How to read a greneng

A. G. Maisey · 25th July 2017, 10:58 PM

Bjorn, 'ron' doesn't actually mean 'letter', it infers 'letter', the word for 'letter' is 'aksara' in Old Javanese.

One of the characteristics of Javanese language, and I guess of all Javanese behaviour is that very often, most particularly with high status or polite language usage, is that what is said is indirect, which to a degree permits the recipient of a spoken or written message to understand that message in a way that is in accordance with his level of need, or of prior understanding.

This characteristic seems to have undergone development since the rise of the Second Kingdom of Mataram in the late 16th century, but it was probably always present in Javanese communication to some degree.

In respect of Bali and keris form, it is perhaps most useful not to think of Bali as a separate entity to Jawa, but as the "Far East" of Jawa. I personally think in terms of the Jawa-Bali nexus. The old East Javanese kingdoms had some rulers from Bali, and there had been a flow of people from Jawa into Bali for at least several hundred years before the final collapse of Mojopahit. There was some movement of people from Bali back to East Jawa also, but I rather suspect that the people who did move back to East Jawa were people who had Javanese roots, not the indigenous inhabitants of Bali.

Bali received the keris from East Jawa, and because of this, the form of the Balinese keris most closely echoes the form of the true keris of Mojopahit times. This is re-enforced by the fact that early Banten keris resemble in many ways the Balinese keris.

This is not because there was a direct exchange between these two widely separate places, but rather because after the collapse of Mojopahit there was migration, especially migration of craftsmen, from Mojopahit to West Jawa, as well as from Mojopahit to Bali.

Never forget that the people of the Archipelago did not ever regard water as a barrier, they thought of all water, both sea and rivers, as highways.

25th July 2017, 10:58 PM	#11
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 7,047	Bjorn, 'ron' doesn't actually mean 'letter', it infers 'letter', the word for 'letter' is 'aksara' in Old Javanese. One of the characteristics of Javanese language, and I guess of all Javanese behaviour is that very often, most particularly with high status or polite language usage, is that what is said is indirect, which to a degree permits the recipient of a spoken or written message to understand that message in a way that is in accordance with his level of need, or of prior understanding. This characteristic seems to have undergone development since the rise of the Second Kingdom of Mataram in the late 16th century, but it was probably always present in Javanese communication to some degree. In respect of Bali and keris form, it is perhaps most useful not to think of Bali as a separate entity to Jawa, but as the "Far East" of Jawa. I personally think in terms of the Jawa-Bali nexus. The old East Javanese kingdoms had some rulers from Bali, and there had been a flow of people from Jawa into Bali for at least several hundred years before the final collapse of Mojopahit. There was some movement of people from Bali back to East Jawa also, but I rather suspect that the people who did move back to East Jawa were people who had Javanese roots, not the indigenous inhabitants of Bali. Bali received the keris from East Jawa, and because of this, the form of the Balinese keris most closely echoes the form of the true keris of Mojopahit times. This is re-enforced by the fact that early Banten keris resemble in many ways the Balinese keris. This is not because there was a direct exchange between these two widely separate places, but rather because after the collapse of Mojopahit there was migration, especially migration of craftsmen, from Mojopahit to West Jawa, as well as from Mojopahit to Bali. Never forget that the people of the Archipelago did not ever regard water as a barrier, they thought of all water, both sea and rivers, as highways.