Requesting Help!! Identifying the specifics of a Kris

A. G. Maisey · 25th February 2021, 07:13 PM

All clear, all understood Mickey. I think that perhaps what you have written reflects the position of many of us, and possibly humanity in general.

As to me being a Surakarta guy.

Most of the time I have spent in Indonesia has been spent in Surakarta. I have relatives living in Surakarta, I used to have business interests in Surakarta, most of my Indonesian friends come from Surakarta, all except one of my keris teachers were from Surakarta.

With that sort of background I think it is pretty correct to classify me as being orientated towards Surakarta. But you're dead right, I am most certainly not the voice of the Karaton Surakarta. I have not now, nor at any time in the past had any official association with the Karaton Surakarta, and the situation that has prevailed in respect of that kraton since the passing of PBXII fills me with sadness. Currently I would not want to be associated with it.

However, my principal teacher of the keris was absolutely committed to the Karaton Surakarta and it is inevitable that my own standards and attitudes have been influenced by this.

But putting this personal position of mine to one side, any objective examination of the history and politics of Jawa for the last, say, 800 years cannot produce any conclusion other than that the senior branch of the House of Mataram is the Surakarta Branch of that House, and as such must represent the definitive standard of what it means to be Javanese.

And I will leave the final sentence of this post unwritten.

jagabuwana · 3rd March 2021, 04:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by A. G. Maisey

But putting this personal position of mine to one side, any objective examination of the history and politics of Jawa for the last, say, 800 years cannot produce any conclusion other than that the senior branch of the House of Mataram is the Surakarta Branch of that House, and as such must represent the definitive standard of what it means to be Javanese.

Should there be any representatives of Kasultanan Ngayogyakarta among us, I look forward to dawn rapier duel in the Warung Kopi parking lot.

A. G. Maisey · 3rd March 2021, 10:54 AM

He who fights has already lost.

Mickey the Finn · 11th March 2021, 09:11 AM

I had been cosidering, while suffering from non-COVID related illness over the past 7 days, about making a post pertaining to D.I. Yogyakarta, Letjen Soedirman and other loosely connected topics, but I'll hold off, perhaps indefinitely.
And thoughts of rapiers at dawn had crossed my mind, as well... But I don't own a single one. The closest thing I have is an Indian-made copy of an AN XIII cuirassier sabre/ pallasch/ call it what you will.
And as I've said before, if it isn't cricket, it's just not cricket, Old Boy. And besides, Robert Mugabe is said to have said "Cricket civilizes people and creates good gentlemen". If this is the case, then surely differences of opinion can be settled in a less sanguinary manner. And I'm neither implying nor denying that any difference of opinion exists.
Surakarta is certainly the senior branch of the House of Mataram. This is a fact which is beyond dispute.
You're a very magnanimous man, Alan Maisey.
Sincerely and Respectfully,
Mickey

25th February 2021, 07:13 PM	#1
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,741	All clear, all understood Mickey. I think that perhaps what you have written reflects the position of many of us, and possibly humanity in general. As to me being a Surakarta guy. Most of the time I have spent in Indonesia has been spent in Surakarta. I have relatives living in Surakarta, I used to have business interests in Surakarta, most of my Indonesian friends come from Surakarta, all except one of my keris teachers were from Surakarta. With that sort of background I think it is pretty correct to classify me as being orientated towards Surakarta. But you're dead right, I am most certainly not the voice of the Karaton Surakarta. I have not now, nor at any time in the past had any official association with the Karaton Surakarta, and the situation that has prevailed in respect of that kraton since the passing of PBXII fills me with sadness. Currently I would not want to be associated with it. However, my principal teacher of the keris was absolutely committed to the Karaton Surakarta and it is inevitable that my own standards and attitudes have been influenced by this. But putting this personal position of mine to one side, any objective examination of the history and politics of Jawa for the last, say, 800 years cannot produce any conclusion other than that the senior branch of the House of Mataram is the Surakarta Branch of that House, and as such must represent the definitive standard of what it means to be Javanese. And I will leave the final sentence of this post unwritten.

3rd March 2021, 10:54 AM	#3
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,741	He who fights has already lost.

11th March 2021, 09:11 AM	#4
Mickey the Finn Member Join Date: Dec 2017 Posts: 90	I had been cosidering, while suffering from non-COVID related illness over the past 7 days, about making a post pertaining to D.I. Yogyakarta, Letjen Soedirman and other loosely connected topics, but I'll hold off, perhaps indefinitely. And thoughts of rapiers at dawn had crossed my mind, as well... But I don't own a single one. The closest thing I have is an Indian-made copy of an AN XIII cuirassier sabre/ pallasch/ call it what you will. And as I've said before, if it isn't cricket, it's just not cricket, Old Boy. And besides, Robert Mugabe is said to have said "Cricket civilizes people and creates good gentlemen". If this is the case, then surely differences of opinion can be settled in a less sanguinary manner. And I'm neither implying nor denying that any difference of opinion exists. Surakarta is certainly the senior branch of the House of Mataram. This is a fact which is beyond dispute. You're a very magnanimous man, Alan Maisey. Sincerely and Respectfully, Mickey