A TRIBUTE to Pak Parman

[ganjawulung]

Originally Posted by A. G. Maisey

Pak Ganja, you have requested some clarification in respect the gentleman to whom I refer as "Pak Parman".

I will be delighted to oblige.

The man whom I usually refer to as Pak Parman was born on the 3rd September 1922.
He went to school in Kebalen in Solo. He left school in 1934, and in 1935 he was apprenticed to Pak Sangkapinilih to learn shoemaking.

In 1940 he joined the army (Legiun Mangkunegara), he was in the army for two years, then Indonesia was occupied by the Japanese. During the Japanese occupation he and his wife shifted to Ujung Pandang and worked as singers.

In 1944 he shifted back to Solo and took up work as a shoemaker again, then in 1945 he went to Sragen to learn goldsmithing. In March 1945 his son Sarwanta was born.

From 1945 to 1949 he once again was in the military, but with a somewhat different orientation.

In 1951 he worked as a shoemaker for Sadinu, and began prospecting for agates. During this time he was also involved in writing kroncong songs.

His interest in keris began around this time, and during 1952 he began to seek knowledge about keris. It was not long before he began to renovate damaged keris and improve the garap of badly carved keris. At this time he was dealing in semi-precious stones and polishing these stones for sale, and making rings. His involvement in music had not stopped and he was also writing songs and performing as a kroncong singer. This was pretty much Pak Parman's life for the next 5 years, and in 1957 he left Sadinu and began fulltime work as a renovator of keris, and lapidary and jeweler.

In 1966 Pak Parman moved to Kampung Komplang, in Solo. The land attached to this house was quite spacious, and he recognized that he could now expand some of his activities. He had continued his lapidary and jewellery work, and had become well known for his renovation work on keris, but after he shifted to Komplang he began to study old books about the making of keris, and between 1966 and 1971 he began his first attempts at making keris.

Pak Parman's attempts at forging keris were hampered by his lack of capital. His work was known to R.T. Harjonegoro ( later to become Panembahan Harjonegoro), and after Djeno and his brothers with the assistance of Dietrich Drescher began to make keris again in Jogja, R.T. Harjonegoro and Pak Parman went to Jogja to see how the forge was set up. Following this visit R.T. Harjonegoro managed to obtain a grant from the Ford Foundation that was to be used for the re-establishment of keris production in Solo. Ultimately, the way in which this grant was administered after it was received by R.T.Hardjonegoro started a long running animosity between R.T.Hardjonegoro and Pak Parman, which had repercussions extending beyond the central matter.

In any case, Pak Parman did receive sufficient from the grant to allow him to set up a very modest forge at his home in Kampung Komplang, and on 28th September 1979 he began the complete manufacture of keris there.

From this point forward Pak Parman's life was that of a maker of keris and other tosan aji.

Up until this time Pak Parman's name was Soeparman Martosuwignjo (Suparman Martosuwignyo). However, in 1980 he was accepted into the hierarchy of the Karaton Surakarta Hadiningrat with the rank of Lurah Karaton, and the title of Ki Lurah Wignyasukadga.

In 1983 he was raised to the rank of Mantri pandhe dhuwung, with the title of M. Ng. Wignyasukadga.

In 1986 he became a Penewu in the Karaton, with the rank of M.Ng.Prajasukadgo.

In 1987 he was raised to the rank of Bupati Anom with the title of R.T. Supawidjaya.

On the 17th January 1991 Pak Parman, also known to his close friends as Pak Mendung, and to others as Empu Suparman, was raised to the rank of Bupati Sepuh, with the title of Kanjeng Raden Tumenggung Supowidjoyo.

On 20th. July 1995 Pak Parman attended a funeral and later received four visitors. He then fell ill and on 28th July 1995 he returned to his Father's House.

Until 1988 Pak Parman had made 45 keris, all of which were given away as gifts, sometimes to people within the Surakarta Karaton, sometimes to government officials, sometimes to friends, and on one occasion to somebody he had only just met, as a gift for her husband.

That person to whom he gave the keris to pass to her husband was my wife.

My wife had heard of Pak Parman when she was visiting relatives in Solo ( she had already moved to Australia ). At that time I had been trying make pamor and keris in Australia , and had already succeeded in producing a small, very crude keris. My wife approached Pak Parman with the request that he accept me as a pupil. His answer was to give her the keris he had just finished and to tell her that provided he thought I had the necessary skill, he would teach me.

It took two years and a number of visits to Pak Parman, after this acceptance, before he actually committed to a commencement date for my lessons, but eventually he did teach me to make keris.

Following that initial tuition I received instruction in many aspects of keris manufacture, art, and tangguh, amongst other things, from Pak Parman. In 1993 he accepted me into his family.

After the passing of my adoptive father and teacher, my inheritance was his tools, his unfinished work, his pamor material, his note books, his books of kroncong lyrics, the last keris he had made, and a unique piece that he had made intending to present it to Sinuhun, but because of sickness and no suitable opportunity, he had been unable to do so.

I also received from Pak Parman as much of his knowledge as I was able to receive.

I trust that you now understand, Pak Ganja, who this man is that I call Pak Parman.

