Misplaced Pages

#347652

82-405: Barong animal mask dance, together with sanghyang dance are considered native Balinese dances, probably predating Hindu influences. The native Indonesians of Austronesian heritage often have similar mask dances that represent either ancestral or natural spirits; an example is Dayak 's Hudoq dance or any similar bear worship practice. The term barong is thought to have been derived from

164-458: A Sundanese manuscript dated from Saka 1440 or 1518 AD, describes the kris as the weapon of kings, while the kujang is the weapon of farmers. There exist claims of earlier forms predating the Majapahit kris but none are verifiable. In the past, the majority of kris had straight blades but this became less frequent over time. Tomé Pires , in the early 16th century, describes the importance of

246-581: A 16 year old kris dancer was stabbed to death in his heart by his own kris, during a Rangda dance performance in Denpasar, Bali. In Javanese culture the kris is revered as tosan aji ( Javanese for "sacred heirloom weapon") and considered a pusaka . The kris is believed to have the ability to infuse bravery upon its holder: this property is known as piyandel in Javanese which means "to add self-confidence". The pusaka kris or kris-tipped spear given by

328-468: A Javanese keris blacksmith. The scene depicted Bhima as the blacksmith on the left forging the metal, Ganesha in the center, and Arjuna on the right operating the piston bellows to blow air into the furnace. The wall behind the blacksmith displays various items manufactured in the forge, including kris. These representations of the kris in the Candi Sukuh established the fact that by the year 1437

410-399: A Javanese king to nobles or his subjects, was meant to symbolize the king's confidence bestowed upon the receiver and is considered a great honor. During the Javanese wedding ceremony, a kris is required to be adorned with chains of jasmine flower arrangement as an important part of Javanese groom's wedding costume. The addition of jasmine arrangement around the kris was meant as a symbol that

492-465: A blade measuring between 15 and 50 in (38 and 127 cm) long, typically not sharpened as it is meant for stabbing and tearing, broader and asymmetric shape near the hilt, made of a combination of several kinds of metals. A kris's aesthetic value covers the dhapur (the form and design of the blade, with around 150 variants), the pamor (the pattern of metal alloy decoration on the blade, with around 60 variants), and tangguh referring to

574-406: A depiction of human or demon; the carving works are exquisite and skillfully made. This Chinese account also reported that public execution by stabbing using this type of dagger is common. Majapahit knows no caning for major or minor punishment. They tied the guilty men's hands in the back with rattan rope and paraded them for a few paces, and then stabbed the offender one or two times in the back on

656-447: A different character. Sanghyang jaran is a dance performed by boys, who ride coconut hobby horses ( Kuda Lumping ) in and around a fire. Trance is also associated with this ritual. Drawn by a girl who has conceded a spirit with an intermediate broomstick ( sampat ) that is moved freely to the left and right. There is a similar dance with a piece of bamboo, called the sanghyang bungbung dance. This dance-related article

738-514: A different form with barongs in Bali. This barong is not danced by 2 dancers as in general, this barong manifests like a male and female doll, which are called 'Jero Luh' and 'Jero Gede', the form is similar to Betawi Ondel-ondel . Sanghyang Sanghyang ( Balinese : ᬲᬂᬳ᭄ᬬᬂ​ ) is a traditional sacred Balinese dance originated from the Indonesian island of Bali . It is based on

820-632: A girl, named Ratna Manggali, who, though beautiful, could not get a husband because people were afraid of her mother. Because of the difficulties faced by her daughter, Calon Arang was angry and she intended to take revenge by kidnapping a young girl. She brought the girl to a temple to be sacrificed to the goddess Durga . The next day, a great flood engulfed the village and many people died. Disease also appeared. King Airlangga , who had heard of this matter, then asked his advisor, Empu Bharada, to deal with this problem. Empu Bharada then sent his disciple, Empu Bahula, to be married to Ratna. Both were married with

902-404: A huge feast that lasted seven days and seven nights, and the situation returned to normal. Calon Arang had a book that contained magic incantations. One day, this book was found by Empu Bahula, who turned it over to Empu Bharada. As soon as Calon Arang knew that the book had been stolen, she became angry and decided to fight Empu Bharada. Without the help of Durga, Calon Arang was defeated. Since she

