YAYASAN BALI BERSIH AND THE CULTURAL HERITAGE PROGRAM COMMITTEE OF INDONESIA DISCUSSED RETURNING KRIS PUPUTAN AS PART OF THE LOW-HANGING FRUIT LIST TO PURI KLUNGKUNG
Chairperson of Yayasan Bali Bersih Shandy Wijaya and Patron Rodney Westerlaken met with I Gusti Agung Wesaka Puja, Head of the Cultural Heritage Program committee of Indonesia, and two other members: Bonnie Triyana as a secretary and Sadiah Boonstra as a member. The meeting discussed the possible return of the Kris puputan Klungkung to Indonesia, currently on the list of low-hanging fruit. The discussion results have also been conveyed to the King of Klungkung.
JAKARTA, December 2022, Yayasan Bali Bersih, with the Cultural Heritage Program committee of Indonesia, discussed returning the Kris Puputan as part of the low-hanging fruit list announced by I Gusti Agung Wesaka Puja earlier this year. The Kris Puputan is one of the items brought to the Netherlands after the Puputan Klungkung in 1908.
After the Puputan Klungkung on April 28, 1908, the King and his family members committed suicide in a ‘battle to the end’, a puputan. The Dutch military brought objects from the Klungkung Kingdom to Batavia (now Jakarta), such as the now requested Kris Puputan and the Kris Ardawalika. The Kris Ardawalika untill nowadays is kept at the Bataviaasch Genootschap van Kunsten en Wetenschappen (currently the National Museum of Indonesia). The now requested Kris Puputan is currently in the collection of the National Museum of Ethnology (Museum Volkenkunde) Leiden, Netherlands.
Yayasan Bali Bersih discussed the remembrance of 100 year puputan Klungkung from April 27 to April 29 2008 in which the Royal Family of Klungkung was able to use the Kris Ardawalika. The Government of Klungkung Regency helped to borrow the kris, to write a guarantee statement letter, and paid 2 billion rupiah rupiah as insurance to make sure the object was not lost or damaged. The Kris returned to the National Museum of Indonesia after the ceremony.
The Cultural Heritage Program committee appreciates the concern of Yayasan Bali Bersih for the effort to return Kris Puputan to Indonesia. The current commission ensures the return of cultural heritage until arrival on Indonesian soil. Another inter-ministerial group (that still needs to be formed) will discuss and decide what needs to happen after the requested items of cultural heritage are back in Indonesia. Thus, the Cultural Heritage Program committee may only be able to recommend that the requested Kris Puputan returns to Puri Klungkung after the Kris arrived in Indonesia.
In the same month, Yayasan Bali Bersih also met with the King of Klungkung to discuss two matters of importance. First, Yayasan Bali Bersih conveyed the results of discussions with the Cultural Heritage Program committee. The King of Klungkung welcomed the discussion results and hoped returning Kris Puputan would run smoothly. Yayasan Bali Bersih will prepare letters and supporting documents to carry out efforts to return the Kris Puputan to Puri Klungkung. Apart from that, Yayasan Bali Bersih will also continue to coordinate with the Cultural Heritage Program committee. Secondly, Yayasan Bali Bersih discussed the return of one tombak that Yayasan Bali Bersih acquired in Germany, planned to happen soon.
About Yayasan Bali Bersih
Yayasan Bali Bersih is an Indonesian non-profit organisation founded in 2015 as a local partner for Westerlaken foundation. Yayasan Bali Bersih has a complete Indonesian board with four programs. The programs are:
Human rights and children rights.
Marine environment.
Emergency relief.
Issues on cultural heritage management.
Since 2018, Yayasan Bali Bersih has been assisting in and focusing on the return of cultural heritage in Bali. In 2019 and 2020, Yayasan Bali Bersih returned three tombaks and one kris to the palace of Klungkung. Yayasan Bali Bersih is working with Puri Klungkung and related stakeholders to return Kris Puputan to Indonesia.
Please get in touch with us, and we appreciate any related questions about cultural heritage management or Yayasan Bali Bersih.
Email : info@yayasanbalibersih.org
Website : https://www.westerlakenfoundation.org
Phone : 082211872080
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