Introduction and Empu Mudra keris

globalnomad · 15th January 2025, 01:53 AM

Hello Everyone,

Would like to introduce myself and it's always more fun with photos.

I recently moved to Jakarta and during the holidays, was able to visit Empu Ketut Mudra and his son, Komang at their place in Klungkung, Bali.

I was able to acquire my first keris from them. The original came with a Ganesh hilt but they graciously accommodated my request to have one made that resembled their multi-generational, gigantic keris. I know it is not traditional but felt it was a good homage to them.

I have been learning a lot from reading the forum and look forward to continuing my education and journey into the Indonesian and keris culture.

If anyone is in the area, I am always up for coffee and a good conversation about keris and Indonesian life.

Kind Regard,
Alejandro

David · 15th January 2025, 05:03 PM

Welcome to the forum Globalnomad. I would suggest that if you are especially interested in Bali keris that you spend some time in out archives as there are some extraordinary examples to view there.

A. G. Maisey · 15th January 2025, 10:34 PM

You might like to visit the Neka Museum in Bali if you get the opportunity, this place is a general art museum, with a couple of galleries filled with keris, some are modern art keris, many of which are of very high quality, here is a sample:-

http://www.kerisattosanaji.com/neka-page-1

in the left hand gallery at the top of the stairs you will find a collection of genuinely old keris, which is very valuable to collectors to provide a real life example of what genuine old Bali keris really looked like.

Here is a link to the website:-

https://nekaartmuseum.com/

A visit to the Bali Provincial State Museum in Den Pasar is also worth a visit, here is a sample:-

http://www.kerisattosanaji.com/den-pasar-museum-p-1

globalnomad · 16th January 2025, 03:12 AM

Thank you David and Alan for the recommendations.

I have been going over a lot of the discussions and learning so much. I'll make sure to review the archives for additional information.

I was lucky enough to find the Neka museum during my last visit and will return again as there's so much to take in. I'm sure we can all just spend hours going over those two rooms.

I appreciate being pointed to the Bali Provincial State Museum as I haven't visited there so that will be on my next itinerary.

Thank you again to you both of you as a lot of my learning has been from your responses in the discussions along with some of the other senior members of the forum.

If there are any other Empus / shops / museums or other keris related places in Bali or Java that anyone recommends, I'd appreciate the input.

Thanks,
Alejandro

David · 22nd January 2025, 08:41 PM

Globalnomad, one thing i would recommend that you do is to make a careful comparison to the quality of craft in these older Bali keris with the one you have presented here.

SidJ · 29th January 2025, 05:15 PM

Is that keris really made by a bona-fide Empu or a self professed one?

David · 29th January 2025, 06:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SidJ

Is that keris really made by a bona-fide Empu or a self professed one?

Ketut Mudra is indeed well respected in Bali and often acknowledged as the last pande who still knows the proper rites and mantras necessary to create a keris suitable to becoming pusaka. He does descend from a long line of pande besi and apparently began making keris in 2000.
I have rarely seen the title of "Empu" applied to pande keris in Bali and the same system of keraton appointed keris makers does not, as far as i know, exist in Bali. However, in 2025 many things are different in the keris world than they once were. As you can see in the article and the video i have posted below, Ketut Mudra is indeed being recognized by others as an Empu.
None of this, however, speaks specifically to craft or skill level when it comes to creating a high art keris.

https://www.nowbali.co.id/empu-keris...acred-daggers/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQrr4EsnL_I

Sajen · 29th January 2025, 10:05 PM

Is the keris blade in question really worked by pande Mudra? By all respect, the blade in question looks like it was made by a beginner!?

Regards,
Detlef

SidJ · 30th January 2025, 01:07 AM

Looks like the skill in carving in the finer details on the blade are a direct function of the thickness of the wheel on the angle grinder being so enthusiastically used in David's video! That's a hard no for me personally.

A. G. Maisey · 1st February 2025, 06:05 AM

David is absolutely correct in respect of his remarks about Pande Ketut Mudra.

He is descended from a long line of pandes who served the Puri Klungkung.

He is probably the last pande keris living who knows the old mantras.

Yes, his art work is perhaps not as good as the art work of some other keris makers, but artwork is only one aspect of keris production, Pande Ketut Mudra is highly respected by the people of his own culture & society, and the elements of any culture are the property of the people who own that culture.

It is not the place of any person from outside a culture to criticize the craftsmen who work within any culture.

SidJ · 3rd February 2025, 11:12 AM

Alan,
We live in strange modern times. Culture is a contentious term. In the olden days when things were set apart I would agree with your last sentence. But today pandes make and sell keris to folk outside their culture for commercial gain. On this basis, I see nothing objectionable in those outsiders expressing their opinions on the art they have access to. By objective standards the keris we see is plainly of a less sophisticated physical form than its forbears. It may be equally spiritually potent but no judgement is made in that regard. If the new form is accepted by the Balinese so be it. But because a Balinese chooses for whatever social norms or custom to not assess critically the form of the blade is perhaps one of the reasons why we now see this type of change? I say all this with the utmost respect and only in manner of Socratic questioning.

