Saturday, March 30, 2013

Ancient volcano of Nglanggeran (Gunung Api Purba Nglanggeran)


     
Nglanggeran came from word ‘Pelanggaran’(infraction), it was occur if somebody had done an infraction or wickedness (Javanese words: nerak angger- angger) would be punished.
Nglanggeran Mountain was a top of Merapi Mountain at that time. As the story goes, Raden Hanoman that had a shape liked a white ape played in the night and wanted to get star in the sky. Then he treaded the top of Merapi, but he could not pick it up so he got angry and kicked the top of this mountain (Javanese word: dipancal). The hunk of the stone was catches by Punokawan (doer or actors in wayang’s story, they were: Semar, Gareng, Petruk, Bagong), but the stone was very weight, it made their feet stepped on the land that caused water which came out and became flowing spring. That water source was shaped like “dandang” (an equipment to cook rice) and took place in Kemadang and well known as “Sendang” (river). The hunk of stone was planned would be taken into southern that used Jarak wood (kind of Javanese wood). In the middle way, that wood was broken and the stone fell down in Ngalnggeran, so it called Nglanggeran Mountain in sub district of Patuk, GunungKidul.
It placed in Baturagung, with height around 200 – 700 meters above sea level in the high with average temperature 23 – 27o c, 20 km distance from Wonosari and 25 km from Yogyakarta.  There are two ways to go there with asphalt pavement: from wonosari, walked along the ‘Bundaran’(round about) Sambipitu, turn right onto Bobung village/ Mask handicraft, and goes to Nglanggeran village (Pendopo Joglgo Kalisong/Nglanggeran Mountain). From Yogyakarta: Bukit Bintang Patuk, GCD radio, turn left about 7 km (on the way Ngoro – Oro, location of stations Transmissions), walked to Nglanggeran village.   

(Hery Fosil, Translated by Nia Susanti)

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Stories from Wonosari GunungKidul



There are many stories that create behind the place, thing, or person. That stories live in society and the story is one of the history that people tale because this story have a sense, folklore for example, folklore is come from the word folk, means the tradition of art, culture, etc. folklore is the tradition and stories of the country or community (Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary 7th edition page 576). Indonesia has many cultures and the part of culture has one or more than one story that alive behind the culture and tradition in Javanese for example, in Java people is common to give the name for some place or street, building, etc. From one of the story or event that occur by a moment. In Java, especially in Yogyakarta, GunungKidul, there is an important story that people tale by orally and it became one of important thing to know because this story build some regency that is the story of Wonosari, Gunungkidul with the tittle ‘Babad Alas Nangka Doyong’ and the another story to support that story is about village call ‘Piyaman’. Why the two stories are important and support each other, because of the prominent figure that live in ‘piyaman’ and give big contribution to build GunungKidul. The two stories have connection. And the two stories always people tale, and those story has film with the tittle Babad Alas Nangka Doyong like as the true tittle of the story that people build (by the historian and cultural observer).


