K a l a w i j a -- The Unordinary Dhapur

ganjawulung · 25th May 2007, 04:45 AM

Dear All,

Kalawija in keris, is a classification of kerises with unordinary dhapur. You must differ with "modern keris" which sometimes abides the pakem rule. Kalawija is still in a pakem rule of keris, although the form and style is unordinary.

Kerises with luks or curves more than 13, Javanese calls such keris as "Kalawija". But Kalawija itself is not the name of the dhapur. It is just classification.

This time, I will show you one kalawija keris, bears dhapur "Kalabendu" with 29 luks. I got this keris 11 years ago, once exhibited by a kerabat (family) of Mangkubumi (Yogyakartanese ruler), at Bentara Budaya Keris Exhibition in Jakarta 1996.

You may "loop" the kalawija keris by such way (like in picture), to see how still artistic the kalawija keris, quite in line, although with too many luks. The keris is still with normal size, like any other Mataram era kerises.

The pamor is also not common. We call it, "pamor dwi warna" or there are two kinds of pamor in one blade. The first is of course the main pamor "beras wutah" (the scattered rice?) and the second is "sekar kopi" or coffee's bloom (may be not the right English word, pls correct it)

Raden Usman Djogja · 25th May 2007, 06:08 AM

Gonjo,

it looks like hb VII. is it?

wonderful warangka.

what does kalawija mean? the name of kalawija is also used for a certain "abdi dalem" in keraton.

please, upload more pictures from different angle. thank you.

you must have spent a lot for your collection. whenever in Jakarta, may i visit you? wonderful collection.

Someone said to me that he looked for kerises everywhere and everytime. Till someday, he got a "special" keris. After that, it seemed that kerises looking for him. Without any hard efforts, people came to him to offer kerises. Do you have a similiar experience?

Usmen

ganjawulung · 25th May 2007, 06:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raden Usman Djogja

Someone said to me that he looked for kerises everywhere and everytime. Till someday, he got a "special" keris. After that, it seemed that kerises looking for him. Without any hard efforts, people came to him to offer kerises. Do you have a similiar experience?

Usmen

Maybe Raden,
At least, it was formerly owned by the kerabat (family) of Hamengku Buwono (HB) VII and VIII. (Grand-grand father of the father's owner was HB VII and the Grand-grand father of the mother's owner was HB VIII).

From the style of the sheath, you may see that it comes from "wanda" (special style) of Hamengku Buwanan, not Amangkuratan (older ruler of Mataram). The wood grain also one of the best wood-motive, highest rated motive in Yogyakarta Tradition (in Solo, the more favorite is cendana wood or the sandal wood). It called "ngingrim" motive, from the favorite wood of "timoho" (Kleinhovia hospita). The ukiran (handle) also from the favorite wood, called "tayuman" (kind of bush wood, Cassia laevigata Wild).

People in Yogyakarta, they generally appreciated the special motives of timoho wood. Even they named the timoho motives, as motives in pamor. "Ngingrim" is the best motive of timoho, besiden "sembur" (many round motives like tiger's fur). They called the motives in timoho wood as "pelet". So, pelet really is the name of pamor in timoho wood.

I have special experience of owning such good keris. Actually there was someone (a rich collector) who had wanted to "nglamar" (buy) that keris three times higher, but the owner preferred to me. He said, "If I give this keris to him (the collector), I won't see it anymore. But if it is yours, I still can see it in the future...," So I got the keris with a very unreasonable low price...

ganjawulung · 25th May 2007, 07:11 AM

The exact meaning of "kalawija" itself is "unordinary". I've written in other thread, that "unordinary" conditions are not only in keris world, but also human. People, with such "kelainan" (I don't know the English word) or "cacat" (disabled) also called "kalawijan".

In keraton Solo, they have "abdi dalem kalawijan" or "palawijan", that consist of disabled people (dwarf, etc). They believed that if they give living to such people, it will bring luck, good fortune... (Like many Javanese people, they are living with good hope in the future, even they are poor or unfortunate).

Kalawija in style of making keris, and also of making hilts, means "unordinary style" or models. "Kalawijan people" in daily Javanese live, also include: "outstanding artist, traditional dancer, gamelan composer... etc). So such keris kalawija like this, believed to be suitable for them too..

Ganjawulung

Raden Usman Djogja · 25th May 2007, 08:34 AM

Gonjo and kerislovers,

may i ask some thing?
did you face "a situation" that after having "a certain keris" your collection increased exponentially?

to kerislovers, i ask the same question. please answer.

thank you

Usman

Marcokeris · 25th May 2007, 10:18 AM

All Jimmy's peace are beautifully made.
A question: in a picture in another thread I saw a completre sarong made by Tayuman

. When i ask for tayuman in Yogya, people told me that the tree of tayuman is very little and so is possible to make hit but not sarong. Could i have some right news about tayuman?

David · 25th May 2007, 02:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raden Usman Djogja

Gonjo and kerislovers,

may i ask some thing?
did you face "a situation" that after having "a certain keris" your collection increased exponentially?

to kerislovers, i ask the same question. please answer.

thank you

Usman

Usman, for many years i owned just one old Jawa keris and one Moro kris sword. I was alway searching for new information about them. Then one day, about 2 and a half years ago i discovered vikingsword.com and my entire keris world opened up for me.