SECTION 10

#1732772014348

984-406: A jealous official, Hang Tuah was ordered to be executed, but he managed to escape and go into hiding with the help of a minister who knew the truth. Hang Tuah's kris and title of Laksamana (admiral) were passed on to his comrade Hang Jebat. Furious that his best friend was unfairly put to death, Hang Jebat rebelled against the royalty and took over the palace. The desperate ruler of Melaka pardoned

1066-506: A kris empu should possess knowledge, technical skills and also spiritual prowess, since kris are believed to have physical and spiritual presence. This was meant to differentiate the masters from common pandai besi that mostly create common metal tools or peasant's weapons like parang or golok . In old Majapahit, a kris bladesmith was referred to as pande and all were reputed to be able to work hot iron with their bare hands. The people of Majapahit would eventually flee to Bali where

1148-573: A kris may have a blade from Java, a hilt from Bali and a sheath from Madura. ... every man in Java, whether he is rich or poor, must have a kris in his house ... and no man between the ages of 12 and 80 may go out of doors without a kris in his belt. They carry them at the back, as daggers used to be in Portugal ... In many parts of Indonesia and the Malacca Sultanate , the kris used to be

1230-514: A man should not easily be angry, cruel, fierce, too aggressive, tyrannical and abusive. Kris-makers did more than forge the weapon, they carried out the old rituals which could infuse the blade with mystical powers. For this reason, kris are considered almost alive because they may be vessels of spirits, either good or evil. Legends tell of kris that could move of their own volition and killed individuals at will. Some kris are rumored to stand upright when their real names are called by their masters. It

1312-415: A powerful kris to kill the mighty chieftain of Tumapel, Tunggul Ametung. Ken Arok eventually stabbed the old bladesmith to death because he kept delaying the scheduled completion of the kris. Dying, the bladesmith cursed the kris through prophecy that the unfinished or incomplete kris would kill seven men, including Ken Arok. Ken Arok used Mpu Gandring's cursed kris to assassinate Tunggul Ametung, cunningly put

1394-597: A protective personal amulet, remains. However, the kris saw continuous use and forging in the Philippines , which comprised most of the Spanish East Indies . Kris-forgers and swordsmen were referred to as juramentados by the Spanish. Juramentados practice a ritual of sacrifice, a form of Jihad against not only Spanish soldiers, but also against Christian Filipinos alike. The early 20th century saw

1476-413: A sanctified heirloom ( pusaka ), auxiliary equipment for court soldiers, an accessory for ceremonial dress, an indicator of social status, a symbol of heroism, etc. Legendary kris that possess supernatural power and extraordinary ability were mentioned in traditional folktales, such as those of Empu Gandring, Taming Sari , and Setan Kober. In 2005, UNESCO awarded the kris the status of Masterpiece of

1558-456: A small content of nickel to create this pattern. The faint pamor pattern has been found in the kris from Majapahit period, which was acquired from iron ores with small nickel content. Most probably this iron ore was imported from the island of Sulawesi , as the pamor Luwu from Luwu region is quite well known in Sulawesi and Java. The best material for creating pamor however,

1640-541: A small dagger from Java reminiscent of kris can be found in Chinese source from the 10th century Song dynasty . In 992 the envoy from She-po (Java) arrived in Chinese court bearing a lot of gifts, consists of a dagger with exquisite hilt made of rhino horn and gold, silk woven with floral motifs made of gold threads , ivories, pearls, silk of various colours, fragrant sandalwood , cotton clothes of various colours, turtle shells, betel nut preparation kit , rattan mat with

1722-585: A spell that caused the soldiers' bodies to be resistant to the sharp keris. In the end, Barong won, and Rangda ran away. The lion is the popular one, as it comes from the Gianyar region, where Ubud (the home of tourist's Balinese dance ritual viewing) is located. Within the calon arang, the dance drama in which the Barong appears, the barong responds to Rangda's use of magic to control and kill her to restore balance. In traditional Barong dance performances, he

