Mendhak Jogja and Solo

[Boedhi Adhitya]

Originally Posted by A.G. Maisey

Many of our most earnestly held beliefs are the result of a point of view.

And many earnestly held beliefs seem to generate an unwarranted degree of heat.

For more than 30 years I have been witness to very learned and very respected authorities on the keris, whose beliefs were centered around the Solo school, become vitriolic when discussing the Jogja point of view, and the level of Jogja knowledge, relating to keris.

I have had less exposure to what goes on behind closed doors in Jogja, but from the limited contact I have had, and the snide, thinly cloaked slurs I have heard from Jogja orientated people, I rather suspect the private discussion in Jogja of the Solo point of view might generate just as much slanderous comment.

Yes, Pak Alan. The division of Java had put deep rivalry between the branches, much until now. The rivalry extended to virtually anything, and there are real differences in art/culture, tradition, languages and personalities/way of thinking. I personally noticed the difference in personalities of Jogja – Solo peoples. But let it be as it may, I really hope we can neglect the difference, and even take benefits from each style.




Raffles, no matter how deep his understanding upon keris culture considering his short stay in Java (which needless to say, much of his times was spent in Batavia), also wrote that keris, among 30 or so Javanese weapons, had the most special value to Javanese. A Javanese soldier usually carried 3 kerises, 1 from his father in-law, 1 from his own father, and 1 which was his own. Why, such a specific origin needed as items of dress?. Why didn’t they just pick up any kerises and tell everything he wishes to everyone whom asked ? Whatever the answer, keris had and always has a special value, other than just an item of dress. And I personally think, it isn’t so ‘fashionable’ to wear 3 kerises at once, but two might do. Needles to say Raffles also pointed Malay peninsula as the birth places of keris, if I’m not mistaken.



It is true that O’Connor was discussing Candi Sukuh, a very peculiar candi/temple from 14 C, at the end of Majapahit. While it used Hindu iconography, it has a very unique structure, almost unknown for ‘original’ Hindu. It’s place, in Mount Lawu, Central Java, also very unexpected, as at the time it was built, Hindu’s center was placed in East Java. Lombard propose that it was built by some Majapahit elites, sawing the fall of Hindu eras, took refuges in deep, inner Java, and tried to practiced a syncretic of ‘Old Javanese Religion’, mainly The Anchestor’s Worship and Yoni-Phallus cult, as an answer to the fall of Hindus. Interestingly, O’Connor referred to ‘Cantang Balang’, a Surakarta Court’s Jester, to explain the meaning of metalworking sculpture in Sukuh. ‘Cantang Balang’ is quite recent, 19-20th C. performance. Thus, we see the continuation of Old Javanese Religion, disguised and mixed with Hindu icon. Under Islam, we see, for example Nyadran tradition, as the syncretism of Islam and Anchestor’s Worship. Not to mention the Garebeg, Labuhan or Kirab Pusaka. In keris, we see it most obvious in Ganja-Pesi “cult”, among other thing. As long as keris has ganja and pesi, it is, ‘a holy object’, and once who made it should act accordingly, I suppose. The ‘religion of Java’, as Koentjaraningrat called it, is still much alive. Whether or not the peoples who actually exercised it conscious that it has some 'old javanese religion' in nature, is another question.



But be as it may, as you’ve suggested, it’s all forgoten. But the ‘real’ court art, should seek what it called ‘kagunan adi luhung’. Prof. Koentjaraningrat in ‘Javanese Culture’ define it as ‘the highly sacred value of the classical court art’. It is ‘The highest form of artistic expresion’. He also wrote, in case of profesional performers of wayang orang, that “Artist from courts indeed despised the ringgit tiyang panggung actors, whom they called degenerate entertainers, who sold they art for money (tiyang mbarang), and thereby violated the so-called highly sacred values of the classical court art (kagunan adi luhung)". Keris, I believe, also fall to the Classical Court Art categories. It was the court’s duty to preserve the art. Until now, the ‘Bedhaya Ketawang’ dance is regarded as a sacred dances. The performers should fast, cleans their bodies, etc before performing it. It is performed only in a very special day. The art and the value, still much alive. Why don’t the keris ?

