Madurese carvings span five admirable centuries<\/p>\n
Text and photo by Putu Wirata<\/p>\n
MADURA, East Java (JP): Madura, a small island off East Java,
\nnow in the throes of development fever as support poles are
\ndriven into the ground for the Surabaya-Madura bridge, is gearing
\nup for industrialization. This island is known for its bull
\nraces. Also, since bloody clashes in the past have taken place in
\nevery nook and cranny of the island, it is also named the \"Sicily
\nof Java\".<\/p>\n
Despite its foreboding nickname, Madura is home to fine
\ncarvings, an art which has spanned five admirable centuries.
\nCarvers and artists from Madura are mentioned in the stories and
\nchronicles from the golden era of the Majapahit kingdom.<\/p>\n
In those times, Madurese painters left their historical works
\nin various places, including in the graves of such nobility as
\nthe Asta Tinggi rulers (built about 1750). They are also found in
\nthe form of ornaments in the Agung Jamik mosque (built in 1763)
\nand in the Sumenep palace complex (built in 1762). If one is more
\ninterested in carvings of a more recent date, one should visit
\nthe Karduluk village, 25 kilometers west of Sumenep, or, pay a
\nvisit to Eddy Setiawan, a collector of Madurese antiques.<\/p>\n
Madurese people are proud of their art, which they claim was
\nhanded down to them as a mythological inheritance from Raden
\nPrabangkara. It was customary for old folk to relate history in
\nthe form of folklore, or mythological tales. Scientific sources
\nhave, so far, failed to find the names of these painters from
\nMadura. However, as a local saying goes, if there is no rattan,
\nplant roots will do. And if no scientific source can be found, a
\nlegend might do the trick.<\/p>\n
We take, as a starting point, the period of a kingdom in East
\nJava. There lived Prabangkara, a famous carver. He was requested,
\nby the king, to paint a portrait of the queen. At this point the
\nstory is not clear why a carver was asked to paint the portrait.
\nThe painting was a success. Unfortunately for Prabangkara, he had
\npainted in the mole above the queen's breast, even though he
\nnever saw the queen naked. The king, overcome with jealousy,
\nplanned to kill Prabangkara.<\/p>\n
Prabangkara was instructed to mend the thread of an airborne
\nkite. While the kite was floating high in the air, its thread
\nsnapped, lifting Prabangkara up and away while his carving tools
\nfell to the earth in Madura, Jepara and Bali. This accounts for
\nthe reason why these places produce skilled carvers to this day.<\/p>\n
The story is only a legend and the storyteller did not feel
\nthe need to elaborate why Prabangkara's supernatural powers
\nfailed to make him come safely back to earth.<\/p>\n
R. P. Angger Orie, from the School of Architecture of the
\nSepuluh November Institute of Technology, Surabaya, who
\nresearched, in 1979, traditional Madurese wood carvings, pointed
\nout that carvings from Madura were influenced by aesthetic motifs
\nof different races. In Jepara, for instance, carvings left by Ki
\nPatih Sungging Badarduwung -- whose original name was Cie Hoei
\nGoan -- feature Siamese traits, which can be observed in the
\nmosque of Mantingan, built during the reign of Queen Kalinyamat
\nbetween 15th and 16th centuries.<\/p>\n
Carvings from Madura also show Chinese, Middle Eastern, and
\neven European influences, aside from displaying the courageous
\nnature of the Madurese people. This is obvious in the choice of
\ncolors, which are daring, and in the wide and bold cuts.<\/p>\n
The works of Madurese artists have left historical marks, as
\non the graves of the kings of Sumenep in Asta Tinggi. The carving
\non the tombs is of very wide dimensions, large enough to become
\nthe backdrop of a pendopo (an open hall). In days of old, such a
\ncarved stage was the proud possession of the kings buried there.
\nThe work is estimated to have been made in the 1500s or 1600s,
\nsince -- according to Angger Orie -- decoration styles carried
\nHindu influences from the end of the Majapahit era.<\/p>\n
Carving styles are, for example, in the form of an earthen or
\nstone vessel sprouting a tree and spiraling flowers or plants,
\nlike the lotus flower, and stylized curved ferns with jagged
\nleaves. Additional decorations include animals, clouds, tongues
\nof fire, framed in a rim of clouds, and even in spiraling motifs.<\/p>\n
At the grave of Prince Jimat, whose real name was Tumenggung
\nArio Cokronegoro (1731 - 1744), the Chinese influence is obvious.
