Balinese Keris Exhibition in Hollenstedt, Germany

A. G. Maisey · 30th August 2016, 12:07 AM

As I said Jean:- that is wrong.

Ilining warih is one of the variations of wos wutah:- it's still wos wutah, but sub-motif ilining warih --- at least according to Basuki Teguh Yuwono in "Keris Bali ---' .

I have never seen a pamor in a Javanese keris that anybody referred to as ilining warih. In fact, even though this name could legitimately be used to describe a pamor in a Javanese keris, I've never heard it used.

The word "warih" is Javanese literary usage and in Bali it has a similar position in the hierarchy of usage, it is a Kawi word, which means it is literary usage and it is also OK for court usage.

I do not speak Balinese, I pulled all this out of a dictionary. I asked a Balinese lady I know first, but she only speaks low level Balinese.

However, "ilining" is legitimate Javanese usage. The name ilining warih is legit Javanese usage, it is not normal Balinese, but it may be in use in Balinese as a combination of Kawi + the word "ilining" which could perhaps be deemed a foreign word because it is Javanese.

So let's accept that it is legit usage in both places, even though I have never encountered it in use anywhere.

The only illustration I can find of ilining warih is in Harsrinuksmo, and that entry goes on and describes what I know as an adeg pamor. As is not uncommon with Harsrinuksmo, I think it may be another of his, let us say, "journalistic" entries.

This is a common criticism of Harsrinuksmo, and it could well be unjust. He did not hold himself forth as a keris expert, but rather as a writer about keris. He sourced his info from various accepted keris authorities.

One of the very well known characteristics of information sourced from Javanese informants is that if you ask a question you will be given an answer and the answer you get is very likely to be the answer that the informant thinks will please you. You need to be very close to somebody before you get a "sorry, I don't know", or even a 100% genuine transfer of information, which even then must be questioned and validated.

To be able to name any pamor with reasonable accuracy you need to understand how it was made.

In the Balinese examples that Basuki Yuwono names as "wusing wutah --ilining warih" the pamor has been made by welding the layers of contrasting pamor material with minimum distortion, and then cutting the kruwingan to expose the separate layers of pamor mlumah. In effect we are looking at "laying down pamor" that has carefully had the distorted layers of material removed to expose principally parallel layers of material.

In an adeg pamor we are looking at a pamor miring, where the layers of pamor have been manipulated in the forge so that they stand at 90 degrees to the core of the blade:- a "cross-ways" pamor.

Yet Harsrinuksmo tells us that ilining warih is similar to adeg?

Come on, the bloke simply didn't know what he was writing about and that means his informant didn't understand what he was talking about. Don't think that just because something is written by an Indonesian, or a Javanese, that they all know what they're talking about --- or that they necessarily want to tell you everything they know.

But Basuki Yuwono does know what he's talking about. He is a skilled pande keris in his own right. Some would accord him the title of empu.

In summary:-

Yuwono is right.

Harsrinuksmo is wrong.