SECTION 20

#1732772014348

1804-445: A straight blade is one at rest, its power dormant but ready to come into action. In former times, kris blades were said to be infused with poison during their forging, ensuring that any injury was fatal. The poison used to polish kris blade is called warangan . The process of chemical coating was done by warangan or jamas (washing) the blade with acid and minerals that contains arsenic compounds. The process of doing so

1886-567: A symbol of heroism, etc. In the Barong dance of Bali there is a segment called keris dance , in which the villain Rangda magically enchants Airlangga 's soldiers to commit suicide, while another magician makes them invulnerable to sharp objects. In a trance state, the male dancers stab themselves in the chest with their own kris but remain unhurt. The kris dance is a potentially dangerous dance and can lead to fatal accidents. In February 2021,

1968-534: Is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Keris The kris or keris is a Javanese asymmetrical dagger with a distinctive blade-patterning achieved through alternating laminations of iron and nickelous iron ( pamor ). The kris is famous for its distinctive wavy blade, although many have straight blades as well, and is one of the weapons commonly used in the pencak silat martial art native to Indonesia . Kris have been produced in many regions of Indonesia for centuries, but nowhere—although

2050-471: Is acquired in a quite unusual way, as it is made from rare meteorite iron. Traditionally the pamor material for the kris smiths connected with the courts of Yogyakarta and Surakarta originates from an iron meteorite that fell to earth at the end of 18th century in the neighborhood of the Prambanan temple complex. The meteorite was excavated and transported to the keraton of Surakarta; from that time on

2132-558: Is always spelled kris and pronounced either as kris or krit (กริช) in Thai , while in the Yala dialect it is spelled kareh . In Cambodia it is spelled as kris (គ្រីស) in Khmer . Other alternative spellings used by Europeans include "cryse", "crise", "criss", "kriss" and "creese". In English, the plural form is often simply "kris" as well. The kris's history is generally traced through

2214-485: Is considered as a cultural symbol of Indonesia and also neighbouring countries like Brunei , Malaysia , Philippines , Singapore , and Thailand . A kris can be divided into three parts: blade ( bilah or wilah ), hilt ( hulu ), and sheath ( warangka ). Each part of the kris is considered a piece of art, often carved in meticulous detail and made from various materials: metal, precious or rare types of wood, or gold or ivory. A kris's aesthetic value covers

2296-406: Is known for her devotion to the worship of Durga in Bali. The story goes that Mahendradatta, the mother of Airlangga, was condemned by Airlangga's father because she practiced black magic. After she became a widow (Rangda in old Javanese means: 'widow'), hurt and humiliated, she sought revenge upon her ex-husband's court and the whole of his kingdom. She summoned all the evil spirits in the jungle,

2378-476: Is more difficult for them to find successors to whom they may transmit their skills. The traditional kris-making industry still survives in some villages, such as Banyu Sumurup village in Imogiri subdistrict, Bantul , Yogyakarta, either specially made as a sacred amulet ordered by a kris enthusiast who seeks its spiritual power, or merely as souvenirs for tourists. Physically, the kris is a form of dagger with

2460-475: Is portrayed in his struggles against Rangda , it is the popular part of Balinese culture. The mythical creature would dance along the street to the calon arang dance. A priest would throw holy water at it. The lion barong is one of five traditional Barongs. In Bali each region of the island has its own protective spirit for its forests and lands. Each Barong for each region is modeled after a different animal. They are: Lion barong as banaspati raja means king of

2542-430: Is the reason warriors often made offerings to their kris at a shrine. There is also the belief that pointing a kris at someone means they will die soon, so silat practitioners precede their demonstrations by touching the points of the blades to the ground so as to neutralise this effect. Several folktales—linked to historical figures—mention legendary kris that possess supernatural power and extraordinary ability. Most of

