present time all evidence points to Javanese-Hindu origin.
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Old 23rd October 2007, 11:15 AM   #23
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Pak Alan,

Valuable information.

Following your logic exploration and explanation, why do keris community call prer-Islamic keris as keris "budo/jaman kabudan"? why dont they call "hindon/jaman kahindon"?

thanks for enlightening information

best regards,
Usman
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Old 23rd October 2007, 02:54 PM   #24
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Pak Usman,

I have already pointed out that in common Javanese useage "jaman buda" refers to the pre-Islamic period.

A keris supposed to date from the pre-Islamic period is thus a "keris buda".

As Pak Ganja has already advised, " jaman buda" encapsulates the idea of long ago.

This terminology does not presume to be historically accurate, it is mere colloquial useage, moreover, it is not a useage that is unique to only the keris.

As long as some people continue to confuse colloquial useage with historically accurate fact an understanding of the keris will remain beyond us.

Of course, there is more than a single understanding of the keris, just as there is more than a single nature of the keris.

Keris understanding can accomodate the beliefs of the Javanese cultural sub-conscious, just as it can accomodate investigative analysis.

For those who subscribe to the school of popular belief, then of course the keris buda originated within the Buddhist culture of the Javanese Early Classical Period. The fact that there is no evidence of this matters not one whit. Who needs evidence when we have faith? Is not the name alone sufficient evidence? Why would it be called a keris buda if the Buddhists had not originated it? Obvious, is it not? Now we can all sleep well at night, knowing exactly where the keris came from. Why, we can even find a depiction of a keris on the Borobudur---well its almost a keris:- if you just close one eye, tilt your head slightly to the left, and eliminate a part of it by looking at it between the palms of your hands , you can plainly see that it is a keris. Yep---no doubt about that! The Buddhists were there first! Those damn Syailendras! In the place five minutes and they come up with something that was eventually to become the primary icon of Javanese culture.

Regretably I am a man of little faith. I do not believe most things I am told, I take pleasure in swimming against the current, and I can even see a conspiracy in the myth of the Easter Bunny.Most of all, I have a great deal of faith in what I can see and touch, and what I have seen and touched in the Borobudur reliefs does not in any way resemble any keris that I have ever seen.

This character defect does not prevent me from understanding that some people may wish to accept logically insupportable beliefs. The demands of society, peer group pressure, the wish to conform , all these things and more can create an environment where it is much more pleasant to go with the flow, than it is to take a stance that is at variance with popular, or community,beliefs.

However, as much as I may understand this attitude, I regret that I am unable to subscribe to it.

The earliest depiction of a keris-like dagger is to be found in the relief carvings of Candi Prambanan; this dagger is held by Laksmana and is a part of the Ramayana reliefs. It should be noted that even in his 2004 edition of Ensiklopedi, Bambang Harsrinuksmo still had not correctly identified this relief, as he seemed to be labouring under the misconception that Laksmana was a "raksasa" (Relief di Candi Prambanan juga memperhatikan raksasa memegang senjata tikam pendek---").

Candi Prambanan is a Hindu building.The Ramayana is a Hindu epic.Laksmana is a Hindu character.

Following the appearance of a keris-like dagger in the Prambanan reliefs, all further development of the keris in pre-Islamic Jawa is inextricably tied to societal structures where the dominant faith was Javanese-Hindu.Within these societies the Buddhist faith also had its place, as did Islam in the later days of Majapahit, but the overwhelming influence was that of the Hindu system of belief.

In light of these facts it is illogical to attempt to associate the keris with the Buddhist culture of the Javanese Early Classical Period, most especially so as there is currently no evidence to support such an association.
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Old 23rd October 2007, 06:43 PM   #25
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Quote:
Originally Posted by A. G. Maisey
Regretably I am a man of little faith. I do not believe most things I am told, I take pleasure in swimming against the current, and I can even see a conspiracy in the myth of the Easter Bunny.
I think we are much alike on this front Alan. I am a seeing is believing kinda guy myself.You will have to share this bunny conspiracy theory with me some day.
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Old 23rd October 2007, 11:37 PM   #26
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Quote:
Originally Posted by A. G. Maisey
The earliest depiction of a keris-like dagger is to be found in the relief carvings of Candi Prambanan; this dagger is held by Laksmana and is a part of the Ramayana reliefs. It should be noted that even in his 2004 edition of Ensiklopedi, Bambang Harsrinuksmo still had not correctly identified this relief, as he seemed to be labouring under the misconception that Laksmana was a "raksasa" (Relief di Candi Prambanan juga memperhatikan raksasa memegang senjata tikam pendek---").
Small correction,
The article and photos mentioned in the Bambang's Ensiklopedi, was written and contributed by Suwarsono Lumintu (a Yogyakartanese writher) as printed in the page 27. (Five pages).
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Old 24th October 2007, 12:43 AM   #27
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Thank you Pak Ganja for this advice.