In fact, Surakarta Court still has plenty of Court Empus, with a very high degree of skill and very vast knowledge in keris culture, and disperesed all over Java (Jakarta, Surabaya, Malang, Madiun, beside Solo). Many of them hold ‘Tumenggung’ title, a very high rank title, lower only to those of ‘Pangeran’ (Prince). This rank is so high that just recently, Jogjakarta Court decree that the highest rank could possibly achieved by ordinary ‘abdi dalem’ (court servant) through ordinary career is Raden Riya, roughly takes 20 years of serving. Raden Riya is one level lower than Tumenggung. A further advance would need special condition. Then, with the high status, comes obligation. But as I’ve written before, I’m not asking for any of them to became a priest-like empus. Instead, I urged them to give honor to “highly sacred value of the classical court art”, just a little bit. Considering their vast knowldege, I think they fully understand what the ‘kagunan adi luhung’ in keris art is. If they don’t, then something really missing, and thus, per se, they cannot reached ‘the highest artistic expresion’ as the late Court Empus has done.

I apologize for sound like ‘mourning’. But believe me, I’m not. And believe me, I’m actually doing something on it. What I wish is, a one step further in keris art. Not just stuck in ‘high art’ but push it one more step : ‘a highly sacred art’. There is much difference between ‘high art’ and ‘highly sacred art’. It involves ’spirit’ : A much different sets of motivation, intention, and involvement. Not some kind of ghost, but the spirit of the artist. Bali has taugh us a lesson. Many dance in Bali actually not performed for tourist attraction. Its are religious ritual, performed before Gods. Other forms of ‘spirit’ I’ve seen is in the old empu of Wayang/leather puppet making. He explained, to make a good Semar figures, one should wake up early in the morning before the sun rise, and start to chisel in the quite, calm dawn. On the contrary, if one would make a Baladewa figures, he must start to chisel just several hours before the dusk, and feel the rush. If one make Rahwana, he must chisel when he actually in anger. Thus, the spirit would be ‘absorbed’ in the figures.

Originally Posted by A.G. Maisey

In today's Jawa the keris is still a living part of the culture, but Javanese culture itself has lost the fundamental understanding of "tosan aji" or "wesi aji", just as it has lost the understanding of the original concept of the pusaka. Comprehensible, because in today's world , where is the necessity for such understanding?We can wring our hands and mourn the loss, or we can try our best, and in our own ways to support for a little bit longer something that we value.The keris is still a part of today's Javanese culture. Yes, its role has changed, it is no longer understood in the same way it might once have been understood.But this is true of the keris throughout its history:- it has changed its nature in accord with the demands of its society.

Pak Alan, I don’t know what is your understanding about ‘tosan aji’ and ‘pusaka’. A quite recent traditional such as Serat Wesi Aji and Jitapsara (a kind of primbon) and also famous 19 C. Solonese poet Ronggowarsito explained many kind of iron and it’s character. Thus, ‘tosan aji’ is just a special kind of iron, specially worked, and might be taken shape as keris, tombak or pedang. True, no one know about it now. But the “cult”, if we may called it, was quite alive in early 20 C. There is a story of Empu Prawiradahana, a notable Jogjakarta’s empu, warned his Pangeran about the danger of the iron which the Pangeran’s newly acquired car was made. The empus was certainly confident enough about his ability to ‘detect’ a ‘god’ and ‘bad’ iron, that he suggested the Pangeran to discarded his car. The Prince resisted, and actually, the car involved in accident not long after. Yes, certainly, story could be made and exagerated, as any other things in the world. But those who has experience in marangi/keris staining, can not neglect that the keris were composed of many kind of iron, each blade virtually had it owns. He might also recall, the good-looking one, and the bad-looking one. While it is technically in nature, in Java, it was attached to something more than technical. The fact that today’s keris experts or empus cannot identified simply signified the ‘missing link’ : no one had ever studied under ‘real empu’. Otherwise, the iron identification and character as written in Serat Wesi Aji and other manuscript simply never exist, and such a thing was absolutely forgery. But once again O’Connor reminds me : “The perfection of spirit is figured in the perfection in metal”..



