Masseur Dullaman keeps animals in fine fettle

Masseur Dullaman keeps animals in fine fettle

Berchman Heroe, Contributor/Yogyakarta

Many would agree that a massage can be a refreshing or healing
treatment for people, which is why, of course, that a massage can
be had almost anywhere in the world.

But, one may be surprised to learn that massage services are
also available here for animals.

The masseur is Dullaman, a resident of Segoroyoso village,
Pleret sub-district, Bantul regency, Yogyakarta. His services
range from massages for horses after a race to special massages
for pregnant cows.

"Mostly, the owners of the animals come here to bring me to
their places to do the massages. They rarely bring the animals
here to my house," says Dullaman, who was born in 1949 in Bantul
and says he learned his animal massage skills from his father and
grandfather.

His grandfather Kasanyatin and his father Mulud were also
noted animal massagers in the region.

Dullaman says most of his animal "patients" suffer from pains
due to sprained ankles, fatigue, etc. However, he also treats
female animals that don't get pregnant, or thin animals in order
to improve their appetites.

Different complaints, according to Dullaman, require different
types of massage. For an animal that has failed to conceive, for
example, Dullaman will first check the condition of the animal's
belly.

"These checks are important to see whether the animal has the
potential to get pregnant or is actually infertile," explained
Dullaman, a father of five who is currently lives with his second
wife that following the death of his first one.

The checks are carried out by feeling around a particular spot
in the animal's belly.

"If you feel that there is something inside, then you can
assume that the animal is fertile and has the potential to
conceive. Otherwise, if you feel nothing, you can say that the
opposite is the case," he said.

If the animal is found to be fertile, Dullaman will massage
particular parts of the animal's body so as to make conception
more likely. He also tells the owner to feed the animal black
snails, which he believes will also help with conception.

"The snails must be fed to the animal three times a day for
three consecutive days," he said.

The treatments given to animals suffering from fatigue or
those that are sick are different. Animals that are fatigued or
sick, according to Dullaman, are usually thin as they have little
appetite.

For these "patients", Dullaman usually prepares a mixture of
ginger, chili and alcohol to be rubbed into the animal's body
during the massage.

Although his massages can basically be carried out any animal,
Dullaman said most of his "patients" were cows, buffaloes and
horses.

"I'm rarely asked to treat goats, dogs or other animals," says
Dullaman, who has been an animal masseur since 1983.

During the horse racing season, most of Dullaman's subjects
are horses as the owners want them massaged after racing.

During this season, Dullaman usually travels a lot as many of
the owners are from outside Yogyakarta. He often travels as far
as the neighboring Central Java towns of Purworejo, Salatiga and
Surakarta, or even Jakarta.

A horse, according to Dullaman, usually needed two to three
massages every three days in order to recuperate.

"But, sometime just one massage is enough. It all depends on
the physical condition of the horse," he explained, adding that
during the racing season he might provide up to four massages a
day.

One of Dullaman's regular customers is GBPH Yudhaningrat, the
younger brother of the Yogyakarta governor-cum-sultan,
Hamengkubuwono X, whom he says has very good quality horses. Some
of them are the sacred horses of the Yogyakarta Palace.

Dullaman, however, says that he does not perform any special
rituals before massaging the sacred horses.

His most impressive experience as an animal massager,
according to Dullaman, was when he was asked to cure one of
Yudhaningrat's horses that was suffering from what is locally
known as nyulam kuku (dirt trapped in a sensitive area of the
horse's hoof).

"Thank God, he was cured after I gave him a couple of massages
and special medicine," says Dullaman, who declined to mention his
fee.

"I receive what I am given, no matter how much or how little
it is. All is a gift from the Almighty. We have to give thanks
for what we receive," he says, adding that he also often provides
massages for people.

Massaging animals and human beings, he says, is basically the
same as both have similar muscles and tissues. However, he admits
that massaging to human beings is much easier than animals as he
does not need to tie them down with ropes.

"Human beings don't bite while being massaged. Animals do,"
says Dullaman, laughing, recalling an experience when he was
bitten by a horse while massaging to it.

Dullaman also says that basically all kinds of pains that an
animal may suffer, except fractures, can be healed by massage.