The Indonesian Kris is a cultural masterpiece created by the forefathers of the Indonesian nation. Originally the Kris was a dagger of asymmetric and detailed design. The Kris was always more of a talisman than a functional weapon, and was worn by heroes throughout Indonesia’s history, up to and including the 1945-1950 fight for Independence. The Kris now has five functions: tradition, social function, art, philosophy, and mystical. Physically, the Kris is in the form of a dagger with a blade 15 cm to 50 cm. Long, sharp on both edges and at the point, broader and asymmetric in shape near the hilt, it is made of a combination of several kinds of metal. Kris blades, hilts, and sheaths are sometimes decorated and inlaid with gold, silver and jewels and thus used as costly gifts on state occasions. The making of a Kris involves many spiritual aspects, not only the practical ones of metal-working.
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- STUPPA Indonesia
- ICHCAP
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Script
The origins of the Keris or Kris knife grew and developed in Java before later spreading to other islands of the Indonesian archipelago. Kris has developed different varieties to adjust the customs of the local community. Kris is originally thought to have developed from the 7th century to the 9th centuries. This is supported by archaeological data about the existence of the initial prototype keris that can be found in the inscription "Humanding", and reliefs of temples in Borobudur Temple and Prambanan temple.
As well as being recorded in archaeological data, the Keris was also recorded in several important literary works, including in the Pararaton book with the story of the Kris maker Empu Gandring ordered by Ken Arok and made by Empu Gandring (Beginning of Singasari era).
It was also recorded in the Negarakertagama manuscript, Babad Tanah Jawi, and the Centini Book (1841). While outside Java we can find in the Dharma Kepandean and Ring Keprajuritan Wilatikta in Bali; Babad Lombok, the Lagaliku manuscript, Undang-Undang raja-raja Melayu/Jambi (Charter of the kings in Malay/Jambi) which all record the existence of kris that were developed in various regions in the Indonesian Archipelago.
The process of making a heirloom Kris from the preceding eras to the present uses what is called Pakem, which is a spiritual belief. Kris is not merely a weapon, but as importantly it functions as a symbol of the union of God and Humanity.
Kris is one of the objects that reach the peak of civilization in the field of metal tempering, especially rooted in weapons. Where the Kris is present in all aspects of ethnicity in the archipelago, of course, it adapts to the customs of each different supporting community.
The Empu or master craftsperson when creating Kris work in this case uses iron sand: he never exploits or damages nature the way mining does. All the ingredients are taken from what has been provided by nature. For example, iron sand from the river which is naturally black in color. That is what is utilized. Because the Empu follows Memayu Hayuning Bawono concept, that means keeping the beauty of the world by preserving the environment.
Essentially, kris is a mixture of various metal elements, but in the context of manufacture it begins with a meeting between the ordering and the empu (kris maker). In ancient manuscripts such as Pararaton, Negarakertagama and Babad Tanah Jawi tells how a king ordering a kris to empu, at this meeting the empu determined dapur (the typology of a keris), pamor (bright strokes on the metal blade), and the most suitable time to make kris and what kind of spiritual steps are needed. It is intended that the kris produced is in accordance with the character and vision of of the ordering.
The initial process of producing a kris is marked by the ceremony of wiwitan (starting something) in addition to unifying the vision and mission between empu (keris maker), panjak (kris maker assistant) and the kris orderer. After the wiwitan ceremony, the process of making a kris is continued with wasuh (washing), the core of this process is cleaning iron from the elements of dirt both physically and non-physically. The symbolic meaning of wasuh is to cleanse the bad nature of empu and the ordering.
The process continued with inserting pamor (white steel tucked into a kris) with a folding process, this process produces what is called winih pamor (pamor seed). Then proceed with the folding process (mijer), this symbolically shows that humans must implement their vision of life in everyday life. This process is carried out by forging glowing material due to heat which symbolically depicts human beings having full effort of ideals but also surrenders to God in the process.