Keris: Tools for Killing or Life-Giving Blade

Some Western scholars and writers classify the keris as a weapon, keris is made not for killing. Keris is rather a weapon in a simbolic, a weapon in the spiritual mean. For ‘sipat kandel’ (to increase the confidence of its owner), it is said in Javanese. That is why some believe keris has mystical power.

For the believer, certain keris can add the owner's bravery and confidence. Keris can also avoid a locust plague or other farming disaster. Keris can also get rid or cancel the harassment of ghost.

There is kerises that really used to kill people, such as the keris used in the old days by the king's executioner. There is also keris made for lower ranked soldiers. But the usage of keris as killing tool is ceremonial and only on special occasion, such as Kanjeng Kyai Balabar owned by Pangeran Puger. In the 18th century keris with the dapur Pasopati is used by Sunan Amangkurat Amral (the king) to execute Trunojoyo at the town hall of Kartasura.

Keris is an art form which include the art of tempa, sculpture, symbolic art and other forms of art. The making of keris always with certain prayers and mantras, and ceremony and special sesaji. The first prayer by the empu when he will hammer the keris is to beg the Almighty so that the keris will not harm the owner and other people. The prayers are followed by tapa brata and lelaku (mainly fasting and meditating, or no sleeping, no eating, no sex on certain times).

The material to make the keris is iron, steel and pamor material. Pamor material has four kinds. First is meteorite which has titanium in it. Second is nickel. Other pamor is other metal alloy with iron as main ingredient. Usually this third pamor is called pamor Luwu. While the forth pamor is iron alloy fro other region, which if mixed with the iron from certain area will make different color and view.

Iron and pamor are hammered repeatedly then made into many layers. Nowadays, the general need is at least 64 layers. For a keris with simple quality, it needs at least 128 layers. While the good quality keris needs at least 2000 layers. Then to get sharpness, steel is included in the middle. All thin material will be stronger if it is made layered. This theory is known to the ancient Javanese many centuries ago. They found this theory somehow, and used it about 7 or 8 centuries before the technology makin wood triplex or plywood made by Western technology in early 16th century.

The selection of meteorite stones that contains titanium is another intriguing ancient Javanese knowledge. Since titanium now known to has many good features compared to other metal. Titanium is hard, strong, light, heat resistang and rustproof. In the modern world, titanium is used to make the nose of the spaceship, rockets and ICBMs.

In the old days, the authority of a king is only recognized by the people when the king wore one of the monarch special keris in the inauguration. In Java, esp. in Central and part of East Java, when the groom somehow cannot physically attend his wedding ceremony, he can delegate his presence by presenting his keris. So the keris will be taking his place beside the groom. This custom is also present in Bali. In West Sumatra, a boy who will leave his hometown usually given a keris by his parents, as a family tie and blessing of the parents.

village cleansing ceremony still used a small blade of keris which is known as keris sajen. Village cleansing is a traditional ritual ceremony that prays to the God so that the villagers, the farms, are avoided from disease and pest, and also from natural disaster. The ceremony is meant to renew the deal or agreement with spiritual beings which inhabit the village (Sing Mbahureksa - Javanese) so it doesn't interfere with the villagers.

Read Also about Kerisology

Happy New Year 2008, It's Time for Exotic Quest

In many cultures (Javanese, Chinese, Balinese,etc), old and new event ( transition time to face New Year) is the time for people to do contemplate, to evaluate the past and prepare to live better for the future.In many ancient tradition, it's the time for meditation; 'meditation' comes from the term "meditate" or to set mid point betwent two event ( in the case, between evaluation of the past and planning for better life in the future).Past is the past, we cannot change it ( without time machine-- just kidding). However, the recent situation can be developed. People have freewill and power to change the recent situation that they can change, and serenity to accept the past situation that they cannot change.

2008 is the time to visit one of the largest exotic country, It's the time for Visit Indonesian Year 2008.In ancient time, Indonesia was called 'Nusantara" ( come from the word 'Nusa' = Country/ Island; 'Antara' = Between). So, Nusantara is the country covering many islands. Yes, Indonesia is beutiful archipelago country.We have various cultures, traditions, arts, tribes, and tourism spots ( one of them is Bali).

