East Javanese Keris(es) - Discussion

[Amuk Murugul]

Hullo everybody!

Just a few thoughts which occurred while reading this thread.
I decided to post them, just in case something means something to somebody. . On the other hand, everything may be totally irrelevant!
If it's all useless info, i.e. garbage, then my post can be deleted:

- As I often like to mention, there are a lot of different keris protocols out there.
Some older than others.

Alan, I believe, adheres to the Kartasura/Surakarta protocols.
The governing manuscripts are composed no earlier than 19thC.(with the exception of one of those dealing with keris forms; attributable(?) to Sunan Kalijaga composed in c.1482).
It appears that they have become the de facto, de jure, protocol of the mainstream.
It saddens me that even those who have their own protocols choose to abandon them and join the mainstream.
But, I suppose that's the way of the world today.

- Pangeran Wijil's manuscript on the history of empus was composed c. 1726-45. So not long ago in terms of keris history.

- As regards Cirebon:
The Sunda still regard Cirebon as Sunda, albeit considered to be highly 'Jawa-nized'. It is interesting though that many members of its royal family still consider themselves Sunda, while a majority(?) of the people consider themselves as 'Cirebon'.
It was a centre of Muslim power and recognized the political sovereignty of Mataram via a treaty in 1590.
Hanyokrokusumo referred to the Sultan of Cirebon (who also became his father-in-law) as 'teacher'.

- Pajajaran: I consider a Jawa-construct. There is no reference to a 'Pajajaran' kingdom in Sunda manuscripts.
The name only appears in Jawa manuscripts, of anonymous authorship and composed/compiled no earlier than late 19thC.

- Bear in mind that many 'primary sources' may be 'anonymous' and 'oral tradition' as well as historiology.

- Again, it boils down to what one believes in/ has faith in or what one wants to believe in/wants to have faith in.


Please excuse the interruption.

Best,