Pusaka is, IMHO, not necessarily inherited. It could be newly made, and actually, it was. Babad Giri described how Sunan Giri acquired his pusaka. He simply went to Empu Supa workshop, and commissioned a keris. He brought a material with him, “a pen”. Empu Supa simply brought it to his forge and worked on it. Just before he forge it, the ‘pen’ suddenly swirl on the anvil, and once it stopped, it already became a keris. Empu Supa told what was happened to Sunan Giri when he presented the keris. Sunan Giri then pronounced a decree “Henceforward, this keris named “Kalam Munyeng” (The Swirling Pen). Anyone who see it should reckon it. It is the Pusaka of Giri”. A fresh, newly made keris, made by ‘ordinary’ people (not gods or jinny), in the forge (with some magical accident, though), has pronounced as “Pusaka”.

Other, more recent story is the making of Kanjeng Kiyai Pakumpulan. It was made during the reign of Pakubuwono VI by empu Singawijaya. It was made of nails, which was collected from Mosque renovation all over Surakarta Kingdom during the reign of Pakubuwono IV, hence it was named “Pakumpulan”, kumpul=to gather/collect. It was a newly made keris, made and intended from the beginning as a Pusaka. And indeed, it is a Pusaka. Other story is Si Ginje.

Pusaka is simply “the highest, sacred form of artistic expresion” in keris world. It was made with all the intention it might takes. The material, preferably, is special. It calls for ‘special process’, a perfect process that technically and ‘spiritually’ possible. It is a masterpieces. Thus, it must ‘stand-out out of the rest’. It loaded with philosophical value. It should inspire those who own it. The owner, on the other hand, should know how to take inspiration from the Pusaka. It could, fortunately, newly made. An ability to fly, to stand on it’s tips, to walk, to produce smoke, water, fire, etc, is not required. But if it do, it certainly would be considered, and a kind, polite, trust-worthy, preferably powerful, guardian spirit would be welcomed



I definitely agree with you, Pak Alan, that we have opportunity to support the continuity of Javanese culture. I’ve made a fierce discussion with some ‘old fashion’ keris lover who insist that Pusaka cannot be made again. But I insist, we can make it again. And WE MUST, for the sake of the keris culture, what ever it takes. We can make a piece of blade which is capable to inspire the owner, which we can watch for hours, again and again and again, with endless admiration, just like the masterpiece works of the late empus. But in the eyes of competition, IMHO, it is too ‘personal’, and thus, cannot be competed.



I do appologize to all forumities for this lenghty post, and I raised my hand and take my oath : I will not talk about it anymore. I think I’ve made my point very clear.

In the end, I would like to quote my friend, who has been studied keris for over 40 years:,” No matter how hard I tried to understand, once and for all, I’m European. I will never be able to understand keris as much as Javanese do”. I admire his stubbornness in studying keris.





Mas Ganjawulung,

I'm afraid I must take some breath before I answer your question. Please be patience

[A. G. Maisey]

Pak Boedhi, quite honestly, I can see liitle, if any variation in the position that you put forward, and my own.

I agree that the art of the keris is a court art and that ideally it should be preserved as an art that reflects some of the spiritual elements of Javanese culture. How this might be accomplished within the present fabric of Javanese society is beyond my comprehension, but as an ideal, it is a worthy one.

