SAJEN kerises

[ganjawulung]

Size comparison between Yogyakartan keris, medium size and smaller size of "keris sajen"...

[A. G. Maisey]

In my post of 21st. May I theorised that Europeans originated the name "keris Majaphit"

I now believe that I was incorrect in this proposition..

G.B. Gardner's "Keris and Other Malay Weapons" was first published in 1936. Gardner sourced his information on keris from contact with Malay people during the time he was stationed in British Malaya. In his 1936 publication he mentions the "keris Majapahit", and that place is probably where most European usage of the term is grounded.

However, in 1933 Gardner published an article in the Journal of Malay Branch of Royal Asiatic Society :- " Notes on Two Uncommon Varieties of Malay Keris". The two keris were the Keris Majapahit, and the keris picit.

At that time Gardner had been in Malaya for 20 years.

A reading of this article indicates Gardner is using these two terms based upon what he had learnt from Malay informants.

So, it would seem to be probable that the term "keris Majapahit" is not a European invention at all, but rather a term that was in common usage in Malaya during the first quarter of the the 20th century.

[ganjawulung]

Originally Posted by A. G. Maisey

At that time Gardner had been in Malaya for 20 years.

A reading of this article indicates Gardner is using these two terms based upon what he had learnt from Malay informants.

So, it would seem to be probable that the term "keris Majapahit" is not a European invention at all, but rather a term that was in common usage in Malaya during the first quarter of the the 20th century.

I do agree with you on this, Alan. It is not a European invention, although Europeans who popularized that name in the past.

I have a bit different feeling on javanese names and naming in keris world. Especially those vehement javanese names. Not totally useless. The naming of keris' details, for instance 'greneng', 'sekar kacang' (peanut flower), 'lambe gajah' (elephant lips), 'ri pandan' (pandanus' thorn), 'wadidang', 'gandhik', or specific description on luk types such as 'sarpa lumaku' (moving snake), 'sarpa nglangi' (swimming snake), or types of pamor such as 'beras wutah' (abundance of rice, as a symbol of prosperity), or 'blarak sineret' (depicting motive, like dragged coconut leaves?)... I don't think that those namings had changed from time to time in the past.

Those naming, exactly matched with javanese daily life who like natural symbols. Reflected precisely the daily life of agricultural and also coastal javanese. Also, the naming of other keris details such as 'sirah' cecak (lizard's head), or 'buntut urang' (tail of crayfish), or types of 'buntut urang' such as 'nguceng mati' (dead fish, uceng = is a name of certain kind of fish).

But yes, many disputable names also. Such as, names of certain 'dhapurs' or model of kerises. Sometimes new names from time to time.

On "keris Majapahit" and "Jawa Demam". I think both names are not typical javanese namings. As analogy, in Jakarta or any other places in Indonesia except Padang (West Sumatra), many people offer "nasi padang" (rice of Padang), or "restoran Padang" (Padang Restaurant). But you will never find a "Padang Restaurant" in Padang, instead of "Ampera Restaurant", or "Ampera Rice" there. Or you will find many "Java Rijsttaffel" Restaurants in many cities of the world, but not in Java.

"Keris Majapahit", perhaps had a conotation of 'inferiorating Majapahit', as did "Jawa Demam" (Javanese shivering with fever...).

Unfortunately, I can't express clearly in English about all of this...

GANJAWULUNG

[A. G. Maisey]

Yes, I believe I understand your line of thought on this matter, Pak Ganja.

You won't find any Siamese cats in Thailand either --- up there, they are Chinese cats.

So, yes, Keris Majapahit was not a name that originated in Jawa, it originated outside Jawa.Not from a European source, but more probably from a Malay source.

The thing to keep in mind with keris naming is that those names do not mean what they might seem to mean.Nothing is ever what we are led to believe it is.

[drdavid]

I am probably not contributing much to the discussion but I was reading Groneman last night, he notes (pge 175) that these pieces were known as "keris budda" (sic). So in the late 1890s that was the name given to them by the local people he was speaking with. This is rather different to the item we sometimes call keris buda. I do remember ganjawulung that you explained on a previous thread about the meaning of buda

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"

So maybe any old unusual shaped keris could be called keris buda

drd

[A. G. Maisey]

It is very true that the meaning of words can and does change as time passes.

