Indonesia seeks return of historic keris from abroad

“We are requesting the repatriation of several historic keris that once belonged to prominent figures during Indonesia’s struggle,” Fadli said at the National Keris Day commemoration in Jakarta on Saturday.

He said the keris sought by the government also include collections from Bali and Lombok that were taken abroad during the colonial era.

According to Fadli, the repatriation effort forms part of Indonesia’s broader push to restore cultural sovereignty.

The minister said the repatriation process involves provenance research to determine the ownership status and historical origins of cultural artifacts.

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“Most have been returned, while some remain abroad. We hope provenance research with the Netherlands and other countries will facilitate their return,” he said.

Fadli noted that not all keris collections overseas would be repatriated because some were legally acquired and now belong to museums or institutions abroad.

The government is prioritizing artifacts suspected to have been taken as war booty or through colonial practices, he added.

“We are focusing on returning objects linked to colonial plunder and wartime seizures,” the minister said.

Fadli said keris are part of Indonesia’s cultural heritage and have been recognized by UNESCO as part of the world’s intangible cultural heritage since 2005.

“This keris is authentically Indonesian, not imported from another country,” he said, adding that depictions of keris appeared on Indonesian temple reliefs as early as the eighth century.

In 2025, the Culture Ministry designated April 19 as National Keris Day to commemorate the first congress of the Indonesian National Keris Secretariat (SNKI) in Surakarta on April 19, 2006.

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Translator: Farika Nur Khotimah, Cindy Frishanti Octavia