Kris a cut above on heritage list
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Stephen Hill, director of the Jakarta office of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), is one of a few expatriates who attended in 2002 the celebration of 1 Syuro or the Javanese New Year at the Surakarta Palace.
As special guests, Hill and other expatriates were given royal treatment.
"But it was the evening that was really special," wrote Hill in the Glimpses of a Field Office (www.unesco.co.id). At midnight, Hill wrote, the Sunan and about 3,000 palace officials and supporters celebrated the procession of sacred weapons, i.e. spears and krises.
The weapons were carried by the chosen through the streets of Solo. Lit by burning fire brands, the procession followed a sacred white bullock -- which, we were reliably assured, Hill wrote, knew the way and would wander around the city until he chose to return to the palace.
"As it turned out, the bullock found his way back around 4 a.m. along with those officials and followers who had managed to last the distance," Hill said.
The kris, as illustrated above, is at the heart of the Javanese culture. In the old days, the mystical Javanese would only feel content if, aside from owning a house and a rice field, they owned a kris. As former British governor general Raffles once put it, "Javanese males without krises are like nude men".
Even in this modern age, many hold the kris as dear. For these people, the kris has magical powers, it brings them luck and wards off disaster.
It is said that a kris with magical power is produced by a master blacksmith through a special process that requires the krismaker to carry out rituals, including fasting and meditation.
The special features of the kris have led to its inclusion on the UN cultural body's list of intangible heritage treasures, along with Brazil's Samba de Roda -- blending dance, music and poetry -- and a "cultural space" in a walled Colombian village founded in the 17th century as a haven for escaped slaves.
The traditions, also including Japan's Kabuki theater and whirling dervish ceremonies from Turkey, were among 43 arts, rituals, festivals and other ceremonies added on Friday to the world list by UNESCO.
UNESCO head Koichiro Matsuura, who announced the list, said he was glad to see traditions from developing countries on the list, including many from Africa.
"Despite the vitality and the strength of these cultural expressions," Matsuura was quoted by the Associated Press as saying at UNESCO's Paris headquarters, "there are many that need urgent and immediate safeguarding."
Cultural traditions are chosen based upon their risk of disappearing, as well as their cultural value and importance to their communities.
The list was the third issued by the UN organization, and "will probably be the last," a UNESCO statement said. Countries submitted 64 applications this year, which were whittled down to 43.
In addition to the kris, Indonesia's wayang or shadow puppet show is also on the UNESCO list of multinational masterpieces. The wayang was added to the list in 2003.