15th January 2025, 01:53 AM	#1
globalnomad Member Join Date: Jan 2025 Location: Jakarta Posts: 2	Introduction and Empu Mudra keris Hello Everyone, Would like to introduce myself and it's always more fun with photos. I recently moved to Jakarta and during the holidays, was able to visit Empu Ketut Mudra and his son, Komang at their place in Klungkung, Bali. I was able to acquire my first keris from them. The original came with a Ganesh hilt but they graciously accommodated my request to have one made that resembled their multi-generational, gigantic keris. I know it is not traditional but felt it was a good homage to them. I have been learning a lot from reading the forum and look forward to continuing my education and journey into the Indonesian and keris culture. If anyone is in the area, I am always up for coffee and a good conversation about keris and Indonesian life. Kind Regard, Alejandro Attached Images

15th January 2025, 05:03 PM	#2
David Keris forum moderator Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Nova Scotia Posts: 7,190	Welcome to the forum Globalnomad. I would suggest that if you are especially interested in Bali keris that you spend some time in out archives as there are some extraordinary examples to view there.

15th January 2025, 10:34 PM	#3
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,953	You might like to visit the Neka Museum in Bali if you get the opportunity, this place is a general art museum, with a couple of galleries filled with keris, some are modern art keris, many of which are of very high quality, here is a sample:- http://www.kerisattosanaji.com/neka-page-1 in the left hand gallery at the top of the stairs you will find a collection of genuinely old keris, which is very valuable to collectors to provide a real life example of what genuine old Bali keris really looked like. Here is a link to the website:- https://nekaartmuseum.com/ A visit to the Bali Provincial State Museum in Den Pasar is also worth a visit, here is a sample:- http://www.kerisattosanaji.com/den-pasar-museum-p-1

16th January 2025, 03:12 AM	#4
globalnomad Member Join Date: Jan 2025 Location: Jakarta Posts: 2	Thank you David and Alan for the recommendations. I have been going over a lot of the discussions and learning so much. I'll make sure to review the archives for additional information. I was lucky enough to find the Neka museum during my last visit and will return again as there's so much to take in. I'm sure we can all just spend hours going over those two rooms. I appreciate being pointed to the Bali Provincial State Museum as I haven't visited there so that will be on my next itinerary. Thank you again to you both of you as a lot of my learning has been from your responses in the discussions along with some of the other senior members of the forum. If there are any other Empus / shops / museums or other keris related places in Bali or Java that anyone recommends, I'd appreciate the input. Thanks, Alejandro

22nd January 2025, 08:41 PM	#5
David Keris forum moderator Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Nova Scotia Posts: 7,190	Globalnomad, one thing i would recommend that you do is to make a careful comparison to the quality of craft in these older Bali keris with the one you have presented here.

29th January 2025, 05:15 PM	#6
SidJ Member Join Date: Apr 2020 Posts: 204	Is that keris really made by a bona-fide Empu or a self professed one?

29th January 2025, 10:05 PM	#8
Sajen Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Germany, Dortmund Posts: 9,078	Is the keris blade in question really worked by pande Mudra? By all respect, the blade in question looks like it was made by a beginner!? Regards, Detlef

30th January 2025, 01:07 AM	#9
SidJ Member Join Date: Apr 2020 Posts: 204	Looks like the skill in carving in the finer details on the blade are a direct function of the thickness of the wheel on the angle grinder being so enthusiastically used in David's video! That's a hard no for me personally.

1st February 2025, 06:05 AM	#10
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,953	David is absolutely correct in respect of his remarks about Pande Ketut Mudra. He is descended from a long line of pandes who served the Puri Klungkung. He is probably the last pande keris living who knows the old mantras. Yes, his art work is perhaps not as good as the art work of some other keris makers, but artwork is only one aspect of keris production, Pande Ketut Mudra is highly respected by the people of his own culture & society, and the elements of any culture are the property of the people who own that culture. It is not the place of any person from outside a culture to criticize the craftsmen who work within any culture.

3rd February 2025, 11:12 AM	#11
SidJ Member Join Date: Apr 2020 Posts: 204	Alan, We live in strange modern times. Culture is a contentious term. In the olden days when things were set apart I would agree with your last sentence. But today pandes make and sell keris to folk outside their culture for commercial gain. On this basis, I see nothing objectionable in those outsiders expressing their opinions on the art they have access to. By objective standards the keris we see is plainly of a less sophisticated physical form than its forbears. It may be equally spiritually potent but no judgement is made in that regard. If the new form is accepted by the Balinese so be it. But because a Balinese chooses for whatever social norms or custom to not assess critically the form of the blade is perhaps one of the reasons why we now see this type of change? I say all this with the utmost respect and only in manner of Socratic questioning.