For an understanding of what the Majapahit "empire" was really like, I most strongly suggest a reading of all five volumes of Pigeaud's
"Java in the Fourteenth Century" .
This may seem like a cyptic remark, but to provide a fuller explanation, beginning from the base we have here, would take me far too long, use too much Forum space, and undoubtedly be off topic.
The keris as it is known now simply did not exist during Majapahit. What we see now is the result of 500 years of cultural development. A probable representation of a Majapahit keris style is shown in the Panataran reliefs, and it looks remarkably like a present day bugis keris, including the scabbard.
The Brahmana, K'satriya, and Wesia of Bali consider themselves to be "wong Maospait" = "people of Majapahit" . The Balinese keris is very probably a good representation of the keris of Majapahit, as it was circa 1468, however, the earlier keris would probably have been a little smaller than the later Balinese keris became.
Different styles clearly existed, and were probably associated with different levels of society. The "keris" of the common people was probably known as the "tuhuk" (tuhuk = tewek) (see ying yai sheng lan "pulak" ), whilst the kerises of others levels in society bore different names.This "keris" of the common people may not have even been recognizable as something that we would call a "keris" today.
As for the Tenggerese and keris, these people supposedly descended from Majapahit royalty. Maybe. Or maybe its just a creation myth. In any case, they settled on the slopes of Bromo and formed a remote community. Farmers, not traders. Material for weapon manufacture would have been a problem for them, I feel that any iron that they had available would have been used for tools, rather than weapons, and at the time they settled, the keris had not yet developed its character as a cultural icon, it was still very much associated with the elites. Bearing in mind the social and cultural factors at play here, it does not surprise me in even the slightest degree that the keris is not prominent in Tenggerese society.
In fact, after the collapse of Majapahit, little groups of Hindu-Buddhist people from Majapahit isolated themselves in remote areas all over East Jawa. Certainly, some went to Bali, but not all did. Demak conducted conversion at the point of sword, and all other Islamic kingdoms which followed Demak did the same, right through to Amangkurat. Blambangan was the longest big hold out, but the small, remote settlements were pretty much left alone. If the Islamic troops put in an appearance, the villagers just melted into the mountains and disappeared until the Muslims got sick of looking for them, and went home. One such remote settlement was above Songgoriti , in the hills behind Batu, above Malang in East Jawa. Until today the remnants of the original refugees who fled from Islamic conversion live in this area. They have assimilated with later Muslim arrivals in the area, but they preserve the memory of their inheritance, and this is acknowledged by all who live in the area. They were the original elites of this area.
If anybody has any real desire to learn anything at all about the keris, that person needs to stop reading about keris and weaponry and commence a very diverse study program that encompasses many subjects which are "off topic" for keris discussion.
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