Question about preserving a keris

pakana · 8th August 2007, 08:57 PM

Greetings to all,

I would like to hear your opinion about preserving a keris. Do you think that the kerisboards that sold all over, are o.k, or the closed cabinet is more appropriate? Which is the ideal way? Any thoughts? This question is related and with the metaphisical aspect of keris I quess..

PenangsangII · 9th August 2007, 06:48 AM

Pakana,

From spiritual point of view, traditionally keris is hung on the wall. The boards / holder is more appropriate in this aspect. Do remember, the spirit of the keris needs to breathe too, and being enclosed in the cupboard may suffocate him

.

Penangsang

David · 9th August 2007, 03:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PenangsangII

Pakana,

From spiritual point of view, traditionally keris is hung on the wall. The boards / holder is more appropriate in this aspect. Do remember, the spirit of the keris needs to breathe too, and being enclosed in the cupboard may suffocate him

.

Penangsang

I think this is mostly a Jawanese perspective. AFAIK keris boards are not used in Bali. At least i have never seen one large enough to accommodate the larger Balinese form. Special plush lined boxes are also known for storing special keris, though i do bring the one i keep in such a box out in the open air regularly to avoid suffocation.

Personally i like to display my collection in my study for my own regular appreciation, but i do understand that others prefer to keep their keris mostly stored away. I think it might also depend on just how large your collection might be.

I use a combination of wall boards (blawong), keris racks (ploncon) and a variety of Balinese standing figural holders to do the job. But i think that if you feel more comfortable keeping your keris in a closable cabinet that it is just fine.

On a more practical level one might want to consider such elements as temperature and humidity. If you have a way to controls these where your are stored, all the better. I, unfortunately, do not, but i live in a climate which generally doesn't hit the high extremes. In the winter i usually make sure there is a bowl of water nearby to evaporate into the air to cut down on the dryness. I also make sure that my blades are regularly oiled and, on the more spiritual side, smoked with incense.

pakana · 9th August 2007, 03:58 PM

Thank you very much for your opinions. But the suffocation thing do happen? Or is just a joke?

george

asomotif · 9th August 2007, 04:30 PM

I assume that the suffocation is a spiritiual suffocation.

I keep my best keris on a kerisboard in the attic.
Attic tend to be spooky places, but with the protection of the keris I consider it save now

ganjawulung · 9th August 2007, 07:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pakana

I would like to hear your opinion about preserving a keris. Do you think that the kerisboards that sold all over, are o.k, or the closed cabinet is more appropriate? Which is the ideal way? Any thoughts? This question is related and with the metaphisical aspect of keris I quess..

It depends on the space available, and also the consideration whether it is a fixed preservation or moveable. This is examples of preserving in a moveable manner. In a wooden "ploncon" (keris or short spear stands). Not wasting too much space, and still moveable. You may use also, as David said, with "blawong" (wooden carving for putting a single keris in the wall)...

Ganjawulung

pakana · 9th August 2007, 10:14 PM

So Ganjawulung,

Do you think it is appropriate for kerises to be stored in plonkon all together? I say that because there is this opinion that they must be stored each one separetely. I guess it's that the spirit inside wants it's privacy.. But again if your house is not a palace in Keraton, then you have a problem..

I would like to hear the thoughts of native Indonesians as you, as keris is a part of your culture..
george

A. G. Maisey · 10th August 2007, 12:14 AM

What I will write is not advice.

It is the telling of what some museums do, truly spiritual people whom I know in Jawa, and whom are also orientated towards keris do, and what I do.

If one wishes to preserve the blade of the keris it should be stored bare, on a glass shelf, lightly coated with a good gun oil, and in controlled atmosphere to limit humidity and extremes of heat and cold.
The wrongko, jejeran, mendak, and pendok should all be separated and stored on glass under atmospheric conditions suited to the materials involved.
This approach is ideal for preservation.

If one holds the belief that one's keris is a mystical object, then it must be treated with a degree of respect, and whatever essence it may hold should be conserved. The keris should be stored in a singep ( a purpose made cloth bag), the singep placed horizontally in a purpose built chest, and this chest kept in a cupboard in the most private male section of the house, possibly a dedicated cabinet in the study or office would be ideal.
On specific occasion, or as the need may arise, it would be acceptable to place this keris in a blawong , above head hieght, on the wall of the house in a location where the need may most likely be met.
This is the approach I have observed that is used by my inlaws and friends who live in Jawa and who are "keris conscious", but who are not keris collectors.

