Between Solo and Yogya

[ganjawulung]

Originally Posted by Raden Usman Djogja

after paliyan negari
If in Keraton Jogja, there are Kiai Plered & Kiai Kopek. There is Kiai Wewe Putih (Gumarang) in Pakualaman. How about in Keraton Solo and Mangkunegaran.

Usmen

That's beyond my knowledge, Raden. There is still a tradition of "sinengker" (people outside kraton may not know), especially about the pusakas. Yes, the English book on Kraton Yogya mentioned some names of legitimate pusakas, like Kanjeng Kiai Joko Piturun (keris) -- the symbol of kraton legitimacy for the heir or Kraton Yogyakarta. You may read also the interesting book of the (Australian) historian MC Ricklefs on "The Missing Pusakas". He mentioned quite a lot of names of Kraton pusakas...

This is what I know:
On pusakas (kerises, tombaks) may be Yogyakarta has better ones, or at least older pusakas. But on arts (dances, music, litterature) Solo is better. What people know abroad on those kind of arts, usually come from Solo. You may find such "karawitan" (Java traditional music) professor as Mr Sumarsam at the Wesleyan University in US. He comes from Solo too. Also DR Rahayu Supanggah, the prominent Javanese musicologist in Indonesia now. He comes from Sragen (formerly Sukawati) in the east of Solo..

For me, both -- Solo and Yogya -- gave their share for the development of the Javanese culture. Personally, I am solonese. But most of my collections are Yogyanese. And I love Yogya style too, I love the simplicity -- Yogyanese philosophy in their kerises...

Ganjawulung

[Marcokeris]

Dear Ganja
I agree with you about semplicity in Yogya keris (mainly for pendok and sarong ....in my opinion gayaman with its "free -from -angles form" has, like an egg, a great balance and elegance).

Please, could you explain in depth about "keris besutan"?

Marco

[ganjawulung]

Originally Posted by Marcokeris

Please, could you explain in depth about "keris besutan"?

Marco

Dear Marco,
The edge of old keris, is usually "serrated" (pls correct me, if I used the wrong English term), because of age, and corrosion. In Solo, the practice of "mbesut" (smoothen the serrated edge, reshape the blade) is permitted. Of course, by the specialist of it. Matang is a wellknown specialist of mbesut practice in Kraton Solo. You may call, such old but reshaped keris as "keris besutan" or "keris larasan".

So, "mbesut" or "nglaras" (verb) keris, contains intention of reshaping, beautifying the corroded keris edge -- of course, without heat treatment. But for they who don't agree with such practice, may call such reshaped keris as "keris ongotan" (negative meaning). Ongotan means "sharpened", like pencil. (True) yogyanese, doesn't practice this...

This is only my simple opinion...

Ganjawulung

[PenangsangII]

Pak Ganja,

Which one of these two schools - Solo & Yogja, follow the tradition of old schools of say, Mataram era? I believe that I read it somewhere that Sultan Agung's time was actually the keris golden era.

And another stupid question, according to tangguhan, original dapor pasopati was created during which era?

[ganjawulung]

Originally Posted by PenangsangII

Which one of these two schools - Solo & Yogja, follow the tradition of old schools of say, Mataram era? I believe that I read it somewhere that Sultan Agung's time was actually the keris golden era.

And another stupid question, according to tangguhan, original dapor pasopati was created during which era?

Dear Penangsang,

Both "schools" follow most of the old tradition, and only different in certain aspects (sometimes totally different). In certain sense, Solo school is more modern. If you are interested in keris making, then you must be "solo-scholar"... Solonese modern keris-making (technically) is much better than Yogya. There are more solonese keris makers than yogyanese nowadays. "Yogya school' has more appreciation on old style of keris (originality is more important), and also spiritual experience...

In warangka (sheath) and appearance, solonese kerises are more glamour if not luxurious. (Warangka studded with diamonds and gems, and gold pendhok etc)...

For collectors, it is interesting to collect both "nom-noman" (new) style of their kerises. You may compare, the nom-noman Paku Buwanan vs Hamengku Buwanan. Very interesting, really worth to compare. (So, ideally, you must be both scholar --solonese and yogyanese).

About dhapur Pasopati, I don't have any clue who first created that dhapur. It only was told in old keris literature, that most of kerises that were made by Empu Setratoya (in Mataram period), had dhapur sabuk inten (luk 13), dhapur carita, dhapur kalamisani and dhapur pasopati. Empu Setratoya had some other names in different kingdoms. He was named too as Jaka Supa, the son of the famous Majapahit empu, Supamandrangi (Pangeran Sendang Sedayu).

Empu Setratoya or Jaka Supa, in the Demak period named as Empu Macan, in Pajang period as Empu Kodok and then Empu Toendoeng. And in Mataram era, as Empu Setratoya...

The two pusakas of Kraton Yogyakarta, named as Kanjeng Kiai Lindri and also Kanjeng Kiai Naga, bear dhapur pasopati (straight keris, with two sogokan, but with kembang kacang pogok or short sekar kacang...)

Ganjawulung

[Marcokeris]

Thanks Ganja.
Last question: during "mbesut" there are no problem with the pattern of original pamor?

[ganjawulung]

Originally Posted by Marcokeris

Last question: during "mbesut" there are no problem with the pattern of original pamor?

No, Marco. No problem with the pattern of the original pamor. The "ahli besut" did not change the pattern of pamor. But the form -- especially the luks, the curves -- changed a little bit. Like I told you before, they changed the tip of the blade, from usually the type of "nyujen" (very sharp point), to "mbuntut tumo" (the tail of louse), or change the "dha" of the greneng to flat (no more greneng). It could mean also, that you could no more change the tip back to nyujen anymore. (in another words, once become the solonese pusaka, will never be yogyanese pusaka anymore...) So, now you know the philosophy behind the besutan, related to their past history

Ganjawulung