With Tantularism, you will see the beauty of diversity. If you love ethnomusicology, you will hear beautiful traditional musics, such as: angklung orchestra, campur sari, and gending. If you love foods, you will enjoy traditional foods from spicy islands, such as Rendang and Rica-Rica. If you love dancing, you will see many exotic dances (Jaipong, Reog, Cakalele).If you visit Mid Java and Jogja, Don't forget to visit Borobudur ( Budhist Pyramid with Stupas) and Prambanan temple (ancient Hindu temple). If you love to learn martial art, you can get info of exotic martial arts, called Pencak Silat.

Welcome to My Country

Dedicated to Visit Indonesia Year 2008 Program

The Way of Patience at Work and Ninja Art

Patience is heart of flower, let it grow at work to win with others.


Sometimes we hears 'I hate my work', 'My working situation is getting worse", "Everyone blame me and scold me and make me a loser". Another says, "I was patient and have tried to be patient, but I cannot resist anymore with work situation" of "my patience is limited, and I won't be patient anymore."

The word patience and bad working situation remind me about something interesting me when my brother in Indonesia learned shodo (Japanese Caligraphy). It was the character of "Nin". This character is also related to the word "Ninja", "Ninpo" and "Ninjutsu". Ninja were really not assassins sure they had to do that occassionally but a true ninja was and is a person of endurance and perserverence."The first priority of the ninja was and is to win without fighting", according to Essence of Ninjutsu By: Masaakai Hatsumi.

The Japanese "Nin" character represents the ancient martial art of Ninjutsu and it's higher form of Ninpo, the Arts of the Ninja. The "Nin" symbol translates into Endurance, Perserverence, Patience In many people's image, Ninja (person who masters art of preserverence, and patience) is hero. So, are preserverence and patience heroic acts? You can decide by yourself by considering role of patience and preserverence in peace, harmony, and achiving success. We should change our mindset, stating that patience and perserverence are actions of weak person. Instead, patience and perserverence were possed by the persons who knows 'The Secret'.

The Japanese character for Nin consists of two parts or radicals. The upper radical is called yaiba which refers to the cutting edge of a blade. The lower radical can be read either as kokoro or shin, both of which mean heart. One, who consider patience weakness, translates "Nin"as "heart stabbed by blade", meaning to say "he saves anger". Ancient saying says, "Patience, or preserverence (Nin) is not heart stabbed by blade, but it is heart of flower, instead" So, to manifest patience, we should develop heart of flower. We should choose to develop happiness, joy, and gratitude, instead of fighting against hate, stress, anger.

At work, sometimes, we work under pressure. Many things, we should finish. Some people ( customer or colleague or our boss) scold us. The bad situation at work that we feel make us difficult to take breath. Sometimes, it also happen in our relationship and social life. Then, we try to be patient, but we translate patience as "heart stabbed by blade" or we just let bad situation happen and save the anger and sadness in our mind. The situation can be worse, we can get into more stress because we attract worse situation, worse work climate, worse relationship. We try to fight againts jealousy, anger, sadness in our heart, but they grow bigger and bigger because we think about them. It is law of attraction, according to "The Secret" by Rhonda Byrne.

So what should we do, when in bad work situation? Remember 'Nin', 'the heart of flower', being patience means that you choose to feel joy and gratitude. Remember a happy moment, the beloved one who inspiring you, a momment when you are in love, a momment when achieving something. Visualize and imagine that you have achieved best situation (perhaps work performance achievement, happy momment, good relationship) and be grateful! Feel the joy, happiness, and grattitude and smile. Feel and the flower in your heart grow. That is patience. Spread it to all people.

The change within can attract better situation at work, in relationship, and in social life. You will be hero who posses way of patience and perseverance.

The writer is a copy writer for www.e-jobz.com, a Human Resource, Outsourcing and Recruitment Service company in Indonesia.

If you need manpower supply/ employees from Indonesia to work in your country, please contact A-Skill ( Asia Skilled Resource Indonesia)


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