Archive for June 14th, 2006
Almost every where in Yogya, Solo, Semarang and other cities in Central Java, in Karatons, in the market, in the villages, in the hotel’s lobby, you should hear the magical melodious percussion music - the gamelan Javanese orchestra.
In his book ‘music of Java’ Jaap Kunst says, “Gamelan is comparable to only two things, moonlight and flowing water. …mysterious like moonlight and always changing like flowing water …”.
Gamelan music is an integral part of all cultural activities in Java such as wayang kulit (leather puppets) performance, court dance, uyon-uyon (symphony orchestra performance), etc. There are two kinds of laras (tuning) in gamelan, namely slendro (comparable to minor key in Western music) and Pelog (major key). A complete set of gamelan consist of two sets of different instruments of Slendro and Pelog, such as:
1 Kendang (double ended drum beaten by hands)
It is a leading instrument. The pengendang (drumer) is the conductor of the gamelan orchestra. There are five (5) different sizes of kendang from 20 cm to 45 cm.
2 Saron
A glockenspiel with bronze bar struck with wooden mallet. There are three kinds; Saron Barung, Saron Peking, Saron Demung.
3 Bonang Barung
A double row of bronze kettles resting on a horizontal frame, played with two long stick bound with red cord at the striking end.
4 Bonang Penerus
5 Slentem
Thin bronze bars suspended over bamboo resonating chambers, struck with a padded disc on the end of a stick.
6 Gender
Similar to slentem with more bronze keys and smaller bamboo chamber, struck with two disc-shaped hammers.
7 Gambang
Wooden bars laid over a wooden frame struck with two sticks of supple buffalo horn, ending with a small, round, padded disc.
8 Gong
Each slendro and pelog set had three gongs. Two big gongs (Gong Ageng) and one gong Suwukan about 90 cm, made from bronze, suspended on a wooden frame. It marks the end of the largest phrase of the melody.
9 Kempul
Smaller gongs, marks a smaller phrase. In each slendro and pelog set, there are 6 (six) or 10 (ten) kempuls.
10 Kenong
Smaller gongs lay horizontally on crossed cord, inside a wooden frame. A complete set of kenong in each slendro and pelog consist of 10 (ten) kenongs.
11 Ketug
The kenong player also plays it smaller kenong, marks subdivisions of phrases.
12 Clempung
A string instrument, each slendro and pelog set needs one clempung.
13 Siter
Smaller cemplung, each slendro and pelog set needs one siter
14 Suling
It is a flute, each slendro and pelog set, needs one suling.
15 Rebab
A two stringed viol, the same as slendro and pelog.
16 Keprak and Kepyak
Needed for gamelan to accompany dances.
17 Bedug
It is a very big drum.
The bars of the gamelan instruments can be made either from iron, copper or bronze. The bronze bars are the best choice. All the gamelan players are sitting cross-legged on a mat during a performance.
In a gamelan music concert or karawitan performance, the Kendang player or pengendang conducts the Tempo, while the melody is led by the bonang player
The gamelan orchestra includes some singers (Pesinden), female as well as male. There are some very famous Pesindens, their names are almost known by everybody in this region.
Some believe that in the ancient time, the first set of gamelan, by the name of Lokananta was created by gods and played in Mount Lawu, Eastward of Solo.
In short the history of gamelan was as follow:
The first gamelan was the three-toned Munggang, then the five-toned slendro gamelan and the last: the seven-toned pelog gamelan.
Patet
In the laras slendro, there are:
• Slendro patet nem
• Slendro patet sanga
• Slendro patet manyura
In the laras pelog, there are:
• Pelog patet lima
• Pelog patet nem
• Pelog patet barong
Patet is a place to lay the gending or to establish the gending. In the wayang kulit (shadow puppet) whole night show, the gamelan plays,
Slendro patet nem from 9.00-12.00 p.m.
Slendro patet sanga from 00.00-03.00 a.m.
Slendro patet manyura from 03.00-06.00 a.m.
For an experienced gamelan player it should not difficult to determine the patet of a particular gamelan music. Or it can be said that patet is used to create mood, with the gamelan accompaniment. It is already known that various gamelan tunes are played to create different atmosphere of the situation or feeling such as joy, sorrow, anger etc.
