[tunggulametung]

The title means Javanese who has lost his Javanese identity. These days, perhaps less than 10% of the household own a keris but 90% plus own one or more mobile phone (you can get an okay quality keris at the price of throw away phone). The reality is that life in Java has been more and more Westernized or Arabized-whatever that means.

To my knowledge, these days in Java (also true to Sumatra & Bali), keris worn by the bridegroom are mostly rented/supplied by the bridal shop as part of the attire/make up package. So it really depends on the bridal shop, some provide better keris than the other-true there are many bridal shops who supplied KLO just like what Alan said, but no cardboard to my knowledge (what year is that Alan?), mostly just simple thin metal. Even if someone own a keris, it is not always the one he worn at the wedding ceremony. Not to mention that in Java there are less and less traditional wedding ceremony being replaced with somewhat more Islamic attire where keris is no longer present (these are often more affordable as far as the budget goes). Same to the wedding entertainment where traditional shows like wayang which had been widely replaced by more modern entertainment like orgen tunggal or dangdut (often with DJ!).

I completely agree with Alan regarding the buyer of better quality keris which mostly are collectors but I have different observation regarding pusaka concept which is in general nearly no longer existent in Java, but the concept of family keris as pusaka is alive in Bali especially in the extended family level (not every household own a keris).

Attached is a wedding photo of RI president's son not so long ago (Java-Palembang intermarriage). He obviously came from a family who should be able to afford the best available keris in the market but it looks like a KLO to me (I hope I'm wrong). There's another notable three days wedding ceremony last year (Hamengkubuwono's daughter, Lampung-Java intermarriage) which may represent the royal family or ningrat wedding where proper keris is usually being worn. It is interesting to note that in one of the ceremony where RI 1 present, all keris except Hamengkubuwono's and the bridegroom's are being tied down as part of the presidential protocol.