Si Ginjai -- National Museum of Jakarta

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QUOTE=Boedhi Adhitya]
...By the way, have you seen the (not so) newly open gold room in National Museum ? It has some beautiful keris collections. The unsheated 'Si Ginje' is exhibited, amongs other. Harsrinuksmo falsely mentioned it as having dhapur Singa barong, as I recall.[/QUOTE]

Yes, Mas Boedhi,

The new 4 stories National Museum of Jakarta is already open for public. And, Gentlemen, if anyone of you visit Jakarta, please not to forget to pay visit to this interesting museum. Especially the "Khasanah" Room -- Gold Rooms in the 4th floor of the new building, where you may see beautiful collections of Nusantara (Indonesia) keris too. (Some collections as you may see the pictures in the other thread of this forum, on Nice Balinese Handle...)

There are still quite a lot of collections of kerises in the old building, on the 2nd floor of the old museum, for instance: some original keris panjang from Sumatera, some kerises from Kalimantan etc. But the better display is in the new museum -- just beside the old museum in Jalan Merdeka Barat -- not far from the Indonesian presidential palace near Monas. It is an "obligatory" place to see for keris lover, if you go to Jakarta. Also the Keris Museum in Taman Mini Indonesia Indah, in East Jakarta.

I like the Sulawesi kerises so much from this museum collection. Also the Sumatranese kerises, Kalimantan kerises, good old Madura and Bali kerises. But unfortunately, not allowed to take fotos...

Originally Posted by A. G. Maisey

Here's a pic of Si Ginjei.

Si Ginjei was a part of an exhibition of Islamic Art held at the National Gallery of Australia a little while back.

Pak Ganja, correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't Si Ginjei attributed to Ki Nom, not just in the style of Ki Nom? I've read this somewhere, I'll try to find the reference.

Alan, you are fortunate you were able to take fotos of Si Ginjei. I just could look at it from 30 cm distance, behind the glass of the museum display on Tuesday. (Not allowed to take fotos. This is just a reproduction from a foto of the museum book). I said "Ki Nom Style", because I have no factual proof, except I read it from some writings, and from seeing the style of keris making...

(This is not history)
He was called Ki Nom (probably: "the ever young") because of his long living, and experiencing the era of end of Majapahit, till the golden era of Mataram (Islamic) Sultan Agung Hanyokrokusumo. It was said, that he died in the age of 104 years. From the written story, it was believed that the creator of this keris that later called by some people as Si Ginjai, or Si Ginje, was Empu Ki Nom.

The appearance of Si Ginjai, is indeed very attractive: seems very strong, but beautiful, with gold "kinatah kamarogan" or gold kinatah almost along the whole blade. A little bit smaller than the Balinese keris, but quite much bigger than the normal Javanese keris.

Some of Ki Nom characteristics in keris making: ...he liked to make "kelengan" (pamorless) kerises, much of his works were beautiful "megantara dhapur" kerises, liked to make good craftmenship of "kruwingan" in every blade he made...

The text under Si Ginjai keris in the museum, also interesting:
Keris Si Ginje was a keris pusaka from Jambi, Sumatera. It was made before 1850 (?). Legend on Si Ginjai was related to the ancestors of Jambi people. Orang Kaya Hitam (this name, actually means: The Black Rich Man). Because he (Orang Kaya Hitam) had refused to pay donations to Majapahit, the Ruler of Majapahit planned to killed him with a very special keris -- which should be forged in a certain way, and was made in 9 different places, with 9 different materials. And the first two words of the materials should begin with "pa". The forging of the keris should be made only in every Friday, by a very special and secret empu. It was said, Orang Kaya Hitam knew the plan. From his adventure-travelling, Orang Hitam could find the keris, before the keris was used to kill him...

This story could be interpreted, as kind of symbol, that there was serious hostility between certain ruler of Java, and Sumatera.

Apart from the Orang Hitam story above, factually keris Si Ginjai is indeed a beautiful and robust keris, but still has javanese style, although the overall dress is Sumatranese...

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