The National Museum Exhibits 200 Keris Collections, Celebrating 19 Years of UNESCO Recognition

SEAToday.com, Jakarta - The Pesona Keris Nusantara exhibition showcases 200 keris collections from the keris actors under the auspices of the National Secretariat of Indonesian Keris (SNKI) and the collection of the National Museum of Indonesia as support. The exhibition, which was held at the National Museum of Indonesia, Jakarta, also presented various interesting and interactive public programs.

The event is part of the 19th anniversary of the designation of the Indonesian Keris as a World Cultural Masterpiece by UNESCO, which was announced on November 25, 2005 and then inscribed in UNESCO's Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2008.

Minister of Culture Fadli Zon emphasized that the keris as an original Indonesian cultural product remains relevant in the era of modern times and technological advances so it needs to continue to be developed.

“Although traditional kris making is still maintained, this process has been applied in a modern way and remains relevant in responding to the challenges of the times,” Fadli Zon said when inaugurating the Pesona Keris Nusantara Exhibition at the National Museum of Indonesia in Jakarta, Monday, November 25, 2024, as reported by Antara.

Fadli said that the Pesona Keris Nusantara Exhibition organized by the National Secretariat of Indonesian Keris (SNKI) in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture (Kemenbud) of the Republic of Indonesia, opened a new discourse on the importance of preserving and developing the archipelago's cultural heritage, especially keris in the face of modernization.

According to him, the exhibition not only aims to preserve the keris as a symbol of local wisdom, but also to introduce the younger generation to the artistic, philosophical and technological values contained in the keris. He explained that keris, which is formed through complex and philosophical manufacturing techniques, continues to provide inspiration to this day.

This is also evident in training programs, such as at the Institut Seni Indonesia (ISI) Surakarta, which has produced more than 15 female kris masters. Through the Culture for the Future program, culture is not only preserved but also developed as a source of innovation.

“The government through the Ministry of Culture is committed to ensuring that the keris remains a symbol of local wisdom and national identity that is relevant in the midst of world civilization,” he said.

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