Kujang

The Kujang is a weapon with origins in Indonesia. Specifically, the weapon comes from the island of Java. The Kujang played an important role in the history of Indonesia, both politically and religiously. Today, the the Kujang is still a popular artifact that can be found displayed not only in museums, but also in people's homes.

The Kujang is a uniquely-designed weapon. The shape of the blade is often difficult to describe because it differs so drastically from conventional and contemporary structure. Some refer to the Kujang as a knife, because it is a short-bladed weapon with a handle. The tip of the blade can bear a passing resemblance to the convex sweep of a scimitar blade. Others apply the term “sickle,” because the overall shape of the blade bears some resemblance to this common harvesting tool.

The Origins Of The Kujang

The Kujang has a very important place in the history of Indonesia. In the early history of the islands, there were several different groups present and conflict was quite common. The battles between ethnic groups could be quite fierce, and every man carried a knife and learned to use it at an early age. Control of land often shifted from one group to another. All of this conflict made it easy for other nations to exploit the peoples of Indonesia in their quest for trade as the centuries progressed. 

The predecessor of the Kujang was not a knife, however; a farming tool widely used from the 4th to 7th centuries A.D. for tilling the land was what the first Kujang was modeled after. Mpu Windusarpo, Mpu Mercukundo and Mpu Ramayadi are the blacksmiths credited with creating the original Kujang. The Kujang slowly became associated with the nobility and royalty of the various peoples inhabiting the island of Java. Many museums in Indonesia have Kujang on display that were created by one of these great men. These early examples of Kujang bear little similarity to the Kujang that are more familiar today. 

From the 9th to the 12th centuries A.D., the Kujang underwent many minor transformations. In 1170, it took a shape that more closely resembles the Kujang that people display in their homes today. Prabu Kudo Lalean and Mpu Windu Supo are credited with this more radical modification to the Kujang. Prabu Kudo Lalean was the leader of the Pajajaran Makukuhan kingdom in the west of Java. Mpu Windu Supo was a weapon-smith. 

Prabu Kudo Lalean had a vision that instructed him to change the Kujang in two distinct ways. He commissioned Mpu Windu Supo to create this new Kujang. Before Mpu Windu Supo would agree, he meditated on what his king had asked him to do. At the end of his meditation, he revealed that he had been shown the same vision went to work on the Kujang. From this point forward, the Kujang was no longer suitable for tilling the ground, and was not designed to be an effective weapon either; it had been transformed into a talisman of power. As the years passed, its power as a symbol grew and took firm hold in the culture of Indonesia.

The Kujang Design

The Kujang which Mpu Windu Supo produced was more a work of art than a weapon or farming tool. The basic shape of the blade remained curved, but the characteristics were changed to resemble the island of Djawa Dwipa. Today, the island of Djawa Dwipa is known as Java. This shape made the Kujang a symbol of the power of the Pajajaran Makukuhan. It presented the island and its inhabitants as a unified group, lead by the Pajajaran Makukuhan. The other important feature Mpu Windu Supo created in the Kujang was the presence of three holes in the blade. These holes represented Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma, the Hindu Trinity. Prabu Kudo Lalean was a devout Hindu. 

The Kujang was transformed again in the late 15th or early 16th century, when Islam was becoming a rising force in the region. Prabu Kian Santang ordered the Kujang shape be modified to more closely resemble the Arabic letter Syin. Syin is the first letter of the syahadat verse that must be recited to convert to Islam. Prabu Kian also added two more holes to the blade. The five holes represent Shahada, Salat, Sawm, Zakat and Hajj; the five pillars of Islam. 

The handle, or hilt, is often made from wood and sometimes possesses intricate carvings. These may be of a religious nature or simply be images that are pleasing to the owner or creator of the Kujang.

The Secular Influence Of The Kujang

By combining features that symbolized religion and political unity, the Kujang became a talisman of great power. When Prabu Kudo Lalean dictated the specific changes to be made the design, he did so after a religious vision showed him what it should look like. His weapon-smith did not act immediately on his king's request. Instead, he meditated, and after he had the same religious vision of the new Kujang, he started work on it. 

The fact that both the king and his weapon-smith had a divine revelation about the Kujang gave the weapon immediate and lasting power as a religious artifact. When finished, it was believed to possess mystical qualities. It was also believed to embody Hindu philosophy. 

This secular power was only reinforced when Prabu Kian Santang ordered it modified to incorporate aspects of Islam. Rather than being possessed of religious spirituality, the Kujang was intended to symbolize Islam and its tenants to the Kujang's possessor. 

Today, the Kujang are believed to provide luck, honor and protection. A pair of Kujang are often displayed in homes with the inner blades facing each other. 

The unique curves and features of the blade make it unsuitable for use as a weapon in battle. The form the Kujang took from the 12th century forward also made it impractical as a farming tool. Despite its lack of utilitarian qualities, the Kujang is a very important artifact in Indonesia and continues to be revered to this day. 

Sumber : http://www.kujang.net/

Posted in: Cultures