Whoever believes that ilining warih is not a sub-motif of beras wutah is very misguided.

~~~~~~~~~~~

re the indistinct pics --- understood, thanks

Jean · 30th August 2016, 09:34 AM

Thank you Alan for your detailed and thorough reply, especially the difference between pamor Ilining Warih and Adeg.
I hope that you will have the opportunity to see the catalog yourself for getting a more complete idea. What disturbs me as I said is that a number of blades identified with pamor Ilining Warih do not show principally parallel layers of materials.
And about the pictures, sorry I should have said too dark shade instead of colour.
Regards

A. G. Maisey · 30th August 2016, 02:11 PM

I understood what you meant about the pics Jean, no problems there.

I doubt that I'll see the catalogue Jean. What you say about the contents I find disappointing, so I'm most certainly not going to waste my money on a book that is riddled with error on something as simple as the thing we have been discussing.

I have seen a parade of books about keris over the last 20 years or so.

A parade.

All waving their multi-coloured flags and all babbling on about irrelevancies.

Lots of pretty pictures of things that the authors do not seem to have even the smallest understanding of.

The foundations of my own knowledge came from a man who never wrote a book.

But his constant criticism was this:-

"If somebody wants to write about keris, why don't they learn about keris before they start to write?"

I've felt the same way for a long time now.

Jean · 31st August 2016, 04:39 PM

Hello Alan,
Of course you won't learn anything from this catalogue but in spite of my specific comments I would not want to leave a negative opinion to other collectors. The effort from the authors is still appreciated and the booklet attractive to read for most kris collectors, and after all there are only few books relevant to the Balinese krisses (Neka and Dibia, and Djelenga for the krisses from Lombok).
Regards

Marcokeris · 31st August 2016, 05:02 PM

I have red the book and I think it is very well done and perfect with the museum exhibition and good to increase the interest in the kris to those who still do not know them.

A. G. Maisey · 31st August 2016, 11:47 PM

Jean, I have not read the book, nor have I seen the exhibition, and because of this I have not given either a positive or a negative opinion on either.

I have made comments, and those comments are based on what you and others have said

Certainly I have indicated that I will not spend the E38 + postage on a book that from all reports appears to be a very well presented book of very good photographs, but which appears not to address any matters that could be of interest to me personally.

Frankly I'm fed up with opening books full of pretty pictures which address the keris as an art work. These books have been appearing with great regularity for about the last 20 years.

I'm well aware that I'm out on a limb, all by myself, in this attitude, and I am sure that the vast bulk of collectors, as distinct from students of the keris, do not share my attitude. So surely, this catalogue of the exhibition will be welcomed by keris collectors who are unable to attend the exhibition in person.

My greatest disappointment is that according to the comments I have read here, and in personal correspondence, the involvement of Achim Weihrauch did not result in text that was other than superficial commentary. I suppose this is understandable in a catalogue of an exhibition that is directed at a wide audience, however, in such a publication the benchmark is Solyom, and in his catalogue he managed to produce the best single reference on the Javanese keris that has yet been published.

Something similar on the Balinese keris would have been very nice.

kai · 16th November 2016, 07:35 AM

The IFICAH exhibition on keris Bali is going to close soon and will only be open for visits on Wednesday and Thursday this week.

The catalog is now available for download:
Full version in German

English version without the catalog section

For the time being, utilize the German version to get a glimpse on the keris in the exhibition; I'll post an update once the full version becomes available soon...

If you happen to like the book, hard copies in English or German are still available for €38 plus postage from the IFICAH foundation.

Regards,
Kai

16th November 2016, 07:35 AM	#7
kai Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 3,255	2 last days of the exhibition! The IFICAH exhibition on keris Bali is going to close soon and will only be open for visits on Wednesday and Thursday this week. The catalog is now available for download: Full version in German English version without the catalog section For the time being, utilize the German version to get a glimpse on the keris in the exhibition; I'll post an update once the full version becomes available soon... If you happen to like the book, hard copies in English or German are still available for €38 plus postage from the IFICAH foundation. Regards, Kai

30th August 2016, 12:07 AM	#1
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 7,015	As I said Jean:- that is wrong. Ilining warih is one of the variations of wos wutah:- it's still wos wutah, but sub-motif ilining warih --- at least according to Basuki Teguh Yuwono in "Keris Bali ---' . I have never seen a pamor in a Javanese keris that anybody referred to as ilining warih. In fact, even though this name could legitimately be used to describe a pamor in a Javanese keris, I've never heard it used. The word "warih" is Javanese literary usage and in Bali it has a similar position in the hierarchy of usage, it is a Kawi word, which means it is literary usage and it is also OK for court usage. I do not speak Balinese, I pulled all this out of a dictionary. I asked a Balinese lady I know first, but she only speaks low level Balinese. However, "ilining" is legitimate Javanese usage. The name ilining warih is legit Javanese usage, it is not normal Balinese, but it may be in use in Balinese as a combination of Kawi + the word "ilining" which could perhaps be deemed a foreign word because it is Javanese. So let's accept that it is legit usage in both places, even though I have never encountered