Barong (mythology) - Misplaced Pages Continue

2624-532: Is the spirit that animates Barong. A protector spirit, he is often represented as a lion . The Barong is often portrayed as accompanied by two monkeys. Barong is portrayed as a lion with a red head, covered in white thick fur, and wearing gilded jewelry adorned with pieces of mirrors. The shape of the lion Barong is somewhat similar to a Pekingese dog. The origins of the Barong are far back in time and quite uncertain. Its origins could be from animist worship, before Hinduism appeared, when villagers still believed in

2706-552: The Leyaks and the demons that caused plague and death in the kingdom. Airlangga had to face his mother to save the kingdom. A fight occurred, but she and her black magic troops were so powerful that Airlangga had to ask for the help of the spirit king, Barong to defeat her. Barong came with Airlangga's soldiers, and a fight ensued. Rangda cast a spell that made all of Airlangga's soldiers feel suicidal, pointing their poisoned keris into their stomachs and chests. In response, Barong cast

2788-606: The dhapur (the form and design of the blade, with around 60 variants), the pamor (the pattern of metal alloy decoration on the blade, with around 250 variants), and tangguh referring to the age and origin of a kris. Depending on the quality and historical value of the kris, it can fetch thousands of dollars or more. Both a weapon and spiritual object, kris are often considered to have an essence or presence, considered to possess magical powers, with some blades possessing good luck and others possessing bad. Kris are used for display, as talismans with magical powers, weapons,

2870-505: The keraton (royal court) of Yogyakarta and Surakarta , and also the princedom of Mangkunegaran and Pakualaman . The Javanese kings and nobles of these courts are known to employ some kris blacksmiths ( empu ) and become the patrons of their works, although the activity of kris-making is declining. Until the 1990s, kris-making activities in Java had almost come to a standstill due to economic difficulties and changing socio-cultural values. However, thanks to several concerned kris experts,

2952-410: The legong dance. Often, the girls are carried on the shoulders of men; trance is associated with this ritual . This dance is performed by a pair of pre-pubescent girls who are entered by the spirit of Goddess Sri (Goddess of Fertility). Each dancer holds a tree linked to a thread, where two suspended dolls are made from a lontar leaf called deling . This is danced by 23 people, each of whom has

3034-597: The Philippines and Thailand . In the Philippines, the kris and similar stabbing daggers are known as gunong or gulok , while the much larger slashing sword versions are known as kalis or sundang . The larger kalis sword was introduced from the Sulu Sultanate of the Philippines back to Kalimantan and Sulawesi in Indonesia, where it became known keris Sulu . In Thailand it

3116-621: The British or Dutch East Indies colonial state. In number of regions, a ban was placed on carrying of cutting and stabbing weapons. In Java, the turning point was the end of the five-year-long Java War when the rebellious Prince Diponegoro was defeated and detained, and had to hand his kris over to the Dutch in 1830. This event marked the disarmament of the kris as a combat weapon among the Javanese populace. Its ceremonial function, however, as part of traditional costumes, as sacred heirloom and as

3198-473: The Malay world and Java, an honourable form of execution was death by kris to the heart. Kris were used commonly in battle, during the early modern period , instead of having professional armies, most kings within the region relied on their courtiers to mobilize for war whenever required and since most Javanese, Malay and Makassarese would own a kris, the weapon would have seen regular combat. During amok ,

3280-796: The Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity . The word kris come from the Old Javanese term " kris " ( Javanese : ꦏꦿꦶꦱ꧀ ) which means "dagger". In Javanese , kris is known as kris ( Javanese : ꦏꦿꦶꦱ꧀ ), dhuwung ( Javanese : ꦝꦸꦮꦸꦁ ), and wangkingan ( Javanese : ꦮꦁꦏꦶꦁꦔꦤ꧀ ). In Malay (subsequently Indonesian and Malaysian ), Sundanese , Balinese and Sasak it is spelled keris ( Pegon and Jawi : کريس). Other names include karih in Minangkabau , and sele (ᨔᨙᨒᨙ) in Buginese and Makassarese . Two notable exceptions are

3362-471: The admiral Hang Tuah is said in the Hikayat Hang Tuah to have armed himself with one short and one long kris. Women also wore kris, though usually of a smaller size than a man's. In battle, a fighter might have carried more than one kris; some carried three kris: his own, one from his father-in-law, and one as a family heirloom. The extra two served as parrying daggers, but if none were available