 Babad Alas Nangka Doyong
Babad Alas Nangka Doyong is the story about Wonosari, Gunungkidul, Yogyakarta that is famous. Babad Alas Nangka Doyong from the word babat alas, that means clear the woods to make a new place that this new place will become regency. The story began from the Mataram kingdom (kerajaan Mataram). When Mataram Karta Sura was broken by VOC with the agreement of Giyanti that divide into three kingdoms or places, they are Surakarta, the place for Raden Mas Gusti Pangeran KEPH Harya (Gunung Gambar, Samber Nyawa), and then second Yogyakarta for R. Pangeran Harya Mangku Bumi (HB I) that became Sultan in  Mataram, and then third  Pangeran Puger for Kerajaan Mangu Negaran.  GunungKidul at that time as the place of lam from Mataram. Become Wonosari,GungKidul now because Sultan Hamengkubuwana I, R. Pngeran Mangku Bumi occupy Ambar Ketawang (Gampeng, Sleman now) pin faith to Adipati Wiranegara to  invite competent authorities of Kingdom Yogakarta, that is Mataram to talk about delegation in Gunung Sewu (the name before GununKidul) and to build a new place as the part of Yogyakarta called Babad Alas in the Pendapa Keraton (kingdom of Yogyakarta). At that time, Adipati Wiranegara invite three persons from different village, they are R. Panji Hardjo Dipura from Kepanjen, Semanu, and then R. Rangga Puspawilaga from Kranggan, Seneng, Siraman, and the last one is Demang Wanapawira from Ndeso (now called Piyaman). The aim from invitation is to make a ‘sayembara’ (prize contest) about the ‘Babat Alas’. on the meeting there is a problem because there is nothing to find so Tumenggung Wiranegara that have a position at Kadipaten Sumingkar (now become Village Sumingkar, Gedhangsari, Sambi Pitu) in the meeting (musyawarah) Demang Wanapawira designated to do Babad Alas to move Kadipaten sumingkar to eastwards if Woods of ‘Nangka Doyong’ have done.  After the meeting Wanapawira come home to Ndeso and has a meeting with the family, especialy talk with Nyi Niti Prawira or Mbok Nitisari, in the meeting Nyi Nitisari give a suggestion to Wanapawira to do some meditation (tapa) under the tree of Nangka Doyong for 40 days and 40 nights to help the process of Babat Alas. At the last day and last night of meditation Wanapawira meet Nyi Gadhung Mlathi, the invisible being that has the place of Alas Nangka Doyong. In the last meditation, when Wanapawira meet Nyi Gadhung Mlathi there is agreement reached after long process.  There is a requisite that must Wanapawira do, to complete the meditation and has the way to Babat Alas, the requisite is about the relationship, means Wanapawira become husband of Nyi  Gadhung Mlathi, but this requisite make Wanapawira confused because it is big deal and impossible thing, because of Wanapawira is perfect person and he is a human but Nyi Gadhung Mlathi is an invisible being. Then Nyi Gadhung Mlathi said to Wanapawira “ kang mas Pawira kepareng Gusti sampun paring dhawuh kita saged damel panguipan bebrayan kados ingkang sinuwun panembahan senopati raja kapisan ing tahta Mentaok (Kota Gedhe)” Nyi Gadhung Mlathi sait that if God will help and give a permission about their relation. At the and Wanapawira has a deal with the requisite because he think that it is a command from Pangeran Mangkubumi.  At the process of Babad Alas Nyi Gadhung Mlathi help Wanapawira.
After ‘pembabatan’ all of the functionary from kingdom Mataram that King by Sultan Hamengkubuwana I look at the successful of Babad Alas and then the king of Mataram amazed because before this ‘pembabatan’ this place is just a woods, with many invisible being now become a new face, new nice place and ‘asri’ (beautiful) so here the King, Sultan named this place Wonosari that take from Wono- wanapawira and –sari from Nitisari of the other version is about the beautiful place asri, wono- means woods (alas) and –sari means asri or beauty. Then named GunungKidul as kadipaten (now become regency of GunungKidul) because the position of the place is the southland of Mataram, and then kadipaten Sumingkar move to kutha Wonosari with the regency of GunungKidul. The ‘Babad Alas Nangka Doyong’ is successful and to make this regency prosperous and to develop this new place Adipati Wiranegara make a market (pasar anyar or pasar Nangka Doyong take place in Seneng, Siraman.