it in use anywhere. The only illustration I can find of ilining warih is in Harsrinuksmo, and that entry goes on and describes what I know as an adeg pamor. As is not uncommon with Harsrinuksmo, I think it may be another of his, let us say, "journalistic" entries. This is a common criticism of Harsrinuksmo, and it could well be unjust. He did not hold himself forth as a keris expert, but rather as a writer about keris. He sourced his info from various accepted keris authorities. One of the very well known characteristics of information sourced from Javanese informants is that if you ask a question you will be given an answer and the answer you get is very likely to be the answer that the informant thinks will please you. You need to be very close to somebody before you get a "sorry, I don't know", or even a 100% genuine transfer of information, which even then must be questioned and validated. To be able to name any pamor with reasonable accuracy you need to understand how it was made. In the Balinese examples that Basuki Yuwono names as "wusing wutah --ilining warih" the pamor has been made by welding the layers of contrasting pamor material with minimum distortion, and then cutting the kruwingan to expose the separate layers of pamor mlumah. In effect we are looking at "laying down pamor" that has carefully had the distorted layers of material removed to expose principally parallel layers of material. In an adeg pamor we are looking at a pamor miring, where the layers of pamor have been manipulated in the forge so that they stand at 90 degrees to the core of the blade:- a "cross-ways" pamor. Yet Harsrinuksmo tells us that ilining warih is similar to adeg? Come on, the bloke simply didn't know what he was writing about and that means his informant didn't understand what he was talking about. Don't think that just because something is written by an Indonesian, or a Javanese, that they all know what they're talking about --- or that they necessarily want to tell you everything they know. But Basuki Yuwono does know what he's talking about. He is a skilled pande keris in his own right. Some would accord him the title of empu. In summary:- Yuwono is right. Harsrinuksmo is wrong. Whoever believes that ilining warih is not a sub-motif of beras wutah is very misguided. ~~~~~~~~~~~ re the indistinct pics --- understood, thanks

30th August 2016, 09:34 AM	#2
Jean Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 1,740	Thank you Alan for your detailed and thorough reply, especially the difference between pamor Ilining Warih and Adeg. I hope that you will have the opportunity to see the catalog yourself for getting a more complete idea. What disturbs me as I said is that a number of blades identified with pamor Ilining Warih do not show principally parallel layers of materials. And about the pictures, sorry I should have said too dark shade instead of colour. Regards

30th August 2016, 02:11 PM	#3
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 7,015	I understood what you meant about the pics Jean, no problems there. I doubt that I'll see the catalogue Jean. What you say about the contents I find disappointing, so I'm most certainly not going to waste my money on a book that is riddled with error on something as simple as the thing we have been discussing. I have seen a parade of books about keris over the last 20 years or so. A parade. All waving their multi-coloured flags and all babbling on about irrelevancies. Lots of pretty pictures of things that the authors do not seem to have even the smallest understanding of. The foundations of my own knowledge came from a man who never wrote a book. But his constant criticism was this:- "If somebody wants to write about keris, why don't they learn about keris before they start to write?" I've felt the same way for a long time now.

31st August 2016, 04:39 PM	#4
Jean Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 1,740	Hello Alan, Of course you won't learn anything from this catalogue but in spite of my specific comments I would not want to leave a negative opinion to other collectors. The effort from the authors is still appreciated and the booklet attractive to read for most kris collectors, and after all there are only few books relevant to the Balinese krisses (Neka and Dibia, and Djelenga for the krisses from Lombok). Regards

31st August 2016, 05:02 PM	#5
Marcokeris Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Italy Posts: 928	I have red the book and I think it is very well done and perfect with the museum exhibition and good to increase the interest in the kris to those who still do not know them.

31st August 2016, 11:47 PM	#6
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 7,015	Jean, I have not read the book, nor have I seen the exhibition, and because of this I have not given either a positive or a negative opinion on either. I have made comments, and those comments are based on what you and others have said Certainly I have indicated that I will not spend the E38 + postage on a book that from all reports appears to be a very well presented book of very good photographs, but which appears not to address any matters that could be of interest to me personally. Frankly I'm fed up with opening books full of pretty pictures which address the keris as an art work. These books have been appearing with great regularity for about the last 20 years. I'm well aware that I'm out on a limb, all by myself, in this attitude, and I am sure that the vast bulk of collectors, as distinct from students of the keris, do not share my attitude. So surely, this catalogue of the exhibition will be welcomed by keris collectors who are unable to attend the exhibition in person. My greatest disappointment is that according to the comments I have read here, and in personal correspondence, the involvement of Achim Weihrauch did not result in text that was other than superficial commentary. I suppose this is understandable in a catalogue of an exhibition that is directed at a wide audience, however, in such a publication the benchmark is Solyom, and in his catalogue he managed to produce the best single reference on the Javanese keris that has yet been published. Something similar on the Balinese keris would have been very nice.