Dance teaches kings how to be good leaders<\/p>\n
Tarko Sudiarno, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Here is how the age-old Yogyakarta sultans (kings) taught
\nstatecraft to their successors: through a symbolical
\nrepresentation in a court dance, Bedhaya Sang Amurwabumi<\/p>\n
The dance, which used to be performed strictly inside the
\ncourt, was created in 1990 and dedicated to the late Sultan
\nHamengku Buwono IX.<\/p>\n
It was only one of many dances that opened the Yogyakarta art
\nand culture exhibition at Galangan VOC Building, Sunda Kelapa,
\nNorth Jakarta, on Friday. The event also features batik fashion
\nshows and an exhibition of handicrafts from Yogyakarta.<\/p>\n
The Amurwabumi dance contained philosophical symbols of an
\nideal leader or king. The Javanese concept of an ideal leader, so
\nthe philosophy goes, should have the right view, right thought,
\nright speech, right attitude and lead a righteous life.<\/p>\n
An ideal leader should also make an effort to do the right
\nthing, and should be devoted to God.<\/p>\n
Mpu Purwa, a Buddhist figure, said there were 10 things that
\nmade an ideal leader: generosity, nobility, calmness and
\npatience, courage, meditation, alertness, efforts, determination,
\npower and knowledge.<\/p>\n
The dance plot centers on the story of the former king of
\nSingasari, Amurwabumi (refers to the title used by ancient Hindu
\nking), or Ken Arok, and his wife Sang Prameswari Dyah
\nPradnyaparamita, or Ken Dedes, Mpu Purwa's daughter, as recorded
\nin the Pararaton chronicle.<\/p>\n
Like other sacred dances, the piece was performed by nine
\nfemale court dancers who moved slowly with elegant movements in
\naccompaniment to soft, magical Javanese music. The beautiful song
\nthat accompanied the dancers was titled Gedhing Gati Mardawa.<\/p>\n
Clad in a traditional royal outfit, basahan ageng, they
\nappeared on stage one after another. Their hands were elevated
\nslightly to both right and left sides, their body straight and
\ntheir gaze fixed ahead.<\/p>\n
The dancers then sat on the floor with legs crossed and a
\nnarrator told the audience in Javanese the synopsis of the
\nclassical piece. The narrator said that the background story of
\nthe dance was the marriage of Ken Arok, who was a Hindu, and Ken
\nDedes, a Buddhist.<\/p>\n
Ken Arok had a crush on Ken Dedes after see a glimpse of the
\nlatter's glowing thighs. Ken Arok was certain that this type of
\nwoman had enormous power.<\/p>\n
So he determined to own the woman for himself. At this point,
\nKen Dedes was married to Tunggul Ametung, the ruler of a minor
\nkingdom, Tumapel, and was three-months pregnant. Tumapel was a
\nsubsidiary country to Kediri, now located in East Java province.<\/p>\n
Ken Arok then ordered a kris from a renowned kris-maker, Mpu
\nGandring. But Ken Arok could not wait for a full year until his
\norder was completed, so he killed the old man and snatched the
\nkris.<\/p>\n
As he was struggling for his last breath, Mpu Gandring cursed
\nthe kris by saying that it would be responsible for the deaths of
\nseven generations that followed, including Ken Arok.<\/p>\n
Ken Arok succeeded in fulfilling his ambition, usurped the
\nthrone of Tumapel, defeated Kediri and built the kingdom of
\nSingasari in AD 1222. It was a glorious moment for Singasari, as
\nit managed to expand into half of the areas of today's Indonesia.<\/p>\n
According to Pararaton, Ken Arok was killed with the same kris
\nby his stepson, Anusapati.<\/p>\n
It was followed by a series of bloody struggles for power that
\ntook place exactly as the kris-maker's curse had foretold.<\/p>\n
The narrator continued that, at that time, there had been
\nstipulations in accordance with Javanese culture that underlined
\nthat a king should act righteously.<\/p>\n
After the narrator finished reading the synopsis, the dancers,
\nwho wore make up like Javanese brides, made respectful greetings
\nwith hands folded, fingertips upward, touching the forehead.<\/p>\n
They slowly arose and stood erect. They moved gently, with
\ncomplicated steps, while the dazzling sound of the gamelan
\n(Javanese orchestra) was dominated by the sound of kemanak (a
\nmusical instrument like a horn).<\/p>\n
According to Raden Mas Dinoesatomo from the Yogyakarta Palace,
\nthe dance carried a message about the philosophical symbols of
\nleadership that should be maintained until today.<\/p>\n
"In short, the duty of a leader is not just to maintain the
\nhereditary line, but what is important is that he should be able
\nto record achievements."<\/p>\n
A leader should also have noble qualities and wisdom, exactly
\nin line with the teachings of royal ancestors, he added.<\/p>\n
The dance was an avant-garde piece that was often performed at
\nthe Yogyakarta and Surakarta palaces in Central Java, he said.<\/p>\n
Besides Sang Amurwabumi, there are a number of sacred
\nclassical dances, such as Bedhaya Ketawang from Surakarta Palace
\nand Bedhaya Semang from Yogyakarta Palace.<\/p>\n
But both palaces hardly ever stage either of the two dances
\nbecause of the complicated rituals that should be performed
\nbeforehand. Besides, it takes about three-and-a-half hours to
\nperform the dance.<\/p>\n
Even though Sang Amurwabumi was not performed in the palace as
\nusual, the dancers presented it using their usual, graceful
\nmovements to send a philosophical message for a leader,
\nparticularly to the current leader of this country.<\/p>\n
Maybe, the creator of the dance, Sultan Hamengku Buwono X,
\nwanted to repeat what he has recently stated many times: The
\nPresident, as leader of the country, should make an effort to
\nimprove the welfare of the people, and act as Sang Amurwabumi.<\/p>",
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