Crescent Moon Exhibition

A. G. Maisey · 6th May 2006, 02:44 AM

The National Gallery in Canberra is currently hosting an exhibition entitled:-

Crescent Moon, Islamic Art and civilization in South East Asia.

Here is a link:-

http://www.nga.gov.au/CrescentMoon/

I strongly recommend anybody able to get to this venue to attend. The exhibits cover a number of fields, and there are a limited number of edged weapons exhibited, however, those on display are some of the most famous and most photographed of all South East Asian weaponry.

Speaking for myself I would have felt more than amply rewarded for my 6 hour return journey and $18 admission if only one of the weapons exhibited had been on display.

In my opinion nobody who is able to get to this exhibition should miss it.

If you are unable to attend, you could consider purchase of the catalogue, which is a beautifully produced large format book, with excellent photographs, and contributions by well known authors.

I do not have any connection with the National Gallery, nor with this exhibition and its organisers.

Andrew · 6th May 2006, 03:23 AM

Thanks for the link, Alan. Sounds like a great exhibition. This is particularly beautiful. What did the blade look like?

A. G. Maisey · 6th May 2006, 05:04 AM

The blade was not revealed.

Only one weapon had the blade shown, and that was possibly the only one which definitely should not have had the blade on open display:- Si Ginjei, a pusaka of the Jambi Sultanate.Oh yes, there was one other, a tombak.

My personal stance on the display of blades which are known to have had, or continue to have a pusaka role is that it is perhaps best not to display these blades to the general public.

Display of an art work, display of a blade that has no known or suspected pusaka role, well, that is one thing. Public display of a pusaka, whether one from the past, or a one that is still regarded as fulfilling that function, I regard as at the very least a thing of extreme bad taste.

The focus of the display of weapons was on the art of the dress, which in all pieces on display, was superb.

spiral · 6th May 2006, 12:29 PM

I am wondering, What is pusaka?

Spiral

nechesh · 6th May 2006, 03:44 PM

Great link Alan, thanks. If only i lived close enough to attend...

I realize this isn't your first post, but welcome to the forum. I look forward to your participation and insight.

A. G. Maisey · 7th May 2006, 12:37 AM

The word "pusaka" can have a number of separate, but related meanings, dependent upon the context in which it is used. It can be an heirloom, an inheritance, a ricefield that has been owned by one family for a number of generations, or it can be the physical object that links the current custodian of the pusaka to his forebears and to other living members of his kin group.

A pusaka need not necessarily be an item of wesi aji, such as keris, tombak, or pedang, but can be anything physical , such as a rice cooking pot, a saddle, or even a place of worship or of burial.

In Jawa prior to Kartasura, possession of the royal pusakas was held to be necessary to legitimise the right of the ruler to rule, however, disruption of the realm during the Kartasura era demonstrated that a ruler could indeed hold power in the absence of the royal pusakas. Even though this was shown to be the case, the royal pusakas can still be regarded as symbols of power.

Something I wrote several years ago gives a more in depth understanding of the the idea of "pusaka" as applied to the keris. This link will take you to this article:-

http://www.kerisattosanaji.com/KERISANDNAGA.html

6th May 2006, 02:44 AM	#1
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,898	Crescent Moon Exhibition The National Gallery in Canberra is currently hosting an exhibition entitled:- Crescent Moon, Islamic Art and civilization in South East Asia. Here is a link:- http://www.nga.gov.au/CrescentMoon/ I strongly recommend anybody able to get to this venue to attend. The exhibits cover a number of fields, and there are a limited number of edged weapons exhibited, however, those on display are some of the most famous and most photographed of all South East Asian weaponry. Speaking for myself I would have felt more than amply rewarded for my 6 hour return journey and $18 admission if only one of the weapons exhibited had been on display. In my opinion nobody who is able to get to this exhibition should miss it. If you are unable to attend, you could consider purchase of the catalogue, which is a beautifully produced large format book, with excellent photographs, and contributions by well known authors. I do not have any connection with the National Gallery, nor with this exhibition and its organisers.

6th May 2006, 03:23 AM	#2
Andrew Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: USA Posts: 1,725	Thanks for the link, Alan. Sounds like a great exhibition. This is particularly beautiful. What did the blade look like?

6th May 2006, 05:04 AM	#3
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,898	The blade was not revealed. Only one weapon had the blade shown, and that was possibly the only one which definitely should not have had the blade on open display:- Si Ginjei, a pusaka of the Jambi Sultanate.Oh yes, there was one other, a tombak. My personal stance on the display of blades which are known to have had, or continue to have a pusaka role is that it is perhaps best not to display these blades to the general public. Display of an art work, display of a blade that has no known or suspected pusaka role, well, that is one thing. Public display of a pusaka, whether one from the past, or a one that is still regarded as fulfilling that function, I regard as at the very least a thing of extreme bad taste. The focus of the display of weapons was on the art of the dress, which in all pieces on display, was superb.

6th May 2006, 12:29 PM	#4
spiral Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 1,712	I am wondering, What is pusaka? Spiral

6th May 2006, 03:44 PM	#5
nechesh Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 940	Great link Alan, thanks. If only i lived close enough to attend... I realize this isn't your first post, but welcome to the forum. I look forward to your participation and insight.

7th May 2006, 12:37 AM	#6
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,898	The word "pusaka" can have a number of separate, but related meanings, dependent upon the context in which it is used. It can be an heirloom, an inheritance, a ricefield that has been owned by one family for a number of generations, or it can be the physical object that links the current custodian of the pusaka to his forebears and to other living members of his kin group. A pusaka need not necessarily be an item of wesi aji, such as keris, tombak, or pedang, but can be anything physical , such as a rice cooking pot, a saddle, or even a place of worship or of burial. In Jawa prior to Kartasura, possession of the royal pusakas was held to be necessary to legitimise the right of the ruler to rule, however, disruption of the realm during the Kartasura era demonstrated that a ruler could indeed hold power in the absence of the royal pusakas. Even though this was shown to be the case, the royal pusakas can still be regarded as symbols of power. Something I wrote several years ago gives a more in depth understanding of the the idea of "pusaka" as applied to the keris. This link will take you to this article:- http://www.kerisattosanaji.com/KERISANDNAGA.html