Sukarno's keris gift to Fidel Castro

jagabuwana · 9th July 2020, 06:09 AM

Sometime in 1960, Sukarno went to Havana and met with Fidel Castro. It seems that he presented him with a keris as a gift. Given Sukarno's sympathy towards anti-colonial, anti-imperialist causes and struggles I would guess that he respected Fidel and that they could perhaps relate to each other as revolutionaries, and perhaps then this would have meant that the keris that was gifted to him was quite a good one.

The colour photo looks to be someone much older than Fidel but it appears to be the same keris. I'm not sure if it's from the same visit and the photo was colourised or if it's from a different event. But I digress...

EDIT: I had a sneaking suspicion that the colourised photo was photoshopped with a much older Fidel. Turns out to be true. God knows why. I have included the original photo underneath it.

EDIT 2: The second photo is also photoshopped. Am I so easily duped?

. Did any of this even happen other than in a talented photo forger's imagination?!

~~

As for the keris, I think it's luk 15 but I have trouble counting it due to the obstruction.

The base looks to be closer to a symmetrical, triangular arrangement, like what one would see on a sepang keris. There also appears to be kinatah.

What else can people distinguish about this keris, whether by sight or by any knowledge or research you have?

A. G. Maisey · 9th July 2020, 12:28 PM

Bali?

David · 9th July 2020, 09:28 PM

I don't think the colour photo is necessarily a fake. That is how brother Raul on the far right and he seems an appropriate age for the older Fidel in this photo.
Note the Sukarno is nowhere to be seen in this image. I image this might have been some ceremonial re-enactment of him receiving the keris. The B&W version is certainly photoshopped with the younger Fidel from the original ceremony with Sukarno. Not sure why this was done.
I tried searching for other images of this keris, but can't find any. It is possible it is keris sepang, but hard to tell for sure. It does indeed seem to have kinatah. It is also possible that the wrongko might be ivory, though i can't tell the form of it from the resented angle. It does seems an unusually long keris for Jawa. It looks keris panjang length in fact, but wavy. So maybe this keris is from Sumatra? But i don't think there is enough evidence here to make any decisive assessment.

jagabuwana · 10th July 2020, 02:25 AM

I can't imagine the keris being so significant to Fidel that he would have reenacted it. I doubt its veracity still , but at least the keris is the same.

I'm inclined to lean towards Bali too, Alan, or what about Lombok? It could be my imagination but I think I can make out a ring-style mendak that you might find on keris from this area. Not sure what the correct term for these are, if not mendak.

A. G. Maisey · 10th July 2020, 02:31 PM

Bung Karno's mother was a Balinese lady from Buleleng, his father was Javanese.The dominant culture of Indonesia is Javanese, and the roots of Javanese culture are to be seen in Balinese culture.

Lombok has no keris form that is original to Lombok. This island was settled by people from other parts of the Archipelago and each of these cultural groups has its own keris form. Balinese keris that were made and/or worn in Lombok are still Balinese keris, but Balinese keris from Lombok. It is really quite difficult to be certain whether a Balinese keris has originated in Lombok or not, the differences, if there are any at all, between a Balinese keris from Bali, and a Balinese keris from Lombok are slight and often pretty unconvincing.

Bung Karno was a leftist. This is the base reason why USA was so interested in getting rid of him, and there are very many people still, today, who believe that the USA was responsible for the fall of Sukarno.

As a leftist he had good relationships with other leftists across the globe. Apparently he had a close relationship with Castro and as a token of friendship he gifted Castro with this keris. At the same time Sukarno and Castro exchanged hats, so Castro got a peci out of the deal too, not just a keris.

It is totally unthinkable that an Indonesian President would gift anything other than a Javanese or Balinese keris to another head of state. Sukarno's mother was Balinese, he himself was very much aligned with Bali, he had a very genuine taste for things Balinese.

Looking at the keris in the photo there is not much to be seen, my suggestion of it being Balinese is based on two things, the very small section of gonjo that can be seen and the shape of the pendok.

