The millennium krises of Java The magical heritage of the Javanese kris

By Waluyo Wijayatno

JAKARTA (JP): The legend of Mpu Gandring, the master blacksmith murdered with the kris he forged himself by King Ken Arok, who had ordered the dagger from him, dates back about five centuries.

Though he was not the first kris-maker, this story has persisted for centuries. Its mystery is intriguing and has prompted widespread speculation over the years.

No records and convincing evidence have yet indicated when krises were first wrought. While the Rukam inscription (829 Caka/907 AD) makes some reference to the word kris, this Javanese weapon is likely to have been recognized even earlier.

The contents of Rukam and several other inscriptions mention the symbolic role of krises in ritual offerings to the gods, while the legend of Mpu Gandring's tragic death affirms the function of the kris as a weapon as well as a sanctified heirloom with magical powers.

Krises became intimate in the daily life of the Javanese (as governor general Raffles once put it, "Javanese males without krises are like nude men") and assumed a variety of different functions.

There are no less than 20 functions, for display, as a piece of auxiliary equipment for court soldiers, an accessory for ceremonial dress, an indicator of ranks/social status, a symbol of heroism, of philosophy, of spiritual communication, talismans etc. Krises once even acted as personal representatives of their owners.

Formerly, when a Javanese groom failed to show up beside his bride on their wedding day, he could send his private kris to represent him.

So plentiful and important were krises in the past that they also served as one of the symbols of a successful life for males. Javanese men could consider their life complete only after possessing a wisma (house), a turangga (horse), a wanita (woman), a kukila (bird) and a curiga (kris). Besides curiga, a kris is also called kadga, dhuwung, wangkingan or tosan-aji.

Many people are interested in krises because they are claimed to possess magical powers. Some krises are said to be capable of warding off disasters (floods, fires, storms, wild animals etc.), or to enhance somebody's authority, good fortune, affection and so forth. Conversely, other krises are believed to cause mishaps, bad luck and other negative things.

Nevertheless, other aspects also greatly attract kris collectors, such as the weapon's esthetic value, its physical beauty and its diverse features. A visual appreciation of a kris covers three main parts; dhapur, pamor, and tangguh. Dhapur is the specific name for the form and design of a kris blade (straight or curved) and its ricikan or embellishments.

There are some 150 kinds of dhapur. Pamor is the pattern of decoration of metal alloy on a kris blade, with around 60 types known. Tangguh refers to the age and origin of a kris. About 15 groups of tangguh have been recorded, all belonging to different times and locations in Central and East Java.

Some features are still frequently linked to certain spiritual beliefs. Krises known as dhapur panji panganten can strengthen romantic ties between a man and woman. Krises with pamor ujung gunung are said to promote one's career, while pamor udan mas is considered a charm to gain material wealth.

Such faith sometimes occurs because of the tangguh (age and origin) of a kris, which is often connected with the empu who welded the weapon. If the kris has been wrought by a famous blacksmith, the magical power is believed to be greater.

The word mpu refers not only to a kris-maker, but also to those with exceptional knowledge in other fields like literature, history, the occult, craftsmanship etc. History records such well-known figures as Mpu Kanwa, Mpu Tantular, Mpu Sedah, Mpu Panuluh and Mpu Sindok, who were all highly respected. Rulers of their times guaranteed the welfare of many of them. Moreover, some were even seen as semi-deities, like Empu Ramadi, capable of making krises by simply pressing metals together with their bare hands!

In general, krises are welded out of three metals: Iron, steel and a nickel alloy pamor. Certain types only need one metal, usually steel and are known as pengawak waja, which are less preferred because they are easily breakable.

The best pamor is hard and light, with color shades ranging from white to dark gray, thus creating the impression of beauty and authority.

Until three decades ago, kris-making activities in Java had virtually come to a standstill. Various factors caused the situation such as economic difficulties and changing socio- cultural values. Many people worried about the imminent loss of this cultural asset.

However, thanks to the action of several concerned kris experts the tradition has now been saved from extinction.

Products of kris-making in Yogyakarta, Solo and Madura are again on the increase, though many people still accept them half- heartedly. Some call them "new krises", even deriding them as "millennium krises".

What kind of kris has a high value? Should it be "magical", or old, or should it have once been owned by a celebrity, or to be beautiful and expensive? In this case, choosing a kris with the help of a dukun (a paranormal) is not recommended. If this assistance has to be sought, the dukun should have some knowledge of forging and metallurgical techniques, anthropology, ethnography, history, traditional fine arts and various other related disciplines. In brief, men of today need to evaluate a kris by means of krisology to avoid disappointment. All krises are works of metal craftsmanship based on philosophy, cultural values and fine arts, which are expected to keep abreast with the times.

The writer was born in Yogyakarta and is a family member of a kris-maker in Yogyakarta.