Barong (mythology) - Misplaced Pages Continue

3444-505: The age and origin of a kris. The kris blade is called a wilah or bilah . Kris blades are usually narrow with a wide, asymmetrical base, one rare kind of kris with a broad blade is the keris buah beko in Kelantan and Java copying the shape of the oroxylum seed pod. The kris is famous for its wavy blade; however, older types of kris dated from the Majapahit era have straight blades, as do more than half of all kris prior to

3526-488: The blame to Kebo Ijo, and built a new kingdom of Singhasari . The prophecy finally came true, with four men enlisted as the kris' first death roll, including Mpu Gandring himself, Tunggul Ametung, Kebo Ijo to whom Ken Arok lent the weapon, and finally Ken Arok himself. The unfinished kris then disappeared. Another version of the tale describes that the kris passed to Ken Arok 's stepson Anusapati which in turn killed his stepfather after recognized that his biological father

3608-406: The choice weapon for an execution known as the hukuman salang . The executioner's kris had a long, straight, slender blade. The condemned knelt before the executioner, who placed a wad of cotton or similar material on the subject's shoulder or clavicle area. The blade was thrust through the padding, piercing the subclavian artery and the heart. Upon withdrawal, the cotton wiped the blade clean. In

3690-547: The dancer goes through the phases of summoning ape spirits. After conceding, the dancer will jump into a tree and mimic the behavior of an ape. This dance is only found in Bugbug, Karangasem . This is a sanghyang dance variant only found in Duda, Karangasem , danced by a man wearing palm fiber clothing. The dancer mimics the movements of a pig. Sanghyang dedari is a dance performed by pre-pubescent girls, similar in some ways to

3772-535: The decline of kris forging as carrying edged weapons was banned in the Dutch East Indies. However its spiritual and ceremonial function still continues and is celebrated mainly in kraton and istana (courts) throughout Indonesia, Malaysia and the Muslim-inhabited parts of the southern Philippines. In Java, the traditional art of kris-making is preserved in the Javanese culture heartland,

3854-511: The effect of the acids. The handle or hilt ( hulu ) is an object of art, often carved in meticulous details and made from various materials: precious rare types of wood to gold or ivory. They were often carved to resemble various animals and Hindu deities, although this became less common with the introduction of Islam. In Bali, kris handles are made to resemble demons coated in gold and adorned with semi precious and precious stones, such as rubies. In Java, kris handles are made in various types,

3936-547: The fall of Majapahit Empire and the rise of the Malacca Sultanate in the 15th century. Tun Sri Lanang 's book, the Sejarah Melayu , tells that it was made by a Javanese empu and first used by the champion of Majapahit , a pendekar named Taming Sari. He was defeated in a duel to the death by the Melakan admiral Hang Tuah , after which the king of Majapahit presented the weapon to the victor. After being framed by

4018-455: The forest, its fur resembles a tiger fur made of velvet fabric. Tigers are famous mythical animals in stories in Bali, especially tantri . Very sacred barong asu, portrayed as a dog, is in Pacung, Tabanan. paraded especially on Galungan and Kuningan holidays. The shape resembles an elephant from India. Barong is paraded around the village on Galungan and Kuningan holidays. Barong landung has

4100-576: The gap between the floating ribs, which resulted in severe bleeding and instant death. Currently, the Kris of Knaud is the oldest known surviving kris in the world. Given to Charles Knaud, a Dutch physician, by Paku Alam V in the 19th century Yogyakarta in Java, the kris is on display at the Tropenmuseum , Amsterdam. The kris bears the date of 1264 Saka (which corresponds to 1342 AD) in its iron blade. Scientists suspect that due to its special features

4182-523: The image of white cockatoo , and a small model of house made of sandalwood adorned with valuable ornaments. However, Raffles ' (1817) study of the Candi Sukuh states that the kris recognized today came into existence around 1361 AD in the kingdom of Majapahit , East Java . The scene in bas relief of Sukuh Temple in Central Java , dated from 15th century Majapahit era, shows the workshop of

