No, you are not wrong, Pak Ganja, you absolutely spot on target.
Far, far too much of what passes for "keris knowledge" is popular belief, lacking any substantial foundation. Yes, it is valuable in helping our understanding, but not in getting back to the original concepts of exactly how, what, where and why the keris appeared and developed. To do this we need to look not at the keris, but at Javanese history, society, religion, art, and culture. We need to factor in the external influences on that society. The study of the keris is not just the simple thing of looking at an object and learning the current belief systems attached to that object.Not just being able to classify and categorise according to physical characteristics. Not just knowing the social niceties attached to the keris. To understand, or more correctly to try to understand, the keris we need to understand , or try to understand the entire cultural and societal fabric of Jawa.In fact, not just of Jawa, but of the region.
Of course, it is not incumbent upon anybody to undertake such a task. There is nothing wrong with being a collector, or an appreciator of art. Nothing wrong with looking at only the spiritual facets of the keris. Nothing wrong with approaching the keris in whatever way suits our own individual preference or direction. But if we wish to become a student of the keris and its development, we need to venture far into many fields that, on the surface, may appear to have very little to do with the keris.
Professor Merle Ricklefs is a great historian.My limited personal contact with the man has left a lasting and unfavourable impression of some of his other qualities, but as a historian, I rate him as brilliant. Additionally, he is very, very easy to read.Actually, he was born in the USA, but has lived in Australia for many years.If you enjoyed "War, Culture and Economy", you should also read "The Seen and Unseen Worlds in Java, 1726-1749". "Jogjakarta Under Sultan Mangkubumi" is also worth a read, but it is not as gripping as the Kartasura books.I personally believe that the Kartasura period is the key to understanding the present day belief systems that are attached to the keris.The Mataram era is important too, especially the way in which the rulers of Mataram strove to validate their right to kingship by manipulation of language and social mores. But Surakarta is pivotal.
As to the need for a serious academic study of the keris, I understand that a German Phd student wrote such a study with the assistance of Dietrich Drescher; I have no idea of its quality, or contents, but judging from the few comments that have been made by people who have a knowledge of it, I rather suspect it focuses more on the physical than on the metaphysical.
Another excellent work that can assist in understanding the keris is Pigeaud's "Java in the Fourteenth Century".It is a five volume, scarce and expensive book, and is probably not available outside university libraries, but time spent in its study is time well spent.
My alltime top recommendation to assist in keris understanding is Prof. Margaret Wiener's "Visible and Invisible Realms". Anybody who wants to gain some idea of what the keris might have meant in Bali prior to European dominance really should read this book.It is possibly the starting point to an overall understanding of the keris.This book is readily available and it is not expensive.
|