During the 17th and 18th century in England the word "occupy" was considered to be so vulgar that its utterance in a public place would get you time in the stocks.

So perhaps in Groneman's time the keris form that we now term "sajen", or "majapahit", was indeed named a "keris buda". However, the use of the term "keris buda" in the present time refers to a keris of a particular form that is from the buda period of Jawa, and that particular form excludes the keris sajen.

In the generally accepted sense, the "buda period" is the time prior to Islam, and does not mean purely the time when the Buddhist faith was dominant in a particular area of Jawa, but rather is a term applying to olden times before Islam.

In this day and age I have never encountered any confusion as the keris form that we term a "keris buda". The term has nothing to do with the unusual nature of a form, nor of any unique qualities of a form, it refers to a short, robust keris form with a square tang and a metuk, very often without pamor.

When we discuss the keris we sometimes do lose sight of the universal human tendency to vary the meaning of words, beliefs, customs, and traditions over time. This note of Groneman's would seem to me to be a wake-up call.

[HiFi]

Only small additional information and not meaning anything, in Jogjakarta area, some people called the deder-iras keris as putut, maybe caused of the figure of the iron hilt presented like a prayer, or a human with hand position like pray. In this area, if we find this keris, better asking keris putut than asking keris sajen

Besides we known that putut also named for other form condition.

[ganjawulung]

Originally Posted by drdavid

I am probably not contributing much to the discussion but I was reading Groneman last night, he notes (pge 175) that these pieces were known as "keris budda" (sic). So in the late 1890s that was the name given to them by the local people he was speaking with. This is rather different to the item we sometimes call keris buda. I do remember ganjawulung that you explained on a previous thread about the meaning of buda

So maybe any old unusual shaped keris could be called keris buda

drd

I tend to agree with Alan, that "buda" term could mean "pre-Islam". So, based on this premis, you may roughly outline the chronological history of Indonesia (not in linear timeline) as follows:

Sriwijaya (3rd century - 14th century)
Syailendra Dynasty (8th century - 832)
Sanjaya Dynasty and Hindhu Kingdom of Ancient Mataram (752-1042)
Kediri (1045-1221)
The Spread of Islam (1200-1600)
Singasari (1222-1292)
Empire of Majapahit (1293-1500)
Malacca Sultanate (1400-1511)
Aceh Sultanate
Sultanate of Demak (1475-1518)
Mataram (Islamic) Sultanate (1500s-1700s)
Dutch East Indies (1602-1945)

On "keris buda" as dr D just mentioned, it should be accepted as "keris products of pre-Islamic period". So, just products of era before Singasari kingdom... That was mainly Ancient Mataram kingdom in Central Java (with kings such as Rakai Pikatan, Rakai Panangkaran, Rakai Pananggalan etc). Of course, still have no valid evidence until now...

"Buda" word, doesn't relate to Buddha or Buddhist. But just a rough colloquial term of "very old", or "before Islamic era" in Java...

That is just my one cent speculation...

GANJAWULUNG

[A. G. Maisey]

And I tend to agree with you, Pak Ganja.

However, I would raise one possibly pedantic point.

The keris form that we refer to as "keris buda" is a Javanese keris form, thus, the buda period in Jawa is the period that we should apply to definition of this form.

You have listed historical eras for Indonesia, which I agree is a valid way for a modern Indonesian to regard the history of Indonesia, however, we are dealing with Jawa, and in Jawa, during the period under discussion, the other islands and kingdoms that now comprise the modern nation of Indonesia were other countries, just as foriegn to a person living in the Land of Jawa as were all those places situated outside the Land of Jawa.

So, although Islam may have gained a foothold as early as the 11th century in places that we now regard as parts of Indonesia, evidence of Islam in Jawa does not occur until the 14th century, and Islam did gain dominance in Jawa until the end of the 16th century.

Let us accept for the purpose of this discussion, that the appearance of Islam in Java, rather than the dominance of Islam in Jawa, sets the upper parameter for the era we refer to as the buda period.

Let us further accept that the East Javanese gravestones that date to 1369 are valid evidence that Islam was present in Jawa at that time.

Let us be exceedingly generous and postulate that Islam first appeared one generation prior to the date of those gravestones. This will give a commencement date for Islam in Jawa of sometime during the first half of the 14th century, ie, 1300 to 1350.

That places the buda era as prior to 1300 as the most likely possible date for its demise.