SECTION 50

#1732772014348

4264-416: The intrinsic elements of nature: tirta (water), bayu (wind), agni (fire), bantolo (earth, but also interpreted as metal or wood which both come from the earth), and aku (lit: "I" or "me", meaning that the kris has a spirit or soul). All these elements are present during the forging of kris. Earth is metal forged by fire being blown by pumped wind, and water to cool down the metal. In Bali,

4346-613: The island of Bali comes close—is the kris so embedded in a mutually-connected whole of ritual prescriptions and acts, ceremonies, mythical backgrounds and epic poetry as in Central Java . Within Indonesia the kris is commonly associated with Javanese culture , although other ethnicities in it and surrounding regions are familiar with the weapon as part of their cultures, such as the Balinese , Sundanese , Malay , Madurese , Banjar , Buginese , and Makassar people . The kris itself

4428-405: The jungle, the most common Barong, it is the symbol of a good spirit, headdress uses sekar taji made of carved leather, sliced with prada and added with some small mirror decoration. Bangkal or Bangkung is an old pig in Bali and is considered a mythical animal that has strength. It is made of velvet fabric. Paraded on Galungan and Kuningan holidays. Barong shaped like a tiger that lives in

4510-536: The kris had already gained an important place within Javanese culture. In Yingya Shenglan —a record about Zheng He 's expedition (1405–1433)— Ma Huan describes that all men in Majapahit , from the king to commoners, from a boy aged three to elders, slipped pu-la-t'ou ( belati or more precisely kris dagger) in their belts. The daggers are made entirely of steel with intricate motifs smoothly drawn. The handles are made of gold, rhino's horn or ivory carved with

4592-405: The kris is associated with the nāga or dragon, which also symbolizes irrigation canals, rivers, springs, wells, spouts, waterfalls and rainbows; thus, the wavy blade symbolizes the movement of the serpent. Some kris have the head of a naga (dragon) carved near the base with the body and tail following the curves of the blade to the tip. A wavy kris is thus a naga in motion, aggressive and alive;

4674-456: The kris might be even older, but was decorated during Majapahit period to celebrate an important event. The kris bears scenes from the Ramayana on an unusual thin copper layer which partially covers it. Although the people of Southeast Asia were already familiar with this type of stabbing weapon, the development of the kris most probably took place in Java, Indonesia. From its origin in Java,

4756-717: The kris to the Javanese. While it is commonly believed that kris were the primary weapons wielded by fighters in the past, they were actually carried by warriors as a secondary armament if they lost their main weapon, which was usually a spear. For commoners however, kris were worn on a daily basis, especially when travelling because it might be needed for self-defense. During times of peace, people wore kris as part of ceremonial attire. Ceremonial kris were often meticulously decorated with intricate carving in gold and precious stones. Heirloom blades were handed down through successive generations and worn during special events such as weddings and other ceremonies. Men usually wore only one kris but

4838-423: The kris was used in a furious charge to scatter or kill a number of enemies even at the cost of one's own life. In the 16th century, European colonial powers introduced firearms into the archipelago that contributed to the decline of using the kris as the weapon of choice in battle. The forging of edged weapons went into decline from the moment that the sultans or rajas were subjugated and their realms annexed by

4920-501: The local term bahruang , which today corresponds to the Indonesian word beruang which means " bear ". It refers to a good spirit, that takes the form of an animal as the guardian of the forest. In Balinese mythology, the good spirit is identified as Banas Pati Raja. Banas Pati Raja is the fourth "brother" or spirit child that accompanies a child throughout their life, which is a similar concept to guardian angels . Banas Pati Raja

5002-537: The magical kris are of Javanese origin, while the tales are mainly derived from Javanese ancient manuscript and Babad (Javanese chronicle). One of the most famous legends from Java comes from the Pararaton (Book of Kings). It describes a legendary bladesmith called Mpu Gandring or Empu Gandring and his impatient customer, Ken Arok , in the last days of the Kediri kingdom in the 13th century. The customer ordered