The Balinese "keris ring" is called wewer or uwer, uwer is probably more correct.

jagabuwana · 13th July 2020, 06:27 AM

Thanks for your thoughts David and Alan

9th July 2020, 06:09 AM	#1
jagabuwana Member Join Date: Jan 2018 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 281	Sukarno's keris gift to Fidel Castro Sometime in 1960, Sukarno went to Havana and met with Fidel Castro. It seems that he presented him with a keris as a gift. Given Sukarno's sympathy towards anti-colonial, anti-imperialist causes and struggles I would guess that he respected Fidel and that they could perhaps relate to each other as revolutionaries, and perhaps then this would have meant that the keris that was gifted to him was quite a good one. The colour photo looks to be someone much older than Fidel but it appears to be the same keris. I'm not sure if it's from the same visit and the photo was colourised or if it's from a different event. But I digress... EDIT: I had a sneaking suspicion that the colourised photo was photoshopped with a much older Fidel. Turns out to be true. God knows why. I have included the original photo underneath it. EDIT 2: The second photo is also photoshopped. Am I so easily duped? . Did any of this even happen other than in a talented photo forger's imagination?! ~~ As for the keris, I think it's luk 15 but I have trouble counting it due to the obstruction. The base looks to be closer to a symmetrical, triangular arrangement, like what one would see on a sepang keris. There also appears to be kinatah. What else can people distinguish about this keris, whether by sight or by any knowledge or research you have? Attached Images Last edited by jagabuwana; 9th July 2020 at 08:45 AM.

10th July 2020, 02:25 AM	#4
jagabuwana Member Join Date: Jan 2018 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 281	I can't imagine the keris being so significant to Fidel that he would have reenacted it. I doubt its veracity still , but at least the keris is the same. I'm inclined to lean towards Bali too, Alan, or what about Lombok? It could be my imagination but I think I can make out a ring-style mendak that you might find on keris from this area. Not sure what the correct term for these are, if not mendak. Attached Images

9th July 2020, 12:28 PM	#2
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,893	Bali?

9th July 2020, 09:28 PM	#3
David Keris forum moderator Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Nova Scotia Posts: 7,124	I don't think the colour photo is necessarily a fake. That is how brother Raul on the far right and he seems an appropriate age for the older Fidel in this photo. Note the Sukarno is nowhere to be seen in this image. I image this might have been some ceremonial re-enactment of him receiving the keris. The B&W version is certainly photoshopped with the younger Fidel from the original ceremony with Sukarno. Not sure why this was done. I tried searching for other images of this keris, but can't find any. It is possible it is keris sepang, but hard to tell for sure. It does indeed seem to have kinatah. It is also possible that the wrongko might be ivory, though i can't tell the form of it from the resented angle. It does seems an unusually long keris for Jawa. It looks keris panjang length in fact, but wavy. So maybe this keris is from Sumatra? But i don't think there is enough evidence here to make any decisive assessment.

10th July 2020, 02:31 PM	#5
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,893	Bung Karno's mother was a Balinese lady from Buleleng, his father was Javanese.The dominant culture of Indonesia is Javanese, and the roots of Javanese culture are to be seen in Balinese culture. Lombok has no keris form that is original to Lombok. This island was settled by people from other parts of the Archipelago and each of these cultural groups has its own keris form. Balinese keris that were made and/or worn in Lombok are still Balinese keris, but Balinese keris from Lombok. It is really quite difficult to be certain whether a Balinese keris has originated in Lombok or not, the differences, if there are any at all, between a Balinese keris from Bali, and a Balinese keris from Lombok are slight and often pretty unconvincing. Bung Karno was a leftist. This is the base reason why USA was so interested in getting rid of him, and there are very many people still, today, who believe that the USA was responsible for the fall of Sukarno. As a leftist he had good relationships with other leftists across the globe. Apparently he had a close relationship with Castro and as a token of friendship he gifted Castro with this keris. At the same time Sukarno and Castro exchanged hats, so Castro got a peci out of the deal too, not just a keris. It is totally unthinkable that an Indonesian President would gift anything other than a Javanese or Balinese keris to another head of state. Sukarno's mother was Balinese, he himself was very much aligned with Bali, he had a very genuine taste for things Balinese. Looking at the keris in the photo there is not much to be seen, my suggestion of it being Balinese is based on two things, the very small section of gonjo that can be seen and the shape of the pendok. The Balinese "keris ring" is called wewer or uwer, uwer is probably more correct.

13th July 2020, 06:27 AM	#6
jagabuwana Member Join Date: Jan 2018 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 281	Thanks for your thoughts David and Alan