Villagers share art of kris sheath making

By R. Agus Bakti

YOGYAKARTA (JP): The kris -- the traditional Malay and Indonesian dagger -- is no longer in use. Some regard it is as a heirloom, while for others it is only a decoration or a souvenir.

A kris is not complete without a sheath. And here in Banyusumurup village, located south of the Imogiri Royal Cemetery in the Bantul regency, there is a handicraft center for warangka or kris sheaths made from wood.

"Many foreign and domestic tourists, after attending a convention in the city or visiting the royal cemetery, extend their visit to include Banyusumurup," said Nyoman Yudiriani from the local tourist information office.

She said tourists were invited to visit the village to see the process of making kris sheaths and to watch up close the daily life of the craftsmen.

"In general they know about this village from friends who have been here. They also get information from the media," she said.

Craftsman Mugi Slamet said the art of making kris sheaths had been handed down for generations. "Making a sheath requires a touch of art, feeling and patience," he said.

There are currently no fewer than 40 kris sheath makers in the village. Originally the sheaths were made to fill the orders of kris owners like the abdi dalem (court servants) from the Yogyakarta court. Subsequently, the sheaths have been sold as souvenirs to tourists.

Pak Slamet says he learnt the craft from his father, Martoikromo. Some of his ancestors were servants at the court.

A kris sheath is made of wood. Other materials can be used, but the usual choice is a piece of wood with a fine texture and a fragrant smell, like the mahoni (swietenia macrophylla), cendana (santalum album linn) and sanakeling (Java polisander - Dalbergia latifolia).

To obtain the wood Slamet frequently travels to the Banyuwangi region in East Java where the trees grow in abundance.

He produces 400 sheaths, worth at least Rp 10 million, every month, and employs five workers each with different skills. To make the sheaths more practical he has reduced their size. The products are marketed in Bali, Jakarta, Surakarta and Yogyakarta.

What about the price? They cost on average Rp 20,000. "But a kris sheath made to order is a finer product and may cost several hundred thousand rupiah," he said, adding that the business provided his family with an adequate income.

He also said that the kris making business showed an upward trend during Suro (a month in the Javanese calendar), the village's harvest month. The month, which this year began on April 6, is considered the right time to clean a kris and its sheath. It is also the time a cultural ceremony is held at the royal cemetery.

"After the ceremony visitors usually come to my place. This happens every year. They can consult me on the maintenance of their kris sheaths," he said.

Mugi Slamet, a father of five from his marriage to Maridilah, said that over tens of years of making kris sheaths he had been trusted by people from the Yogyakarta and Surakarta palaces. Among his clients is also a famous wayang puppeteer.

The existence of the sheath business in his village gives cause for optimism, especially since the younger generation show an interest in assisting it after school. They smoothen, polish and varnish the wood. They contribute to the lively atmosphere of kris sheath production in the village.

Banyusumurup is located 20 kilometers from the center of Yogyakarta and can be easily reached by public transportation from the city bus terminal.