However, even this classification of the keris as a blossom of the arts of the Javanese court, and by extension a sacred object, is a comparatively recent one when considered against the more than 1000 years of the history of the keris. Mistake me not:- I support your stated ideals, however we need to consider other facets of the keris as well, such its place in the culture of the people, as distinct from the culture of the courts, its function as a store of wealth, and so on. The keris is not a one dimensional object, but has many facets, each of which needs consideration.

As to the nature of those things that we refer to as "pusaka".

Pak Boedhi, I agree that your definition of the word "pusaka" would be accepted as a fitting definition by many people within the Javanese keris community. The ready acceptance of such a definition demonstrates conclusively the point I made in my previous post, that understandings have been lost.

From the historico/cultural perspective, a pusaka is a revered object which has been passed down from one's ancestors. There are other meanings, such as inherited family sawah, but in the context of the keris, these other meanings are not directly relevant.

The spiritual relevance of the pusaka keris is that it forms a link between the present custodian of the pusaka, the previous custodians of the pusaka, and all members of the present custodian's kin group.Its possession verifies the approval by the previous custodians of the present custodian to hold the authority symbolised by the possession of that pusaka.

I acknowledge that this understanding of the word and concept has been greatly diluted in Jawa over a period of many years, however, a close investigation of the nature of the pusaka keris throughout history, will demonstrate that this interpretation of the pusaka keris is a more generally applicable one than the late 20th century interpretation of the idea. Moreover, when we consider the concept of "pusaka" from the perspective of a realm, the interpretation can be extended to other less easily recognised pusakas, such as a place of worship, a graveyard, or even a dance.

The core values of the pusaka are its effects of uniting the past with the present in one dimension, with all members of the kin group in another dimension, and of providing a seal of approval for the authority of the current custodian.In essence, we are looking at a cosmic focal point.

I am not saying that one understanding of the nature of the pusaka keris is correct, and another is incorrect. Not at all. Society dictates the acceptable understanding of cultural mores according to the development of the society. Nothing stays frozen in time. My understanding of certain concepts that are integral to my own cultural heritage are in many respects quite different from the understanding of my forebears of those same concepts. Time and its passage mould society and culture in a way that permits the survival of the people who share that culture and society.The survival of the owners of the culture ensures the survival of the culture.This could be likened to the nature of a virus which constantly changes in order to escape elimination.

Thus, when we consider the "meaning" of something, or the "nature" of something, against the background of society and culture, we must consider these matters within the context of time. It is not a valid exercise to try to understand 14th century beliefs, using the perceptions of the 20th century.

Tosan aji?
Again, a point of view. We can take this pair of words in its simplified application, or we can go back to the roots of "aji" and the implications inherrent in the societal position of iron age smiths.
Perhaps we could consider why it is that the Pande caste in Bali will not take holy water from the Brahmans.

Raffles was an interested and hyperactive social observer. He employed informants and recorded. He was not an expert on the keris, he simply recorded what he observed. He observed and reported the importance of the keris to Javanese people, he also observed and reported its function. I have no doubt at all that much of the esoteric nature of the keris was unknown to Raffles. However, there can be no doubt at all that the keris in early 19th century Jawa was a very different thing from the keris in 14th century Jawa.
I do not recall that Raffles proposed an origin for the keris. Gardner attributed origin to Peninsula Malaya, but I don't think Raffles mentioned the question of origin.

Religion of Java?
Clifford Geertz first coined this term I believe, not Koentjaraningrat.

I would prefer not to comment in respect of the empus of the present Court of Surakarta.

Of course a European , or a person from a European cultural background cannot relate to a keris in the same way as do some people who are Javanese.

However, a professional investigator and analyst, most especially one with considerable experience in a particular field, can come to an understanding of the way in which some Javanese people relate to the keris.
Such an analyst would not wish to relate to the keris in the same way, or even in a similar way, to the way in which some people in Jawa relate to the keris. Such subjective involvement in the subject of investigation and analysis could corrupt the objectivity of the exercise.