SECTION 60

#1732772014348

5084-400: The mighty viceroy ( adipati ) of Jipang who was killed by his own kris called Setan Kober ("devil of the grave"). It was forged by Empu Bayu Aji in the kingdom of Pajajaran , and had 13 luk on its blade. Near its completion when the empu tried to infuse the weapon with spiritual power, he was disturbed by a crying demon ( djinn ) from the graveyard. As a result, although powerful, the kris had

5166-531: The minister so long as Hang Tuah could win him back the throne. Having trained under the same master since childhood the two friends were nearly equals but of the two, Tuah was the superior fighter. However, even after a long battle in the palace, neither could best the other because the Kris Taming Sari evened the odds. Only after taking his weapon back did Hang Tuah manage to stab Jebat, who died soon after. Javanese folk story tells of Arya Penangsang ,

5248-399: The modern era. The number of curves on the blade (known as luk or lok ) is always odd. Common numbers of luk range from three to thirteen waves, but some blades have up to 29. In contrast to the older straight type, most kris today have a wavy blade which is supposed to increase the severity of wounds inflicted upon a victim. According to traditional Javanese kejawen , kris contain all

5330-452: The most common design being the abstract stylized representation of the human form. Examples of hilt designs include Tunggak Semi Putri Kinurung hilt from Surakarta, Batara Guru and Pulasir hilt from Madura, Punukan hilt from Palembang, Ratmaja from Bali, Pulungan hilt from Cirebon, Pekaka hilt from Pattani, and a seabird-like hilt from Lampung and Sulawesi. The kris usually has a curved pistol-grip hilt that aids in stabbing strikes. It allows

5412-458: The occult. Kris were worn at special ceremonies, with heirloom blades being handed down through successive generations. Both men and women might wear them, though those for women are smaller. A rich spirituality and mythology developed around the weapon. Kris are used for display, as talismans with magical powers, weapons, sanctified heirloom, auxiliary equipment for court soldiers, as an accessory for ceremonial dress, an indicator of social status,

5494-548: The occupation has been preserved by the Pande clan to this day, members of whom also make jewellery. A bladesmith makes the blade in layers of different iron ores and meteorite nickel. Some blades can be made in a relatively short time, while more intricate weapons take years to complete. In high quality kris blades, the metal is folded dozens or hundreds of times and handled with the utmost precision. Empu are highly respected craftsmen with additional knowledge in literature, history, and

5576-456: The owner had a bad dream, the blade was unlucky and had to be discarded, whereas if the owner had a good dream the dagger would bring good fortune. However, just because a blade was bad for one person didn't mean it would be bad for another. Harmony between the weapon and its owner was critical. Because some kris are considered sacred and believed to possess magical powers, specific rites needed to be completed to avoid calling down evil fates which

5658-446: The palm of the holding hand to add pressure to the blade while stabbing. A kris only offers minimal protection for the hand by the broad blade at the hilt. As with the hilt, a kris' sheath ( warangka ) is also an object of art. It can be made from various materials, usually a wooden frame to hold the blade which can be coated with metals such as brass, iron, silver, or even gold, usually carved in sulur floral motifs. The upper part of

5740-443: The premise that an unseen force enters the body of an entranced performer. The force, identified as hyang , is an important type of spiritual entity in ancient Indonesian mythology . The sanghyang dances are considered sacred ritual dances and are performed exclusively at Balinese religious ceremonies. The dancer is a man dressed like a monkey ( bojog ) and accompanied by a chorus of chanting sanghyang . Before it begins,

5822-414: The sheath formed a broad curved handle made from wood or sometimes ivory. It could be adorned with precious or semi-precious stones. The making of a kris was the specialised duty of metalworkers called empu (lit. "possessor") or pandai besi (lit. "iron-skilled"). In Java the honorary title empu refer to those ironsmiths who possess the special skill of forging the kris. According to Javanese beliefs ,

5904-464: The sheath would serve the same purpose. Kris were often broken in battle and required repairs. Yearly cleanings, known in Javanese tradition as jamasan , is required as part of the spirituality and mythology surrounding the weapon, often left ancient blades worn and thin. The repair materials depended on location and it is quite usual to find a weapon with fittings from several areas. For example,