I keep my entire collection of keris in a security room in my house. It is not a large room, and it contains several chests of drawers, several sets of shelves, and a very large camphorwood chest. All my keris are kept in singeps, and those singeps are kept in drawers and boxes. All keris are stored horizontally. The blades of my keris are oiled with a keris oil that is made of 50% medicinal parrafin, 45% sandalwood oil, and 5% kenanga oil. Prior to oiling all blades have been drenched with WD40. All blades are wrapped in plastic film prior to being placed in the wrongko.
In this security room I have one keris in a single ploncon, and two keris in blawongs; these are my personal keris.
I do not have any keris displayed anywhere in my house.
I do have a number of tombak in the house, 7 on display shafts in a ploncon, 4 or 5 on full length shafts placed in various corners. These tombak are not consciously displayed, but kept as they are simply because it is convenient for me.
Apart from what I have outlined here, there are always a number of keris in various stages of maintenance that are spread throughout the house, some at one end of the diningroom table, some on the dresser, some in the bedroom, some in the workshop.Anywhere I turn I can see keris, but these are not on display, they are being worked on.

In times past I have kept keris on open display, but I found that the amount of work required to maintain keris that were left open to dust, flies, humidity and so on, was simply too great. I once had something like 80 or 100 keris displayed in a dedicated alcove of my house, and to maintain these keris in good condition used almost all my spare time. Open display , in my opinion, is just not practical.

Ultimately, the way in which one stores one's keris is a personal decision. The objective should be to store in a way that gives one the highest degree of comfort.

ganjawulung · 10th August 2007, 07:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pakana

Do you think it is appropriate for kerises to be stored in plonkon all together? I say that because there is this opinion that they must be stored each one separetely. I guess it's that the spirit inside wants it's privacy.. But again if your house is not a palace in Keraton, then you have a problem..

I would like to hear the thoughts of native Indonesians as you, as keris is a part of your culture..
george

Dear George,
In many occasions, the Javanese commoners store their kerises in their "dressoir" (together with their clothes), in the upper rack and kept in singeps... It is really a personal consideration.

Ganjawulung

PenangsangII · 10th August 2007, 10:01 AM

I guess the Javanese culture in Indonesia and Malaysia has differred tremendously, although more or less I can still understand Javanese - pasar & halus

A Malaysian Javanese wiseman once told me not to keep my keris in the casing / ploncon because "HE" would be "sumbeg" or suffocating, thus advised me to hang it on the wall tip down using a blawong / display board.

The casing / ploncon is usually used to cover up tumbak or spear heads, and when in use for keris, it's when we carry the keris to Upacara Suro or other ceremonies (except the one on your waist).

PenangsangII · 10th August 2007, 11:19 AM

Ooopss...correction. I mean "singep" as the casing, and not the "ploncon".

ganjawulung · 10th August 2007, 03:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PenangsangII

I guess the Javanese culture in Indonesia and Malaysia has differred tremendously, although more or less I can still understand Javanese - pasar & halus

A Malaysian Javanese wiseman once told me not to keep my keris in the casing / ploncon because "HE" would be "sumbeg" or suffocating, thus advised me to hang it on the wall tip down using a blawong / display board.

The casing / ploncon is usually used to cover up tumbak or spear heads, and when in use for keris, it's when we carry the keris to Upacara Suro or other ceremonies (except the one on your waist).

Dear Penangsang,
Please don't be disheartened by the differences. Even in Solo and Jogjakarta (indonesia) which is only 64 kms apart, still there are quite a lot of differences in their way of appreciating their traditional arts. Including keris and of course, their wayang, and gamelan (javanese orchestra)...

Ganjawulung

ganjawulung · 10th August 2007, 06:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ganjawulung

It depends on the space available, and also the consideration whether it is a fixed preservation or moveable. This is examples of preserving in a moveable manner. In a wooden "ploncon" (keris or short spear stands). Not wasting too much space, and still moveable. You may use also, as David said, with "blawong" (wooden carving for putting a single keris in the wall)...

Of course, this an unfinished info yet. And this is not of course, a "court way" but "personal way" to store kerises. Ploncon (pls spell it: plonchon) is very useful to place kerises after the are oiled with "keris oil" (Alan has said about that kind of oil). Keris oil, is very personal. In Jawa, every keris people has their own scent of keris oil. Sometimes, from smelling the oil of keris, people can guess who is the owner of the keris. Or, people recognise well, somebody's keris oil by scenting it.

Why ploncon? Because it is safe to "stand" or to place the wet-oiled kerises before they are put in "singeps" (like 'thermo-bag' for tennis-racket), or in "cinde" (Jogja's specific model of singep, made of "kain cinde" or a kind of scarf-cloth). The keris oil will flow to the tip of the blade. And after quite dry, then you may put them on singeps (see picture).

Ploncon, of course, it is not a permanent display. It is useful for drying the keris oil, or for displaying for your personal occassion: in your living room, or private room. Yes, the special keris board is better, to store your kerises in singeps horizontally. It depends on you, where you will store your personal kerises.