Now i own more than 3 dozen keris and 3 more Moro kris so for me it would seem that it wasn't a keris, but a "Vikingsword" which has increased my collection exponentially.

Pangeran Datu · 26th May 2007, 12:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raden Usman Djogja

Gonjo and kerislovers,

may i ask some thing?
did you face "a situation" that after having "a certain keris" your collection increased exponentially?

to kerislovers, i ask the same question. please answer.

thank you

Usman

Amww

Hi Rd. U. Djogja,

The short answer to your question is: 'YES'.

Probably because as part of the family heirloom we have one with the inscription: 'LAA IQRAHA FIDDIEN' (in Arabic script) and another with the inscription:' na twah ram pes dina urang agamaning pare' (in Caraka script).

Strange coincidence, but just before I came online, I got a phone call from a friend who told me that there's a man in Bali who thinks that I may be interested in having his family heirloom as he can't look after it.

As for the word 'kalawija':
It comes from the word kala=time and wija=seed i.e. time for planting seed.
There is another word:'PALAwija', from phala=fruit. In some regions, one or the other is used, while in others, they are used interchangeably.
Palawija is the term used for plants grown on the earth embankments/partitions of paddy fields/fishponds.
At rice-seedling planting time, whatever other 'fruit'-bearing seeds available are planted both to secure the earthenworks and to maximise yield.
Both words are derived from an agrarian society predisposed to symbolism, usually in its simplest form i.e. relating to their everyday life/universe.

So, Kalawija/Palawija refers to something which is not the staple/norm.

Well, that's my input, for what it's worth.
Hope it helps.

Cheers,
Amww

25th May 2007, 04:45 AM	#1
ganjawulung Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: J a k a r t a Posts: 991	K a l a w i j a -- The Unordinary Dhapur Dear All, Kalawija in keris, is a classification of kerises with unordinary dhapur. You must differ with "modern keris" which sometimes abides the pakem rule. Kalawija is still in a pakem rule of keris, although the form and style is unordinary. Kerises with luks or curves more than 13, Javanese calls such keris as "Kalawija". But Kalawija itself is not the name of the dhapur. It is just classification. This time, I will show you one kalawija keris, bears dhapur "Kalabendu" with 29 luks. I got this keris 11 years ago, once exhibited by a kerabat (family) of Mangkubumi (Yogyakartanese ruler), at Bentara Budaya Keris Exhibition in Jakarta 1996. You may "loop" the kalawija keris by such way (like in picture), to see how still artistic the kalawija keris, quite in line, although with too many luks. The keris is still with normal size, like any other Mataram era kerises. The pamor is also not common. We call it, "pamor dwi warna" or there are two kinds of pamor in one blade. The first is of course the main pamor "beras wutah" (the scattered rice?) and the second is "sekar kopi" or coffee's bloom (may be not the right English word, pls correct it) Attached Images

25th May 2007, 07:11 AM	#4
ganjawulung Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: J a k a r t a Posts: 991	The Word Kalawija The exact meaning of "kalawija" itself is "unordinary". I've written in other thread, that "unordinary" conditions are not only in keris world, but also human. People, with such "kelainan" (I don't know the English word) or "cacat" (disabled) also called "kalawijan". In keraton Solo, they have "abdi dalem kalawijan" or "palawijan", that consist of disabled people (dwarf, etc). They believed that if they give living to such people, it will bring luck, good fortune... (Like many Javanese people, they are living with good hope in the future, even they are poor or unfortunate). Kalawija in style of making keris, and also of making hilts, means "unordinary style" or models. "Kalawijan people" in daily Javanese live, also include: "outstanding artist, traditional dancer, gamelan composer... etc). So such keris kalawija like this, believed to be suitable for them too.. Ganjawulung

25th May 2007, 06:08 AM	#2
Raden Usman Djogja Member Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 199	Gonjo, it looks like hb VII. is it? wonderful warangka. what does kalawija mean? the name of kalawija is also used for a certain "abdi dalem" in keraton. please, upload more pictures from different angle. thank you. you must have spent a lot for your collection. whenever in Jakarta, may i visit you? wonderful collection. Someone said to me that he looked for kerises everywhere and everytime. Till someday, he got a "special" keris. After that, it seemed that kerises looking for him. Without any hard efforts, people came to him to offer kerises. Do you have a similiar experience? Usmen

25th May 2007, 08:34 AM	#5
Raden Usman Djogja Member Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 199	Gonjo and kerislovers, may i ask some thing? did you face "a situation" that after having "a certain keris" your collection increased exponentially? to kerislovers, i ask the same question. please answer. thank you Usman

25th May 2007, 10:18 AM	#6
Marcokeris Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Italy Posts: 928	All Jimmy's peace are beautifully made. A question: in a picture in another thread I saw a completre sarong made by Tayuman . When i ask for tayuman in Yogya, people told me that the tree of tayuman is very little and so is possible to make hit but not sarong. Could i have some right news about tayuman?