Source : www.joglosemar.co.id
June 14th, 2006
The most famous pusaka or heirloom for Javanese people is Keris (dagger). In the ancient time, a man is not considered as a real man if he has no keris. The keris is highly valued, treated and respected with special care.
This pusaka is usually inherited from fore fathers. According to Javanese ancient tradition, especially in the court families, a father was obliged to give to his adult son at least a keris.
In general, keris is divided to two important parts, the blade (Wilah) and the scabbard (Warangka), to protect the blade. The process of the making of the blade in the old days may last one year only for one keris. The keris maker is called an Empu. Only the respectable Empus could make a high quality keris, physically and spiritually. Empu has to do some spiritual deeds to prepare a keris, like fasting, not sleeping for several days and nights, meditation, etc.
In Principle, a keris is a personal sacred weapon, it is made by an Empu, in accordance with the wish of the consumer. The manufacturing of keris is complicated, for short as the following :
At workshop with good fire plate to case the row materials such as 5 kg iron plate, measuring; 4 cm wide, 2 cm thick, 15 cm long; 50 gr of nickel and 0,5 kg of steel. The iron is heated until it become smaller, it forges again and again. The 5 kg iron become 2 kg forged iron. The nickel inserted in between the forged iron, smolder them, forged them carefully to produce the desired ‘pamor’ or surface pattern. Afterward the steel sheet, together with above forged iron and nickel, smolder and forge again.
In this stage the keris should be made Keris Lurus (a straight keris) or Keris Luk (keris with curves). The keris should be formed in accordance to the blue print, using several tools such as; rough fine, triangular files, grindstone and chisels.
Afterwards the keris should be heated but not smoldered and than plated, to make the keris more durable. After it has been plated, it should be soaked in a mix solution of sulfur, lemon juice and salt. The keris is ready and its weight is about 0,4 kg.
The Physical Characteristic of Keris :
1 Keris Lurus (straight Keris) and Keris Luk (curved keris)
2 Dapur
Dapur or shape is the keris specific form or type and identified by particular combination of parts and curved (luk). The meaning of dapur is based on certain standard which is called Pakem Dapur Keris. The names of dapur among other :
◦ Sangga Buwono
◦ Jangkung Mangkurat
◦ Pasopati
◦ Tilam Upih
◦ Sengkelat
◦ Jalak Nyucup Madu
◦ Etc.
3 Tangguh
Tangguh is the estimated era of keris making. It is linked with prominent kingdoms, such as ;
◦ Tangguh Kahuripan of XI AD
◦ Tangguh Singasari of XII AD
◦ Tangguh Pajajaran of XIII AD
◦ Tangguh Majapahit of XIV AD
◦ Tangguh Mataram of XIV - XVI AD
◦ Tangguh Kartosuro
◦ Tangguh Surokarto
◦ Tangguh Yogyakarta
◦ Etc.
4 Pamor
Surface pattern of a keris blade, the design has not been carved, it appears as a result of forging technique of different metals.
Some pamor’s name are :
◦ Ilining Warih
◦ Wos Wutah
◦ Lintang Kemukus
◦ Udan Mas
◦ Mlati Sumebar
The magical Power of Keris
Despite its physical characteristic, keris contain a spiritual mission.
1 The original spiritual power is the wishes of the Empu, the maker. While preparing and making a keris, the Empu, in the holy state, solemnly pray to God Almighty, the keris should contain spiritual wishes as requested by the Empu or the consumer.
It depends who is going to use the keris, the mission should be different, for instance, for the kings, begawans (priest), generals, high ranking officials, farmers, traders, fishermen, workers, soldiers, etc. So, it could be easy to understand that a keris which good for king , may be not good for a trader.
2 The Additional and/or Other Spiritual Power of Keris.
The keris could be filled with spiritual beings, unseen by ordinary people, such as a genie, (jin or qodam) in order to protect or to help the keris owner.
The Physical characteristic of Keris, also symbolizing its mission.
