Javanese keris titles - when and how are they bestowed?

PenangsangII · 14th March 2011, 02:59 AM

Very enlightening thread, so shall we get back to it.....

IMHO, the prefix "sang" is not a title, but rather a descriptive title of a person or a keris. Most of the prefix "sang", as far as I know is often used in Malay / Sriwijaya spheres.

A. G. Maisey · 14th March 2011, 03:40 AM

Yes Penangsang, "sang" is not a title.

It is an honorific marker that is used with those above one, especially with notables.

Sang is quite often used in sarcasm.

It goes in tandem with "si" which is a deprecatory marker that is used for people with whom one is familiar, and also for small children.

For instance, you might be talking about a neighbour's 5 year old son and you might say " Si Sigit is a naughty little boy"

Or you might use "si mbok" to refer to your mother when speaking with a sibling

But then you might be talking about Sigit's father who is self opinionated and more than a bit arrogant, so you might say "Sang Sudarmo -----". This would be sarcastic usage.

But used in its proper way it indicates respect for an exalted person. You would never say "si lurah", but you might well say "sang lurah"
( a lurah is a middle ranking area administrator)

In respect of a keris, where that keris was named as, for instance, Kyai Setya, you could use Sang Kyai Setya. (setya is faithful)

PenangsangII · 14th March 2011, 05:24 AM

Thank you Alan, and as usual your explanation transcends beyond what I already knew....

WRT keris names... I know its mostly up to the owner to give titles such as "Kyai" or even "Kanjeng Kyai". But what about the name itself... for example, our pusaka made by an empu, once the keris is ready, before its taken to mranggi, the keris normally has a name - and not simply a name given by the empu or owner, but rather, in my personal experience, given by the "keris / wesi aji's sukma" thru the empu. In another word, its not up to us to name the keris "kyai so and so". In this aspect, I would like to inquire whether the above holds true from your own and Mpu Suparman's experience.

A. G. Maisey · 14th March 2011, 05:59 AM

My experience is rooted in Central Jawa, specifically Solo, and my personal experience is experience gained during the current era.

Not all keris are equal.

The keris that has been ordered as a pusaka, and that has had the full ceremonies ordered and paid for may well have a name given to it by its maker. However, not all makers are equal, and very, very few possess the necessary qualities and qualification to make a keris with all correct ceremony. Some will say they do, but the simple unadorned fact is that they do not. I can really only think of two, perhaps three, people during the modern era whom I consider to possess this power.

No, I will not name these people.

I know a number of people who have named their own keris, and in fact even royal pusakas have been named long after the pusaka was made , and long after whomever may have made the blade has been forgotten. You can quite legitimately name a keris of your own if you consider it to be worthy of that name. A name might also be given by an appraiser at the request of the custodian of the blade.

A named blade can often be quite ordinary in appearance, the respect paid to such a blade has absolutely nothing at all to do with who made it, or whether or not some power was supposedly brought into the blade at the time it was made.

14th March 2011, 02:59 AM	#1
PenangsangII Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 401	Very enlightening thread, so shall we get back to it..... IMHO, the prefix "sang" is not a title, but rather a descriptive title of a person or a keris. Most of the prefix "sang", as far as I know is often used in Malay / Sriwijaya spheres.

14th March 2011, 03:40 AM	#2
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 7,016	Yes Penangsang, "sang" is not a title. It is an honorific marker that is used with those above one, especially with notables. Sang is quite often used in sarcasm. It goes in tandem with "si" which is a deprecatory marker that is used for people with whom one is familiar, and also for small children. For instance, you might be talking about a neighbour's 5 year old son and you might say " Si Sigit is a naughty little boy" Or you might use "si mbok" to refer to your mother when speaking with a sibling But then you might be talking about Sigit's father who is self opinionated and more than a bit arrogant, so you might say "Sang Sudarmo -----". This would be sarcastic usage. But used in its proper way it indicates respect for an exalted person. You would never say "si lurah", but you might well say "sang lurah" ( a lurah is a middle ranking area administrator) In respect of a keris, where that keris was named as, for instance, Kyai Setya, you could use Sang Kyai Setya. (setya is faithful)

14th March 2011, 05:24 AM	#3
PenangsangII Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 401	Thank you Alan, and as usual your explanation transcends beyond what I already knew.... WRT keris names... I know its mostly up to the owner to give titles such as "Kyai" or even "Kanjeng Kyai". But what about the name itself... for example, our pusaka made by an empu, once the keris is ready, before its taken to mranggi, the keris normally has a name - and not simply a name given by the empu or owner, but rather, in my personal experience, given by the "keris / wesi aji's sukma" thru the empu. In another word, its not up to us to name the keris "kyai so and so". In this aspect, I would like to inquire whether the above holds true from your own and Mpu Suparman's experience.

14th March 2011, 05:59 AM	#4
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 7,016	My experience is rooted in Central Jawa, specifically Solo, and my personal experience is experience gained during the current era. Not all keris are equal. The keris that has been ordered as a pusaka, and that has had the full ceremonies ordered and paid for may well have a name given to it by its maker. However, not all makers are equal, and very, very few possess the necessary qualities and qualification to make a keris with all correct ceremony. Some will say they do, but the simple unadorned fact is that they do not. I can really only think of two, perhaps three, people during the modern era whom I consider to possess this power. No, I will not name these people. I know a number of people who have named their own keris, and in fact even royal pusakas have been named long after the pusaka was made , and long after whomever may have made the blade has been forgotten. You can quite legitimately name a keris of your own if you consider it to be worthy of that name. A name might also be given by an appraiser at the request of the custodian of the blade. A named blade can often be quite ordinary in appearance, the respect paid to such a blade has absolutely nothing at all to do with who made it, or whether or not some power was supposedly brought into the blade at the time it was made.