Yes, I am aware that Suwarsono Lumintu is credited with authorship of this entry in the Ensiklopedi, however, Bambang Harsinuksmo is the author/composer of the book, not editor of the book, as such, Bambang Harsinuksmo must accept responsibility for all material published in that book, no matter who actually originated it.

This principle applies in any arena where any material is published under a single author's name. A published work may well be the product of a team of people, but once the work is published, and attributed to a single author, the benefits and defects of that published work accrue to the nominated author. In fact, Ensiklopedi contains the work of a number of contributors, not only Suwarsono Lumintu, however, Bambang Harsrinuksmo is nominated as the author, not the editor. This implies that Bambang Harsinuksmo used information supplied by the various contributors to complete the writing of his book.This being the case, he was responsible for ensuring the accuracy of the published material, the people who supplied the material can be viewed as assistants over whom he had control.Regretably, his control procedures were inadequate, and any inaccuracies were his responsibility.

I will make this point:- I have been aware of the error in the 1988 edition for almost 20 years; I have been aware of the error in the 2004 edition since I first obtained a copy of this edition; I am aware of other errors --- and I do not mean differences of opinion--- in both these books, and in other publications on the keris. I take no pleasure in bruiting these errors abroad nor in denigrating the work of these authors. One does not advance one's own reputation by attempting to lessen the reputation of others. I would have made no mention of this fault in Bambang Harsinuksmo's work were it not for the fact that we seem to have entered into what I consider to be a rather fatuous discussion in respect of keris origin, and I considered it necessary to shine a little light on the scholarship of writings which have generated this time wasting discussion.

I sincerely hope that we can leave this nonsense of a Buddhist origin for the Javanese keris well and truly buried.
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Old 25th October 2007, 03:43 AM   #28
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Raden Usman Djogja
Following your logic exploration and explanation, why do keris community call prer-Islamic keris as keris "budo/jaman kabudan"? why dont they call "hindon/jaman kahindon"?
Dear Usmen,

This time I’m not talking about keris, but on “javaneseness” that probably you may relate to javanese habitude on naming something. (Once I stayed in a French family in Rheims for a couple months. The Madame of the family – she’s Lyonnaise – smiled when I said to her one day “Je suis javanais…,” I meant, I’m Javanese. She said: Javanais? The term “javanais” according to her was a mockery for person that was stupid, illogical, archaic, stubborn.. or something like that)

My father and mother (they was working in Central Hospital in Solo, speaking dutch and a little bit Japanese) used to say “zaman londo” everytime they told stories of their past time, their life in the war-time of mid 30’s and end of 40’s. Or “zaman perang” to say on “war time”. And always said, “he’s londo” to mention European people. No matter what nationality the European, they used to say “he is londo”, including to an Italian doctor in the Solo hospital – I remember the first name, Roberto – as “londo Itali..”

“Londo” was actually related to Holland, or Belanda – the Eruropean nation which colonialized Java back for quite a long time. Even the javanese don’t bother, whether in the past there was “another londo” from England (British colonialization in a short time between 1811-1816 under Lord Minto in India and Lieutenant Governor Thomas Stamford Raffles, and only about one year of Lieutenant Governor John Fendall. No wonder if the javanese call them “londo Inggris” or “londo from England”). Or “londo Ustrali” to mention people from Australia…

And so many Javanense naming that related to foreign names, but they localized the spelling in whatever meaning they like. For instance, they say “krekop” for “church cemetery” or “kerk hoff” in dutch language. Then the area around the cemetery they call as krekop. Or “sekensoro” for place around Central Hospital in Solo around 1960-s (derived from dutch word “ziekenzorg”). And quite many “javanese-dutch” word that often has quite different meaning from the original meaning…

Keris budo? Besi Budo? Zaman Budo? Maybe the same “fate” as “zaman londo” I told you. No matter whether the real reality was “hindu era” nor “hindu keris”. We know, that the foreign Syailendra dynasty had once reigned Java for couple decades. (Suryavarman of the Syailendra dynasty even once reigned Malay and Cambodge. This Syailendra built the Angkor Wat in Cambodge too. No wonder if the “foreign colonialization era” of Syailendra in Java we called it as “zaman kabudan”, no matter that the Hindu dynasty of Sanjaya was existing too. Maybe the same fate as “zaman londo”). Thus, the most important is not what the javanese said what, but why did they say that…

Ganjawulung
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Old 25th October 2007, 02:12 PM   #29
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Thanks for all the explanations!

Michael
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Old 25th October 2007, 09:25 PM   #30
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Hi everyone, here's my "jalak budo" The horseshoes are from Germany, Majapahit/Mataram period, the bars are the first stage in forming the pamor, so far, so good....... Used about half of them to get to this stage, there's a medieval axe fragment in there too.
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