1 Dapur : Jalak Ngucup Madu (jalak is a starling, a kind of bird; ngucup is drink; madu is honey). The wish is clear, the owner of the keris should live in prosperity.
2 Pamor : Udan Mas (udan is rain; mas is gold). The keris has a mission to help its owner to have an abundant wealth.
3 A. Keris Lurus or Straight Keris, symbolizing self-confidence, strong mentality.
B.Keris Luk or Keris with Curved
Luk 3 : symbolizing a success to achieve some wishes.
Luk 5 : to be loved by other people
Luk 7 : dignity.
Luk 9 : dignity, charismatic and leadership.
Luk 11 : to achieve high position
Luk 13 : peaceful and stability of live.
Definition of a Good Keris
A keris is considered ‘good’ if it has perfect physical characteristics and at the same time contains good and strong spiritual power.
Menayuh Keris
As it has been explained above, that keris is originally a very personal heirloom, fit only for the owner.
Nowadays, there are a lot of keris in the market for sale, the term used is not buying and selling, but Mas Kawin (Bride price).
How could someone know that a keris should be fit for buyer ?
The keris should be tayuh (asked), what is its missions, who is the Empu, etc, of course by an expert in this field who has ability to communicate with a keris.
Source : www.joglosemar.co.id
June 14th, 2006
Batik in Java
Batik is both an art and a craft, which is becoming more popular and well known in the west as a wonderfully creative medium. The art of decorating cloth in this way, using wax and dye, has been practised for centuries. In Java, Indonesia, batik is part of an ancient tradition, and some of the finest batik cloth in the world is still made there. The word batik originates from the Javanese tik and means to dot.
To make a batik, selected areas of the cloth are blocked out by brushing or drawing hot wax over them, and the cloth is then dyed. The parts covered in wax resist the dye and remain the original colour. This process of waxing and dyeing can be repeated to create more elaborate and colourful designs. After the final dyeing the wax is removed and the cloth is ready for wearing or showing.
Contemporary batik, while owing much to the past, is markedly different from the more traditional and formal styles. For example, the artist may use etching, discharge dyeing, stencils, different tools for waxing and dyeing, wax recipes with different resist values and work with silk, cotton, wool, leather, paper or even wood and ceramics.
Batik is historically the most expressive and subtle of the resist methods. The ever widening range of techniques available offers the artist the opportunity to explore a unique process in a flexible and exciting way.
There is nowhere in the world where the art of batik has been developed to the highest standards as in the island of Java in Indonesia. All the raw materials for the process are readily available - cotton and beeswax and many plants from which the dyes are made.
It is not known when the batik was first made but the traditional skills were particularly well developed over hundreds of years in Central Java around Yogyakarta and Soto under the patronage of the Sultan and his court. Designs were copies and in some cases the cloths could only be used by certain people or on certain occasions. The royal families had their own proscribed designs. On the coast designs were developed differently, influenced by settlers from China, the Dutch colonists and traders from India and Arabia.
Two methods of applying wax are used.
1 The cloth is hung over the frame and the design is drawn on with a canting, a small copper cupped spout which is attached to a bamboo or wooden handle. The canting is dipped into a pot of hot wax and then allowed to flow through the spout on to the fabric. On thicker fabrics the waxing is carried out on both sides. This process is carried out by the women.
2 The cloth is stretched on to long tables and a cap or copper stamping tool is used. This is dipped into a pan of hot wax and pressed on to the fabric. This enables the design to be repeated many times and is usually done on both sides of the fabric by men. This is a much faster method of wax application.
The traditional dyes used are deep indigo blues and soga browns and these are still the characteristic colours for work in central Java. Towards the end of the 19th century chemical dyes were introduced in the coastal regions and as a result of this the colours are usually brilliant and more varied.
The final hand made lengths of cloth, known as Tulis, may take several months to produce and are consequently very expensive. Everywhere in Indonesia people still wear clothing made from batik cloth and the tourist industry has opened up a new market for cheap batik clothing and pictures.
Reproduced from
written and published by The Batik Guild, 1999
Source : www.batikguild.org.uk/historyJava.htm
June 14th, 2006