Another story of Wonosari that has related with ‘Babad Alas Nangka Doyong’
Piyaman and the Hero (Demang Wanapawira)
Piyaman is a village part of Wonosari, Piyaman is the village where Demang Wanapawira the hero of wonosari, GunungKidul by the story and history of Wonosari, GubungKidul that is ‘Babad Alas Nangka Doyong’. The story and history of Piyaman come from the case of Demang Wanapawira with R. Rangga Puspawilaga. The case came from R. Rangga Puspawilaga that angry with Wiranegara because chose Wanapawira to do ‘ Babad Alas’ and he is ashamed with Wanapawira, because he can do ‘Babad Alas’ although he is just common person, from the blood of people who run away from Mataram, and just a little boy, not rich, just because he has a mandate from Wiranegara. The another conflict between Rangga Puspawilaga and Wanapawira is about love triangle that engage the daughter of Panji Harjadipura name R. Rara Sudarmi from Kepanjen, Semanu. This love story begin in the market ‘pasar anyar’ or ‘pasar Nangka Doyong’ when Rara Sudarmi meet Wanapawira, Wanapawira want to marry Rara Sudarmi and Rara sudarmi actually love Wanapawira. But Rangga Puspawilaga does not like this thing, because Rangga Puspawilaga also love Rara Sudarmi and want to marry her, so he ask to his father Puspayunda propose marriage to Rara Sudarmi. Because of many gentlemen want to marry Rara Sudarmi so, Harjadipura make some competition who men is win he will become Rara Sudarmi’s husdand. This competition (sayembara) is about archery (sayembara panah) at the tree of ‘Nangka Doyong’ this tree is a large tree and the position is leaningin in the plaza (alun- alun Kepanjen Semanu) In the competition Demang wanapawira win because Nyi Ghadung Mlathi help him to win, and his wining make Rangga Puspawilaga more angry with Wanapawira.
Rangga Puspawilaga want to kill Demang Wanapawira nd want to shatter Ndeso, where Wanapawira live. At that time Rangga Puspaliwala bring his solder (prajurit) from seneng, Siraman to give battle Wanapawira. To make wanapawira get angry and have bad emotion, Rangga Puspawilaga burn new market (pasar anyar), Rangga puspaliga think that ‘pasar anyar’ make ‘pasar seneng’ disappear. The other side, Rara Sudarmi marry Demang Wanapawira and live in Ndeso (village before named Piyaman). The battle between Kranggan, Seneng and Ndeso Piyaman when the night comes or in the twilight (surup). At that time Wanapawira still in Kepanjen, Semanu to keep Rara Sudarmi but his Harjadipura, his father in law refuse to take care Rara Sudarmi because his daughter has married with him and she is the wife that must be take care by her husband. Finally Wanapawira take Sudarmi come home. Solder(prajurit) of Kranggan near ndeso and when the first time Rangga Puspawilaga hit the ‘Bendhe’ or ‘ Kempul’ the instrument music of Javanese as the sign the battle is begin, but no one has respond about this sign and Rangga Puspawilaga ger very angry and he said that in this place lived by people, this place will named Budegan. Budeg- means deaf, and then when he walks away till come Ndeso, no one get the respond. So he really angry with this because this place so empty, and that time the family of Wanapawira take care Sudarmi and bring Sudarmi run away to the Cave Putri (Goa Putri) in village Sidorejo. The battle is occur, the each of solder (prajurit) Kranggan and Ndeso sparring till Rangga Puspawilaga dead. After that Rara Sudarmi came back home in Ndeso, the way back home there is nothing happen, every people said that this place is empty, nothing happen and calm, so peace. It is a tactic of battle to keep the place from the anger of Rangga Puspawilaga, just like a political game in the battle. This tactic is only to make Rangga Puspawilaga angry, and when he get angry so he will loss his control and he will loss a power, because he cannot focus, just there any anger and emotion, it will be easy to make he defeated. Base on the agreed between Demang Wanapawira, Panji Harjadipura, and Tumenggung Wiranegara to remember this successful of tactic, so this place that place Wanapawira live named ‘Dadapan Piyaman’ . Piyaman means pi- from the word ‘sepi’ (empty or quiet) and then –aman from the word aman( peaceful). So now this village called Piyaman, in Piyaman there are many ‘petilasan’ or place to remember for each moment that are there when Piyaman in disorder time. Including of Piyaman there many village that become ‘petilasan’ fof the battle; Ngerboh, this place to remember when Rangga Puspawilaga’s horse fall, ‘ruboh’ in Javanese word because of Wanapawira stab with a spear, so this place called Ngerboh. When Rangga Puspawilaga run to northern to chase Rara Sudarmi, on the way he run, Rangga Puspawilaga take rest under the tree of Pakel, so the place named Pakeljaluk, Demang Wanapawira does not give up, he stab Rangga Puspawilaga when Puspawilaga chase Rara Sudarmi, at the end Rangga Puspawilaga fall and buried by rocks. So the place called Nggrubyukan. In the way of run Rara Sudarmi’s hair bun (sanggul or gelungan) fall on the ground, so this place call Gelung, but Puspawilaga still chase Rara Sudarmi and then into Gari. After Rara Sudarmi is disappeared, Puspawilaga back to Ndeso dadapan(Piyaman) to kill Wanapawira and they meet in the woods ‘Alas Lurung gedhe’ that live millions of invisible being, it is not like Puspawilaga planed, Wanapawira stab Puspawilaga with spear  until R. Rangga Puspawilaga loss his power, and then Puspawilaga lean at the tree of Asem, so this tree also the place around the tree called Ngasem raden as the place R. Rangga Puspawilaga dead (petilasan) this tree fall at 1963. Before Puspawilaga dead, he has three things to said: he apologize to Wanapawira because of his wickedness, and then he want a peace between Ndesa Dadapan (Piyaman) ans seneng, siraman, nothing animosity, just there peace, and then the last one is the solder (prajurit) of Kranggan, seneng, who still alive become people of piyaman(Puspawilaga give his ‘prajurit’ to Kademangan Piyaman) but people that still live in earth of Siraman, will become people of Siraman as the generation. After R. Rangga Puspawilaga died the two villages Piyaman and Siraman live peace until now.
The two stories, ‘Babad Alas Nangka Doyong’ and “Piyaman and the Hero (Demang Wanapawira) transmitted orally, but this two stories have been filmed with the same tittle, to make those story alive, always there an event ‘Babad Dalan’ in wonosari for every year. It is become Babad Dalan to reflex about the story Babad Alas Nangka Doyong. And in the Piyaman, in the month of ‘Sura’ (Javanese calendar) there is a ritual ‘Dongo Dhateng Ki Demang Wanapawira. The two stories have message, that everybody better peace, nothing conflict, life togetherness and better doing positive thing to get better life, and then one thing learn from R. Rangga Puspawilaga, if a person do some mistake so this person must do apologize. This folklore tell many lesson that people got by knowing the story, it is important to know about the history, as the person who live from history, because without history, people will not change. Another message from Demang Wanapawira that people must not be afraid to do better thing, although they does not have good wealth. Just keep the honest and do something true.