( In this text that I have written will be found a number of inconsistencies in the spelling of Javanese words; this is usual in writing Javanese that spans a number of years, and the spellings have been taken directly from Pak Parman's diaries, without alteration)

Dear Alan and All,
It is no doubt that you are the most knowledgeable on this very interesting person in Surakartan keris making. Once the karaton Surakarta's empu. Unfortunately, I only have opportunity to learn keris knowledge from the lesser keris makers, the younger generation keris makers as Pak Subandi Supaningrat, Pak Sukamdi, Yanto or Yantono. Or long time collectors such as Mr Haryono Guritno, the late Mr Bambang Harsrinuksmo and couple of Yogyakartan keris people such as (maranggi) Pak Wusanto, the late maranggi Pak Widyasudarma, and some other keraton knowledgable source...

On Pak Parman, not enough information has written on this interesting empu from Karaton Surakarta. Some of written information we can find in these two books, for instance. Books on Go Tik Swan Hardjonagoro (autobiography) titled "Jawa Sejati" (true javanese) and also "Menjadi Jawa" (becoming a javanese) which were published just couple moments before Hardjonagoro passed away recently. But not much info, only about two or three pages from total more than 400 pages each..

I think, it would enrich us -- keris lovers -- if you, Alan, would share to us your "uncovered" knowledge on this interestin empu of Karaton Surakarta. For instance, what is the specific characteristic of Pak Parman's keris? And so on.

GANJAWULUNG

[A. G. Maisey]

I thank you for your high praise Pak Ganja, and I am envious of your good fortune in having been able to access the great knowledge of these notable people whom you list as your instructors.

My principal teacher was undoubtedly Pak Parman, but I have counted Pak Pauzan as a good friend for many years, and I have gained a not inconsiderable amount of knowledge from him also.

My biggest handicap in learning anything at all about keris from Pak Parman was my own stupidity:- he gave me as much of his knowledge as I was able to absorb, but in reality, that only scratched the surface of what he had to give.

I've read "Jawa Sejati", but in truth I forget exactly what was written there about Pak Parman, and perhaps I may not wish to remember.

I can understand very well the benefits that could flow from some sort of primer on Pak Parman's work, and I will not dismiss this suggestion out of hand. However, in considering this idea, I must also consider the possibility that Pak Parman himself may not have endorsed such an idea. As I have noted, he never charged for his work. He would not accept an order, and he would never sell his work. He was totally and absolutely opposed to the commercialisation of his work. There can be no doubt that where a keris can be identified as Pak Parman's work, the value of that keris will multiply manyfold. Would he have approved of this? I rather doubt it.

Further, would he approve of me providing a commentary and description of his work?

I doubt it.

I personally would not approve such commentary from any of my own pupils.

The pupil is not fit to comment upon the work of his own teacher.

[mykeris]

How we wish if we could have the opportunity to have your consent viewing Empu Suparman's keris that was presented through your wife. Rgrds, Mykeris.

[A. G. Maisey]

Pasopati

[ganjawulung]

Dear Alan,
Beautiful pamor. Is it "sekar lampes" or "kenanga ginubah" pamor? And why did Pak Parman choose "wuwung" type of ganja (if I'm not mistaken), and not "mbathok mengkurep"?

Thanks alot,
GANJAWULUNG

[mykeris]

Thank you for sharing, Alan. Excellent!

[A. G. Maisey]

Pak Ganja, I thank you for your interest in the photos I have posted, but as these photographs are of my teacher's work, I cannot comment upon this work in any way at all, and I would very much appreciate it if you, yourself refrained from such comment.

This keris has not been posted here as material for discussion by you, or by anybody else.

I posted it in response to a politely expressed wish, and I consider commentary and discussion of this keris to be less than than good manners.

Thus, I most humbly request you to look at the photographs if you wish, but to keep your comments and questions to yourself. I am certain that you will respect my wishes in this matter.

[ganjawulung]

Dear Alan,
I apologize for my rude manner. I hope you understand, that it was just a matter of curiosity -- just spontaneous act but not proper. We must thank you, that you are willing to share with us the authentic work of Pak Parman, your teacher.

Once again, I apologize...

GANJAWULUNG

[A. G. Maisey]

Your apology is unnecessary Pak Ganja, but nontheless, greatly appreciated.

We sometimes jump into action without reflecting upon the result of that action. I have often been guilty of this, as I believe have we all.

I understand completely that you intended no disrespect, and that your questions were simply the result of impulsive curiosity.

[mykeris]

It is understood and clear. Thanks again, Alan. Your kindness is highly appreciated.

[Montino Bourbon]

I so appreciate your posting both the article and the pictures. I have to say that I am in awe. To thank you is really not enough.

My Guru Ustad Ali Akbar Khan, considered the greatest Hindustani musician of the twentieth century, passed away two weeks ago, after teaching more than forty years in the USA. His father, Ustad Allauddin Khan, was his guru as well as being the guru of Ravi Shankar, Nikhil Bannerjee, and many other great musicians. I was at his bedside, along with a bunch of my guru-bhai's, when he passed away.

He had over ten thousand students; some came for a semester, some, like me, stayed for twelve years.

The link between guru and disciple is a wonderful, mystical, rewarding saga. It continues, sometimes surprisingly, after the guru leaves the body. I've received guidance in dreams that has radically changed my art.

I really appreciate the all-too-short article, and would love to hear more on your apprenticeship, if it would be suitable.

Frankly, just your presence on this site, along with so many other Guni's (Gun- knowledge) is a wonderful resource.