Ganjawulung

8th August 2007, 08:57 PM	#1
pakana Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 74	Question about preserving a keris Greetings to all, I would like to hear your opinion about preserving a keris. Do you think that the kerisboards that sold all over, are o.k, or the closed cabinet is more appropriate? Which is the ideal way? Any thoughts? This question is related and with the metaphisical aspect of keris I quess..

9th August 2007, 06:48 AM	#2
PenangsangII Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 401	Pakana, From spiritual point of view, traditionally keris is hung on the wall. The boards / holder is more appropriate in this aspect. Do remember, the spirit of the keris needs to breathe too, and being enclosed in the cupboard may suffocate him . Penangsang

9th August 2007, 03:58 PM	#4
pakana Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 74	Thank you very much for your opinions. But the suffocation thing do happen? Or is just a joke? george

9th August 2007, 04:30 PM	#5
asomotif Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 2,225	I assume that the suffocation is a spiritiual suffocation. I keep my best keris on a kerisboard in the attic. Attic tend to be spooky places, but with the protection of the keris I consider it save now

9th August 2007, 10:14 PM	#7
pakana Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 74	So Ganjawulung, Do you think it is appropriate for kerises to be stored in plonkon all together? I say that because there is this opinion that they must be stored each one separetely. I guess it's that the spirit inside wants it's privacy.. But again if your house is not a palace in Keraton, then you have a problem.. I would like to hear the thoughts of native Indonesians as you, as keris is a part of your culture.. george

10th August 2007, 12:14 AM	#8
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,897	What I will write is not advice. It is the telling of what some museums do, truly spiritual people whom I know in Jawa, and whom are also orientated towards keris do, and what I do. If one wishes to preserve the blade of the keris it should be stored bare, on a glass shelf, lightly coated with a good gun oil, and in controlled atmosphere to limit humidity and extremes of heat and cold. The wrongko, jejeran, mendak, and pendok should all be separated and stored on glass under atmospheric conditions suited to the materials involved. This approach is ideal for preservation. If one holds the belief that one's keris is a mystical object, then it must be treated with a degree of respect, and whatever essence it may hold should be conserved. The keris should be stored in a singep ( a purpose made cloth bag), the singep placed horizontally in a purpose built chest, and this chest kept in a cupboard in the most private male section of the house, possibly a dedicated cabinet in the study or office would be ideal. On specific occasion, or as the need may arise, it would be acceptable to place this keris in a blawong , above head hieght, on the wall of the house in a location where the need may most likely be met. This is the approach I have observed that is used by my inlaws and friends who live in Jawa and who are "keris conscious", but who are not keris collectors. I keep my entire collection of keris in a security room in my house. It is not a large room, and it contains several chests of drawers, several sets of shelves, and a very large camphorwood chest. All my keris are kept in singeps, and those singeps are kept in drawers and boxes. All keris are stored horizontally. The blades of my keris are oiled with a keris oil that is made of 50% medicinal parrafin, 45% sandalwood oil, and 5% kenanga oil. Prior to oiling all blades have been drenched with WD40. All blades are wrapped in plastic film prior to being placed in the wrongko. In this security room I have one keris in a single ploncon, and two keris in blawongs; these are my personal keris. I do not have any keris displayed anywhere in my house. I do have a number of tombak in the house, 7 on display shafts in a ploncon, 4 or 5 on full length shafts placed in various corners. These tombak are not consciously displayed, but kept as they are simply because it is convenient for me. Apart from what I have outlined here, there are always a number of keris in various stages of maintenance that are spread throughout the house, some at one end of the diningroom table, some on the dresser, some in the bedroom, some in the workshop.Anywhere I turn I can see keris, but these are not on display, they are being worked on. In times past I have kept keris on open display, but I found that the amount of work required to maintain keris that were left open to dust, flies, humidity and so on, was simply too great. I once had something like 80 or 100 keris displayed in a dedicated alcove of my house, and to maintain these keris in good condition used almost all my spare time. Open display , in my opinion, is just not practical. Ultimately, the way in which one stores one's keris is a personal decision. The objective should be to store in a way that gives one the highest degree of comfort.

10th August 2007, 10:01 AM	#10
PenangsangII Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 401	I guess the Javanese culture in Indonesia and Malaysia has differred tremendously, although more or less I can still understand Javanese - pasar & halus A Malaysian Javanese wiseman once told me not to keep my keris in the casing / ploncon because "HE" would be "sumbeg" or suffocating, thus advised me to hang it on the wall tip down using a blawong / display board. The casing / ploncon is usually used to cover up tumbak or spear heads, and when in use for keris, it's when we carry the keris to Upacara Suro or other ceremonies (except the one on your waist).

10th August 2007, 11:19 AM	#11
PenangsangII Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 401	Ooopss...correction. I mean "singep" as the casing, and not the "ploncon".