Informant
Name               : R. Hardjono W.P
Age                 : 61 (13 August 1951
Address           :Piyaman I, RT-4/RW-1, Wonosari, GunungKidul, Yogyakarta
Occupation      : Budayawan (Cultural Observer), farmer


Reference
http://www.wonosari.com/t2889p15-note-asal-usul-wonosari-pada-babad-alas-             nangka-dhoyong (27 November 2011, 21:45 pm)







  

Ritual of ‘Neton’


Ritual is a series of actions that are always performed in the same way, especially as part of a religious ceremony (Oxford Advance Learner’s Dictionary, page 1264). Ritual is some activity that people doing to celebrate something or to respect about something especially the ancestors. People have different ways to do some ritual and also they have different aim. Ritual is like some tradition and the part of life, because some ritual can be meaning in some belief and people who always doing some ritual think that ritual is important thing to do because this people will think that from this ritual their life will be safety. In Indonesia, that has many cultures and also different region will has different habit about ritual, because they live in different place so they will have different activities about the way of life.
In my hometown, ritual is like the rice in this life, people in my hometown cannot divorced from the word ‘ritual’ because people in my hometown have high belief about supernatural or invisible being. They respect to ancestors that make their belief that the ancestors or invisible being will help them to keep their life and sometimes will safe them. They believe in ancestors’ fervency like they believe God. It is why GunungKidul is famous as the supernatural place. For each village in GunungKidul has ritual to respect the ancestor. They believe that ancestor always helps them and ancestor usually stays in one place, for example in the tree, ‘sendang’ (river), stone, house, etc. so they do some ritual to make the ancestor happy and make that village safe and still. Also many story behind the ritual why people believe and do some ritual, and this thing ‘ritual’ alive around them and they conserve about it.
In my village people always do some ritual to respect invisible being that they are alive around and they are part of live. Like in my home, from old family (tradition from ancestor) doing some ritual that hereditary, from old generation will give some respectful ritual to keep the members of family from bad thing. This ritual called ‘netoni’ or ‘nge-mong- mongi’. Usually this ritual ‘netoni’ or ‘nge-mong- mongi’ will be doing for each family member’s day of birth (dino weton). The day is not birth day that people celebrate for every year but my family doing that for each the day of birth, for example Rabu Wage (my day of birth), Setu Pon (Ayesa’s day), Senen Legi (my father’s day), Selasa Pahing (my mother’s day), Jum’at Kliwon (my grandpa’s day), Kamis Pon( my grandma’s day). Pahing, Pon, Wage, Kliwon, Legi are the day base on Javanese calendar, they are paingan-days. On the day that one of the member’s celebrate ‘netu’ the older (in my house is my grandpa) will doing some ritual to keep the members of family far away from the evil, grandpa will pray and who has the day and has enough age must fast to keep self from negative energy. On the same day the woman in the house must cook special menu, like ‘gudhangan’ (gudhangan is vegetable that cooked with scraped of coconut and Javanese sugar ‘gula jawa merah’ and then the vegetables are bayam, leaf cassava, and string bean) , ‘thiwul’, ‘uwi godhog’(something like cassava that boiled)   or ‘telo’ (cassava), they are Javanese traditional food that always there in the ritual.
The process of the ritual from the beginning till the end.
1.      Prepare the food for ‘sesajen’ (thing as ancestor meal) like ‘gudhangan’ and ‘uwi’ etc.
2.      Put that food in the ‘lemper’ (mortar)
3.      Put this food on the bed, put ‘sesajen’ or food on the bed who has the day of ‘netu’
4.      After everything is prepared, the older (my grandpa) will pray with the ‘sesajen’ on the bed;

