Keris Sriwijaya???

Neo · 23rd January 2011, 08:59 AM

I just saw the cover of a previous edition of Keris Magazine and briefly saw the title "Keris Sriwijaya". I don't have the edition (had not been converted into a kerismaniac back then

), but this title really caught my interest.

Keris Sriwijaya?? That Buddhist Sriwijaya Kingdom had a keris culture of their own? I thought keris is the product of Javanese culture under Javanese kingdoms - pretty much rivals to the Sriwijaya kingdom, practically throughout its entire existence. I always thought that keris culture was spread to Sumatera after the fall of Majapahit - it would then be easier for Sumatera to adopt the keris culture after Java and Sumatera share common Islamic values.

How did Sriwijaya end up having its own keris culture? Did it? (I didn't really get to read the magazine, by the way. Such a novice, sigh ... )

I wish to hear theories and opinions about Sriwijaya and its keris culture from the generous seniors in this forum

David · 23rd January 2011, 02:48 PM

Hi Neo. As always, interesting questions.

I am certainly no expert on this history, but here is a Wiki link that might be helpful despite certain lacks of citation.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Srivijaya
From what i can gather this Buddhist kingdom finally fell to the Mojophait kingdom of Java in the late 13th century. But it had much contact with Java before this, especially with the previous Singhasari kingdom. I would say that it is quite possible that the keris made it's way to Sumatra during these times. They would have certainly at least come in contact with the keris. Whether it became an intrinsic part of their own culture i could not say. But this would mean that the influence of the keris there might have come from it's original Hindu culture, not Jawa's later Islamic one.

PenangsangII · 24th January 2011, 06:54 AM

As early as 8th C, the Sriwijaya ruling family was from Syailendra - Balwaputra Dewa. Syailendra (Buddhist) powerful dynasty was based in East Java, rivalling old Mataram (Hindu) - ruler of Central Java. The integration along the way then created Singhasari and then Majapahit that adopted Hindu-Buddha-Kejawen belief system.

Neo · 25th January 2011, 03:02 AM

Then what do you guys think about the kerises they claim to be Tangguh Sriwijaya? I bet the classification criteria does not come from Javanese keraton's literatures ... How confident can we say that those kerises were actually from Sriwijaya? Were they more like Javanese imports, or local made, or kerises from later Islamic era? My keris recognition skills are barely enough to make the deduction from pictures from the Internet ... besides, I haven't seen ANY physical example of a Sriwijaya keris.

P.S.: David, thanks .. To me, it's more like obsessive than interesting

23rd January 2011, 08:59 AM	#1
Neo Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 59	Keris Sriwijaya??? I just saw the cover of a previous edition of Keris Magazine and briefly saw the title "Keris Sriwijaya". I don't have the edition (had not been converted into a kerismaniac back then ), but this title really caught my interest. Keris Sriwijaya?? That Buddhist Sriwijaya Kingdom had a keris culture of their own? I thought keris is the product of Javanese culture under Javanese kingdoms - pretty much rivals to the Sriwijaya kingdom, practically throughout its entire existence. I always thought that keris culture was spread to Sumatera after the fall of Majapahit - it would then be easier for Sumatera to adopt the keris culture after Java and Sumatera share common Islamic values. How did Sriwijaya end up having its own keris culture? Did it? (I didn't really get to read the magazine, by the way. Such a novice, sigh ... ) I wish to hear theories and opinions about Sriwijaya and its keris culture from the generous seniors in this forum

23rd January 2011, 02:48 PM	#2
David Keris forum moderator Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Nova Scotia Posts: 7,029	Hi Neo. As always, interesting questions. I am certainly no expert on this history, but here is a Wiki link that might be helpful despite certain lacks of citation. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Srivijaya From what i can gather this Buddhist kingdom finally fell to the Mojophait kingdom of Java in the late 13th century. But it had much contact with Java before this, especially with the previous Singhasari kingdom. I would say that it is quite possible that the keris made it's way to Sumatra during these times. They would have certainly at least come in contact with the keris. Whether it became an intrinsic part of their own culture i could not say. But this would mean that the influence of the keris there might have come from it's original Hindu culture, not Jawa's later Islamic one. Last edited by David; 23rd January 2011 at 08:05 PM.

24th January 2011, 06:54 AM	#3
PenangsangII Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 401	As early as 8th C, the Sriwijaya ruling family was from Syailendra - Balwaputra Dewa. Syailendra (Buddhist) powerful dynasty was based in East Java, rivalling old Mataram (Hindu) - ruler of Central Java. The integration along the way then created Singhasari and then Majapahit that adopted Hindu-Buddha-Kejawen belief system.

25th January 2011, 03:02 AM	#4
Neo Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 59	Then what do you guys think about the kerises they claim to be Tangguh Sriwijaya? I bet the classification criteria does not come from Javanese keraton's literatures ... How confident can we say that those kerises were actually from Sriwijaya? Were they more like Javanese imports, or local made, or kerises from later Islamic era? My keris recognition skills are barely enough to make the deduction from pictures from the Internet ... besides, I haven't seen ANY physical example of a Sriwijaya keris. P.S.: David, thanks .. To me, it's more like obsessive than interesting