Tang… tang… tang… the sound of metal being forged echoes loudly from afar. A sharp noise that can break the silence of the day. I quicken my pace, eager to witness the process of keris making for the first time.
It all started with my curiosity about the keris. This is a traditional weapon of the archipelago that has played so many roles in human life from ancient times until now.
The keris is not only used as a weapon, but also becomes an heirloom, a component of religious ceremonies, an accessory, and even a marker of one’s social status.
In fact, in 2005, the Nusantara keris was recognized by UNESCO as a masterpiece of intangible cultural heritage belonging to all nations of the world.
Fortunately, one morning approaching noon, a friend invited me to travel to western Jogja to meet the keris maker, Ki Empu Sungkowo Harumbrodjo.
He is the 17th descendant of Empu Supodriyo from the 14th century Majapahit Kingdom. The title of empu he bears is not a title passed down from his father, Empu Djeno Harumbrodjo, but was obtained through hard work from his experience as a keris maker for more than 30 years.
As one of the few remaining keris makers in Jogja, he still firmly holds onto tradition. Making keris complete with offerings and ascetic practices.
After driving about 19 kilometers from the city center, we finally arrived at our destination. The clanging of iron being forged greeted me from afar. I hurried towards the besalen (workshop for making keris) located right next to the main house.
At that time, he was forging hot iron bars on a paron (anvil for forging hot iron bars), assisted by a panjak (empu’s assistant). Just as I poked my head through the besalen door, I was greeted by sparks that hit my left wrist. Hot and painful, leaving a mark.
The empu appeared serious, focusing on the saton, a mixture of iron and pamor material (usually nickel or meteorite), unaffected by my presence.
Meanwhile, the panjak hammered the glowing red saton with all his might under the empu’s direction.
Sometimes the panjak would stop to pump the ububan, two bamboo tubes, to ensure the heat obtained to burn the saton was just right.
I was absorbed in this special moment while imagining the situation in the past when Empu Gandring made the heirloom keris that became the beginning of the story of the establishment of the Singasari Kingdom and claimed 7 victims.
I also looked around the entire room. The not-so-spacious besalen was full of traditional equipment such as supit, ploncon, ganden, mimbal, files, and various tools I didn’t know the names of.
“Don’t get too close, sir! Your clothes might get holes from the sparks,” Empu Sungkowo suddenly said to my friend who was taking pictures. Indeed, a high temperature is needed to forge a keris.
According to Empu Sungkowo, the temperature in his prapen (forge) was once measured by ITB students and was in the range of 1,300 – 1,350 degrees Celsius. After dipping the tongs into the kowen, Empu Sungkowo invited us into his house to see the keris he had made and explain in more detail about the keris-making process.
Empu Sungkowo recounted that he learned the art of keris making or the art of forging pamor from his late father, Empu Djeno Harumbrodjo, a keris maker recognized by the Yogyakarta Palace.
He even told the story of how he once became a panjak who helped his father make a keris for Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono IX.
The Process of Making a Keris
There are several stages that must be passed to create a keris. The first stage is performing spiritual practices according to Javanese customs such as fasting, asceticism, holding selamatan (ceremonial meal), selecting and determining materials, then avoiding taboo days for work.
Next comes the technical process such as selecting good iron, determining the pamor (nickel or meteorite), burning and forging (which is repeated), and finally entering the process of making luk (curves in the keris), filing, and tempering.
After completing the manufacturing process, Empu Sungkowo still has to provide offerings, bathe it (nyirami/marangi keris), then apply sandalwood oil, only then is a keris ready to be handed over to the customer.
To make a keris, Empu Harumbrodjo usually spends 40 days. On certain days which are considered taboo, he does not work.
According to his belief, if one insists on working on these days, something bad is bound to happen. However, if he absolutely must work, he will start his work after 4 pm.
Not only that, to create a keris that is in harmony with the magical energy of its owner, he always asks for the weton or day, date, month, and year of birth of the customer in the Javanese calendar.
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Keris Making by Ki Empu Sungkowo Harumbrodjo
One of the nearly finished keris. (Reza Fitriyanto/Maioloo.com)
Empu Harumbrodjo also briefly explained to me about the various types of pamor or patterns on the keris blade. Of the many he mentioned, I only remember a few, for example, pamor beras wutah and kulit semangka which are commonly used by farmers. There are also pamor udan riris, tritik, tunggak, ronsirih, and pamor rekan.
According to Empu Harumbrodjo, the more difficult the pamor requested by the customer, the higher the price set for a keris.
I was stunned and amazed. This was the first time I had held a real keris (until now, I had only held keris that are usually used as decorations for grooms).
I just learned that the motif or pamor inside the keris is the result of the Empu’s creativity and skill. I had never realized this before. No wonder the price of a keris can be very high. Because buyers are not merely valuing a piece of iron, but appreciating a cultural heritage and high-level art.
Ah, suddenly I remembered Javanese philosophy. It is said that a man in the past would be worthy of being called a priyayi, an adult man, or a perfect knight when he already had 5 things in his life, namely wanita (woman), turangga (horse or mount), kukila (bird or pet), wisma (house), and curiga (keris or weapon). So, do you already have a curiga?
Traveller’s Note
- Padepokan Djeno Harumborjo is located in Gatak Hamlet, Sumberagung Village, Moyudan, Sleman, about 19 kilometers west of Yogyakarta.
- To reach this place from Tugu Jogja, please drive west and follow Jalan Godean. The route is the same as the route to Sendang Jatiningsih, Sendangsono, Ketingan Tourism Village, Suroloyo Peak, and Borobudur Temple.
- Empu Sungkowo will be off work on Tuesday Pahing, Wednesday Wage, Thursday Pahing, Thursday Wage, and Thursday Legi. So it is highly discouraged to come there on these days because you cannot see the process of making keris.
