Dragons and 'wayang' watch over Javanese homes
By Shamala Kandiah
JAKARTA (JP): Mythical flying dragons, legendary wayang characters and everyday farm animals form part of the landscape in many little villages in Java.
Look up toward the heavens, and there they are perched high on the rooftops of the houses. More than just mere decoration, these roof ornaments, known as wuwungan, reveal more about the owner of the house than one might imagine.
Roof gables in Java are traditionally ornamented with figurines which symbolize the economic life of the surrounding community. Examples of different ornaments are on display at the Rio Brazil Churascaria in Kemang, South Jakarta, to Sunday.
The Javanese believe wuwungan have magical properties which will protect inhabitants of the house from evil. Some figures, like roosters or bird riders, symbolize masculinity. Others like the sulur tanaman for agriculture may possibly be representations of the rice goddess.
To understand the significance of roof ornaments, one should note the saying that Javanese see roofs when they look at houses.
It is believed the Javanese are partly descended from an influx of Austranesian people who brought with them basic house structures that are recognized today as an integral part of the traditional Javanese house.
In fact, since Javanese houses are basically defined by their roofs, houses in Java are classified according to roof forms.
Most basic is the kampong roof sloping down on either side of the beam.
The most commonly found type of roof on Java is the limasan, formed by extending the kampong roof into a rectangular form.
The most complex form, and the type considered the most typically Javanese, is known as joglo. Here the portion of the roof that fits over the innermost four columns rises into an almost pyramidal form.
This roof is typical of the kraton palaces of Central Java, and there is no doubt that in the past the status of an individual was closely connected to the shape of the roof over his head.
Given the importance of the roof to the Javanese, it is not surprising that they directed some of their creative energy into producing a wide range of roof ornaments which provide both a decorative and protective function.
Roof tiles and ornaments are usually made of terra-cotta because it is easy to obtain and well suited to a tropical climate.
Collectors
Some of the more ornate ornaments from the northern coastal areas of Java were embellished with pieces of porcelain obtained from the Chinese traders.
The pieces in the ongoing exhibition come from the personal collection of four young Indonesians who developed an interest in the ornaments a couple of years ago.
"We realized that we had a rather large number and came up with the idea of popularizing roof ornaments through an exhibition," said one of the collectors, Satya Darmawangsa. "We have also decided to sell about 90 percent of the pieces."
Obtaining the roof ornaments was an adventure.
"I had to go into Central Java and talk to people to find out who was willing to sell, which houses were going to be demolished and where to find interesting ornaments," said another collector, Satriyo Wibowo.
He personally scoured the Central Javanese countryside for four months. He found the main geographical belt for the ornaments, extending from the area east of Yogyakarta and north to Kudus and Jepara. Few ornaments are found outside this belt.
But it was not easy persuading owners to sell them, and they usually would agree only if their houses were being demolished.
One old man who refused to sell said: "That was made especially for placement during the selamatan (traditional prayer and offering ceremony) when this house was built. If you take it, who will stand guard over my house?"
One difficulty is accurately dating the ornaments.
According to Satriyo, many owners were only able to tell him how many generations the wuwungan had been in their family.
Size, complexity of design and the way the figure is attached to the roof tile can be used as the gauge of age and origins.
However, even these are often not reliable indicators as little research has been done on the subject.
Forty-five pieces are on display in the exhibition, ranging from two-dimensional wayang to a 400-year-old minaret.
Popular wayang figures are often seen standing guard on rooftops in the more strongly Moslem coastal areas of northern Java, while fiery dragons and slithery eels, traditionally associated with the royal court, are arranged atop houses in areas around Yogyakarta.
The forms are indeed a reflection of how people lived in the past and the beliefs they held dear. As such, they serve as indicators of history captured in pieces of ornamental art.
Some of the pieces exhibited are indeed unique and were obtained from unusual places.
Two peacocks studded with white porcelain were found perched on the pendopo sheltering the grave of legendary Queen Kalinyamat.
An ornament in the shape of a tree of life (gunungan), which usually signifies the house of a high official, was obtained in Kudus near the old house of Sunan Kudus.
It is believed Sunan Kudus, one of the nine pioneering propagators of Islam in Java, made this type for the houses of high-ranking Islamic leaders.
Among the most impressive pieces are two ancient ornaments, both of which are not for sale.
From mosques, they are fine examples of the difference in style of ornaments from areas east and west of Yogyakarta.
The ornament found in Banten, West Java, was of a simpler, more rounded design, while sharp edges of the ornament from the foothills of the Dieng Plateau are typical of that region.
Both pieces show the influence of Hinduism in the hook-shaped attachments and uneven number of levels.
The Dieng Plateau example is a much more complex piece, showing a unusual blend of Hindu, Islamic and Western influences.
Islamic script and an arrow pointing to Mecca clearly denote its function as a mosque ornament. The addition of a top portion, resembling a Western-style weather vane minus the rooster, adds even more interest to this unique piece dated by a 1609 inscription.
The most common form today, known simply as an ornament, is still being made near Jepara. This large, dramatically-styled wuwungan, with its numerous crests and porcelain specks, is still popular in some Javanese villages.
In the past, they would take pride of place on the house of the head of the village or region.
Today, anyone who can afford to buy these pieces can ensure protection from evil spirits through a very elaborate ornament.
Collectors consider these pieces to be far more than just decorative items, a link to Java's history and culture which can still be obtained at a reasonable price.
They are getting more difficult to find as only the ornamental design is still being made.
Collectors are also attracted by their uniqueness and because they are not easily faked.
They are also great conversation pieces and, for all we know, the fabled dragons and flying garuda might still have the power to protect even when brought down to earth.