Ahmad Zarkoni, animal healer<\/p>\n
Tarko Sudiarno, The Jakarta Post\/Yogyakarta<\/p>\n
The horse was standing with one of its legs in the strong grip of
\nthe old man's dark hands.<\/p>\n
Without any difficulty, he bent the left foreleg of the horse
\nbackward and kept it in that position for a few minutes. Then, he
\nstroked the back of the horse gently, as if asking whether it
\nfelt better.<\/p>\n
The old man is Ahmad Zarkoni of Nglaren, Banguntapan district,
\nBantul regency, Yogyakarta. Known as Mbah Koni to his fellow
\nvillagers, he is an animal healer or dukun sapi, literally a cow
\nhealer, because he has helped mostly cows.<\/p>\n
That afternoon, he was massaging a horse with a troubled leg.
\nThe horse, which usually draws a four-wheeled carriage round the
\ncity of Yogyakarta, was very docile even when Mbah Koni bent the
\ntroubled leg. The animal seemed to be enjoying the massage.<\/p>\n
It is indeed very difficult to find someone like Mbah Koni,
\nwho has been helping troubled animals since he was a boy. \"I got
\nthe skill from my grandpa and my father,\" he said, while drawing
\ndeeply on a clove-flavored cigarette.<\/p>\n
\"When I was a boy, my neighbors, who believed that I had
\ninherited this skill from my father, asked me to heal their cows.
\nAt first, I did not believe I could do it. I was scared when my
\nneighbors asked me to help their cows. I hid behind the door.
\nFinally, I agreed as they were insistent,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Now 75, Ahmad Zarkoni has devoted almost his entire life to
\nhelping troubled animals. He has cured thousands of animals and
\nvisited many towns and cities in East and Central Java and
\nYogyakarta for this purpose.<\/p>\n
\"When an animal needs my help, I will go immediately to help
\nbecause an animal is also a living creature and can feel pain,\"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
Mbah Koni has helped various animals like cows, horses, goats
\nand dogs. Generally, they suffer from a sprain or a cold. Some
\nanimals may have indigestion or difficulty giving birth.<\/p>\n
When a cow has a cold, for example, Mbah Koni will put his
\nhand, covered with coconut oil and soap into its anus to reach
\nthe colon. Then, very carefully, he will take the dung out.<\/p>\n
Afterwards he will massage all the joints in the body of the
\ncow and smear it with a balm made of spirit, chili and ginger.
\nFinally, he will take the saliva of the cow onto his palm and rub
\nit on the animal's head. \"God willing, after it is rubbed with
\nits own saliva, the cow will get better again,\" he said.<\/p>\n
If a cow loses its appetite and has red spots on its tongue,
\nMbah Koni will suck the animal's saliva with his own tongue.
\nAlthough it may be repulsive to many, Mbah Koni will just do it
\nbecause, as he put it, \"That is the only way to help the cow.
\nWhen your tongue meets its tongue, it will neutralize the
\nailment.\"<\/p>\n
He added that the saliva of the cow that he had swallowed did
\nhim no harm at all.<\/p>\n
If the animal has a sprain, Mbah Koni can easily help it. He
\nknows very well which part of the animal is troubled and needs
\nmassaging. Lately, he has also helped massage racehorses before
\nthey join a race. It is believed that Mbah Koni can help sick
\nanimals not only because of his massaging skill but also because
\nof his mantra.<\/p>\n
It is true that before he sets out to help a sick animal, he
\nwill say a particular mantra to ensure that the animals will
\nremain docile. No matter how wild and strong a horse may be, the
\nmoment he has said his mantra, the animal will be very tame.<\/p>\n
After the healing session, Mbah Koni will repeat another
\nmantra for the full recovery of the animal.<\/p>\n
Mbah Koni, who does not charge a special rate for his service,
\nsaid that it was not easy to be an animal healer. He said that he
\nalways had to improve on the skill he had inherited from his
\ngrandfather and his father. \"I always perform a ritual in a river
\nat midnight.<\/p>\n
\"In this way, our ancestors and God will always give us
\nstrength as long as what we request is for the good of our fellow
\nhuman beings.\"<\/p>\n
While he is known as an animal healer, some people have also
\ncome to him for a massage. A father of 10, Mbah Koni lives in a
\nmodest house in the eastern part of Yogyakarta.<\/p>\n
Almost every day, people come to him either to have their
\nanimals treated or enjoy a massage.<\/p>",
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