\nThe site was decorated with phoenix birds which are always placed
\nin the center of a carving. The same applies to motifs of cages.<\/p>\n
At the third group of graves, where Bendoro Saud or
\nTumenggung (regent) Tirtonegoro was laid to rest, the site was
\npainted in strong shades of green, red and yellow. In Angger's
\nopinion, this could have been of Turkish influence because green
\nis recognized as the color of Islam.<\/p>\n
Other carvings can be observed in Sumenep's old palace, which
\nhas been converted, in part, into the regent's office and the
\nSumenep Museum. Panembahan Somolo (1762-1811) built the palace
\nwhen he was in power, using the services of Chinese architect,
\nLauw Pia Ngo.<\/p>\n
Traces of history can be found in the old palace, which
\ntransports us back to the past. There is the pendopo agung (royal
\nhall); the yellow office; the old living quarters of Princess
\nTirto Negoro, wife of Tumenggung Tirtonegoro, which are now a
\nmuseum; the princesses' bathing pools in the garden, and the
\nroyal gate, named Labang Mesem, where guests were met with a
\nfriendly smile.<\/p>\n
In the Agung Jamik Mosque, located in the heart of Sumenep, a
\nblend of various cultures can be viewed. The mosque was built in
\n1763 by Lauw Pia Ngo. However, even though names of other foreign
\narchitects could not be found, influences of European and Middle
\nEastern architecture can not be ignored. In the Sumenep Museum,
\nfurniture used in the past by royalty takes us back to an era
\nlong gone. Included in the objects on display is a massive bed,
\ntables and chairs, kingly outfits which were worn when someone
\nwas brought to court, war spears, a royal coach, calligraphy, a
\nbullet proof vest and porcelain cups. It is most likely that the
\nkings of Sumenep established relations with the Dutch, since most
\nof the furniture was of European style.<\/p>\n
A unique atmosphere will be immediately felt if one enters the
\nquarters of Prince Kornel, also called Prince Lieutenant, an
\naristocrat of Madura.<\/p>\n
There, we can find not only designs of European style, but
\nalso a crown affixed with a cross, not unlike European crowns,
\ndespite the fact that the prince was a Moslem. And perhaps, to
\ncommemorate his military career, the carving displays several
\nweapons to the left and right of the crown.<\/p>\n
Eddy Setiawan is of the opinion that the people of Madura must
\nhave had an open mind since they were ready to accept foreign
\nesthetics.<\/p>\n
\"Speaking of culture, they were open to foreign influences.
\nBut, where religion was concerned, they could not be influenced,\"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
\"You won't find a non-Moslem person on Madura,\" he added.<\/p>\n
In the Aeng Tong Tong village, in the Sumenep district,
\ndecorative carvings are still done on kris, swords and spears.
\nThe carvings are fine and detailed, resembling the lively
\npatterns from Gianyar, Bali.<\/p>\n
A carving village that is still active today is Karduluk, 25
\nkilometers from Sumenep.<\/p>\n
A. Zarnudji Basri, a graduate of the state-owned Institute of
\nIslamic Studies in Pamekasan, uses the expertise of village
\ncarvers for commercial purposes.<\/p>\n
They are not restricted to carving royal pieces, but have
\nstarted carving race bulls and their jockeys, bird cages,
\nsailboats and music groups, to name a few.<\/p>\n
\"These make fair souvenirs,\" Zarnudji argued.<\/p>\n
Isn't there prohibition, in Islam, to paint or carve the image
\nof man or animals?<\/p>\n
\"True. But, to our understanding, the statues do not really
\nresemble anyone. They may be Si Pulan, Si Anu, persons without
\nidentity. What is not permitted is to draw or sculpt someone for
\npurposes of adoration,\" he explained.<\/p>\n
Carvings from Madura are not yet as popular as those from
\nJepara or Bali, but Zarnudji is proud that 50 percent of the
\ncarvings on display in the antique and furniture stores of
\nCiputat, South Jakarta, are from Madura. Zarnudji also has plans
\nto train more young people from Karduluk.<\/p>\n
\"I would like to send the young ones to Bali or Jepara to
\nlearn. I would like to see them expand their knowledge and
\nskills,\" he said.<\/p>",
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