“Nini mong, kaki mong
Nini bodho, kaki bodho
Seng momong badane si… (Put the name who has the day)
Ojo di mong pinggiring jurang lan pinggiring kali
Mongen neng balaamba balanane sahadat kalimah slamet
Amin…”

5.      After that the older (my grandpa) will clapped his hand to the bed three times (nggeblek paturon kaping telu). It means say amen three times to make sure that the ancestor will accede the pray. To make the ritual work.
6.      Do not let the person who has the day of ‘netu’ eat this meal or ‘sesajen’ because if the person who has the day eat this meal it means nothing, and the pray will not work. So after do some rituals this food must be given to another person, or perhaps throw away in the river, but if the family want to eat, is allowed but the person who has the day must not eat it.

This words (sentences for pray) means that the preyed is hope for something good, the older pray or like ask to the ancestor to help keep who has the day of ‘netu’. The older pray to ask about the safe of life for who has the day and the older also ask to make life of who has the day to far away from the dangerous thing, this words refer the evil. And the older hope about the walfare.
            People in my family, especially my grandpa and the elder like my father and my mother belief that ‘mong-mong’ base on the day of birth is importance because the one thing that they believe, this ritual is mean to hope that the ancestor will help to keep our life and it is like some important habit, because if this ritual do not happen or the same way that if this ritual is not carried so the life will not safe and dangerous, because evil in everywhere. There is some case; it is about my ‘netu’. The day was Rabu Wage (Wednesday) my mother forgot about my day of birth, and then I became so naughty and I am crying everyday and always ask about something hard to get, like ask for some food that strange and dangerous toy, I make my home crowded and my grandpa remain my mother that this day is my day and if she does not make some ritual ‘neton’ the ancestor and the ‘batur’ will get angry, so my mother cook the food that usually there in the ritual ‘neton’ and asked my grandpa to pray ‘nyajek-ke’. After ritual I became normal like my daily habit, I am not crying again and became nice girl again. My family believes that evil try to annoy me because this ritual is forgotten. The one thing that my father always say to members of family that this house where I live is there the ancestor and the ancestor will keep the family members so the ‘mong-mong’ or ‘neton’ is the way to keep or to respect the ancestor, and this ‘neton’ also present to friend (batur) of person has the day so the ‘batur’ will always accompany and keep this person. ‘Batur’ is placenta that buried near the house that exit when someone is born. My family believes that ‘batur’ is alive to accompany the person who born with it and batur needs ritual like ‘neton’ to keep this person from bad thing.
Summary;       
‘Neton’ or ‘mong-mong’ is an example of ritual to respect the ancestor or ‘batur’ that occur in my hometown, especially in my home. This ritual use meal like ‘gudhandan’ , ‘ thiwul’ , ‘ uwi or telo (cassava)’ and then put them on the mortar and put on the bed also make a pray to complete the ritual. This ritual has aim that from this ritual hope for something positive that will be occur and the members of family will kept by ancestor and also God. ‘Neton’ is happen on the day of birth thet has had by family members. Person who has the ‘netu’ cannot eat the meal from ‘sesajen’ because the pray that made by older will not be working. In the end of ritual the older will clap the hand on the bed, it means amen, and hopefully the pray will be working.




Reference
Hornby, A.S (2006) Oxford Learner’s Dictionary of Current English, Oxford University Press, UK. (Page 1264)

            Informants
1.      Name            : Karto Sentono
Age              : 87
Address        : Piyaman, Wonosari, GunungKidul, Yogyakarta


2.      Name            : Jasiyem
Age              : 53
Address        : Piyaman, Wonosari, GunungKidul, Yogyakarta