Banyuwangi's 'santet' can charm, not hurt

Text and photos by Antariksawan Jusuf

The killing of several alleged practitioners of black magic in Java's easternmost regency of Banyuwangi last year has many people identifying the regency with black magic and little else. Upon the return to his birth place during the Idul Fitri celebration last month, The Jakarta Post contributor Antariksawan Jusuf found there is more to tell about this culturally rich land besides black magic. The local rituals and the language for example. He wrote his observations in the three related articles below.

BANYUWANGI (JP): A seven-day traditional music and dance performance was held at several popular tourist sites in Banyuwangi, two days after the Islamic Idul Fitri celebration at the end of January.

Bright, cheery faces greeted visitors in almost every corner of this sleepy town on the easternmost tip of Java.

There was no sign of hatred and simmering anger from the notorious murders in September and October last year.

Urbanites and villagers alike drew a macabre picture of what went on during those months. As night fell, roadblocks and barricades were erected every 10 meters. In the virtual curfew, people armed with sickles and anything they could find questioned passersby.

Frightened locals became irrational in their security measures. White or red vans with a number plate beginning "B", signifying Jakarta, or "L" (Surabaya) were the target of suspicion because of the circulating rumor they bore the public enemies: ninja-clad murderers.

They were believed to be behind the killing spree whose perpetrators remain a mystery to this day. Some argued the murderers were professional because of the killing methods. But the targets were so diverse, from leaders of the Muslim organizations Nahdlatul Ulama and Muhammadiyah and alleged black magic practitioners (dukun), to public figures and even farmers.

In the first spate of murders, the victims were cast as black magic practitioners. The authorities ultimately claimed only 38 of 117 victims were dukun, even though it was almost impossible to find physical evidence behind the crimes.

When news of the terrible deaths spread nationally, Banyuwangi became identified as a hotbed for black magic, known in Indonesian as santet.

Are all the witchcraft rumors and accusations true?

"Actually, it is a complete misunderstanding," said novelist and observer Hasnan Singodimayan. "Santet in Banyuwangi refers to a love-philter spell used mostly by men to attract the opposite sex, while in Indonesian the word means black magic."

In Banyuwangi, santet stands for mesisan kantet, meaning "let the opposite sex follow", he said. Magic spells, such as Sabuk Mangir, normally last for only 40 days.

Hasnan's novel Kerudung Baju Selubung (Veil as a Cover) was made into the TPI television series Jejak Sinden (Trace of a Singer) last year. The novel tells about black magic employed by a woman to harm her former husband's new wife. Hasnan used complete black magic verses in the novel.

His story attests to the Banyuwangi people's familiarity with black magic.

"Black magic is not an exclusive phenomenon to Banyuwangi. But here the number of black magic practitioners is so small. It is a product of overexaggeration which is typical of people of Banyuwangi," he said.

Hasnan did not deny there were victims of black magic, but "it is not as many as suspected".

According to Ahmad Siddiq, a Muslim elder and head of the Kertosari Muslim boarding school, black magic in Banyuwangi varies in intensity. It ranges from a simple spell to make somebody unable to utter a word in a middle of a speech, to a high level of magic with victims penetrated by foreign objects in their body, from iron nails and broken glass to frying pans.

Siddiq provides assistance for people affected by black magic and other nonphysical diseases. On average, he treats one patient a day.

During the time of terror in September and October, he was one of the Muslim leaders threatened with death by alleged ninjas. He also lent a hand by blessing several young people so they were able to fight and capture ninjas. These young people did arrest one alleged ninja and handed him over to the police.

People believe the ninjas possess supernatural powers that allow them to easily escape an ambush.

To rid people of spells, Siddiq takes a glass of clean water which has had incantations intoned over it. He also asks the person to read a certain passage in the Koran.

If a person is afflicted with magic that is too strong for Siddiq to overcome, he recommends one of five dukun. These dukun perform special black-magic cleansing rituals.

"There are dukun who can cure a person by physically taking out the foreign objects from a patient's body," he said.