As you note, Singasari commenced in about 1222.

I believe that 1222 is too early a date upon which to close the buda era.

I believe 1300 is the lowest possible date that we can use, and my personal preference is for a somewhat later date, perhaps somewhere well into the 1400's.

[ganjawulung]

Originally Posted by A. G. Maisey

G.B. Gardner's "Keris and Other Malay Weapons" was first published in 1936. Gardner sourced his information on keris from contact with Malay people during the time he was stationed in British Malaya. In his 1936 publication he mentions the "keris Majapahit", and that place is probably where most European usage of the term is grounded.

However, in 1933 Gardner published an article in the Journal of Malay Branch of Royal Asiatic Society :- " Notes on Two Uncommon Varieties of Malay Keris". The two keris were the Keris Majapahit, and the keris picit.

At that time Gardner had been in Malaya for 20 years.

A reading of this article indicates Gardner is using these two terms based upon what he had learnt from Malay informants.

So, it would seem to be probable that the term "keris Majapahit" is not a European invention at all, but rather a term that was in common usage in Malaya during the first quarter of the the 20th century.

Dear Alan,
Let me try to elaborate further on this "keris majapahit" topic again. Not only GB Gardner did mention this type of keris as "the earliest form of keris that probably originated from Majapahit era". But also other writers in that same book, such as GC Woolley (1938), AH Hill (1956) and also Abu Bakar bin Pawanchee (1947). Most of them had quoted much the famous book of Thomas Stamford Raffles', The History of Java (1817).

This Raffles' book, (now the Indonesian translation is published in Yogyakarta) of course it is a great book. One of among a few pioneers on documenting the javanese past trace, although some of the information -- especially on keris -- was told in "legend version"...

As you know, the Jamaican born Raffles was then the Lieutenant Governor of Java, during British government in East Indies on 1811-1816. He then moved to Sumatera -- building a second greatest fort in Asia Pasific for Britain until 1823... Died in the year of 1826.

British government ruled Java in only less than 6 years in East Indies (then Indonesia) -- compared to the Dutch which ruled Java since 1602, interupted 6 years by the British and then continued the Dutch rule after 1816, until 1943... But this short British government brought much documentation on Indonesia. Of course, it was "another version" of Dutch documentation on Java in the past.

GANJAWULUNG

[Rick]

I wish it was reprinted in English .
Then maybe I could afford a copy ...

[A. G. Maisey]

Yes Pak Ganja, during that period of the 1930's ---1940's everybody and his brother was spreading the word on Majapahit keris, probably to demonstrate their depth of knowledge of Javanese history and culture, and to drive home the point that they were academic researchers.

This is what happens in all fields. Writers pick up an idea from a previous writer and either appropriate it as their own, or if the previous writer is already well known, they quote him to bolster acceptance of their own writing. Nobody was more well known than Raffles in this matter, so Raffles and keris and Majapahit got a mention, then Gardner's "keris Majapahit" got a mention. In common memory the two meld together, and before you know where you are you have some people thinking that Raffles originated the "keris Majapahit".

However, Gardner was, I believe, the first to mention keris Majapahit, in his 1933 paper --- see my previous post--- the other writers came later, and I believe were riding on Gardner's shirttails --- they had picked up the name from his writing.

Actually, Raffles does not mention "keris Majapahit", he mentions a king of Majapahit who was able to forge keris by the use of finger pressure. He was aware of the kingdom of Majapahit, he had an interest in Javanese history, myth, and legend, but nowhere does he specifically use the term "keris Majapahit" --- well, not as far as I can see, anyway, its a big book.

In fact, the OUP reprint that I have is two big volumes.

Rick, there's not a real lot on keris and weaponry in Raffles. For somebody with a high interest in Jawa, it is interesting reading, but for somebody with a high interest in weaponry its most definitely not particularly useful. I think it currently sells for upwards of $500; I bought my copy new about 35 or 40 years ago. Near as I can recall it cost a bit more than $100.

[kulbuntet]

Hi All,

If someone want to read Raffles history of Java, here a download link. Download will start, file in Pdf.

http://books.google.nl/books/downloa...6fZkRbn5tcfcEw

regards Michel

[Rick]

Thanks Michel !

[ganjawulung]

Just updating old topics on "keris sajen" as mentioned by Mariusgmioc....

[Sajen]

some of mine