5986-469: The smiths of Vorstenlanden (the Royal territories) used small pieces of meteoric iron to produce pamor patterns in their kris, pikes, and other status weapons. After etching the blade with acidic substances, it is the small percentage of nickel present in meteoric iron that creates the distinctive silvery patterns that faintly light up against the dark background of iron or steel that become darkened by

6068-663: The study of carvings and bas-relief panels found in Java , Indonesia . Some of the most famous renderings of a kris appear on the bas-reliefs of Borobudur (825) and Prambanan temples (850), originating from Hindu - Buddhist Mataram Kingdom of Central Java . The term kris was mentioned in several ancient Javanese inscriptions, including Humanding inscription (707 Saka or 875 CE), Jurungan inscription and Haliwangbang inscription (708 Saka or 876 CE), Taji inscription (823 Saka or 901 CE), Poh inscription (827 Saka or 905 CE), and Rukam inscription (829 Saka or 907 CE). The description of

6150-461: The supernatural protective power of animals. Rangda is Barong's opposite. While Barong represents good, Rangda represents evil. Rangda is known as a demon queen, the incarnation of Calon Arang , the legendary witch that wreaked havoc in ancient Java during the reign of Airlangga in the tenth century. It is said that Calon Arang was a widow who had mastered the art of black magic , who often damaged farmer's crops and caused disease to come. She had

6232-411: The tradition is being revived and kris craftsmanship has increased again. Over the past three decades, kris have lost their prominent social and spiritual meaning in society. Although active and honoured smiths who produce high quality kris in the traditional way can still be found in some places such as Madura, Surakarta, Yogyakarta, Makassar and Palembang, their number is dramatically decreasing, and it

6314-476: The use of kris spread throughout the Indonesian archipelago, Singapore, Malaysia, Southern Thailand and the Philippines through diplomacy and trade. The spread of the kris to other nations such as Thailand, Malaysia and the Philippines, some historians say, was credited to the growing influence of the Majapahit Empire in Java around the year 1492. The Sanghyang Siksa Kandang Karesian canto XVII,

6396-476: Was defeated, the village was safe from the threat of Calon Arang's black magic. Another version holds that Rangda was linked to the historical queen Mahendradatta or Gunapriyadharmapatni, a Javanese princess sister of Dharmawangsa of the East Javanese Ishana dynasty of the late Mataram Kingdom period. She was the queen consort of Balinese king Udayana and Airlangga's mother. Mahendradatta

6478-672: Was kept secret among smiths. Different types of whetstones, acidic juice of citrus fruits and poisonous arsenic bring out the contrast between the dark black iron and the light colored silvery nickel layers which together form pamor , damascene patterns on the blade. The distinctive pamor patterns have specific meanings and names which indicate the mythical properties they are believed to impart. There are around 60 variants of pamor recognized today in traditional kris blades. Some examples of pamor include beras wutah , udan mas , kembang kacang , kembang pala and ladrang cendan . The kris blade forging uses iron with

6560-436: Was killed by Ken Arok with the same kris. The bloody feud continued on and on until the reign of Kertanegara , the last king of Singosari Empire Taming Sari ("flower shield") is one of the most well-known kris in Malay literature, said to be so skilfully crafted that anyone wielding it was unbeatable. In some versions of the legend, the weapon would grant its user physical invulnerability. The legend took place sometime during

6642-420: Was mainly assigned to government officers who were paid, in whole or in part, with foodstuffs such as rice . There are several ways of testing whether a kris is lucky or not. A series of cuts on a leaf, based on blade width and other factors, could determine if a blade was good or bad. Also, if the owner slept with the blade under their pillow, the spirit of the kris would communicate with the owner via dream. If

6724-419: Was said that some kris helped prevent fires, death, agricultural failure, and many other problems. Likewise, they could also bring fortune, such as bountiful harvests. Many of these beliefs were derived from the possession of different kris by different people. For example, there is a type of kris in Java that was called Beras Wutah , which was believed to grant its possessor an easy life without famine. This kris

#347652