Mataram archery continues despite lack of promotion

Mataram archery continues despite lack of promotion

Bambang M, Contributor/Yogyakarta

Every 70 days, on a Selasa wage day according to the Javanese
calendar, archers, in Mataram-kingdom style, gather at
Kemandungan, inside the Yogyakarta Palace complex, to compete.

Dressed in complete Javanese costume, except for the women
archers, these Javanese archers -- who are mostly over 50 years
of age, aim at the bandulan (targets) set some 30 meters away.

The bandulan, or wong-wongan, which are made to resemble a
human body, are made of dried rice stalks. Some 30 centimeters
long, each is wrapped in a piece of white cloth and hung a meter
above the ground.

The upper part of the bandulan is colored red and is
considered by the archers to be the head, while the rest is the
body. Once the official shouts "start" in Javanese, dozens of
arrows are fired at the bandulan.

A bende (small gong) is struck every time an arrow hits a
target.

"One strike for the body, two for the head," Kanjeng Raden
Tumenggung (KRT) Seno Broto, chairman of the organizing committee
of the traditional archery competition Jemparingan Mataraman
Selasa Wagen, explained.

Selasa wage day is chosen to commemorate the birthday of the
sultan of Yogyakarta Palace, Sultan Hamengkubuwono X. During the
rule of Hamengkubuwono IX, the traditional archery competition
was held every Sabtu pahing, HB IX's birthday, or every 35 days.

Besides Yogyakarta Palace, a similar competition is also
conducted every 35 days at Puro Pakualaman principality every
Sabtu pahing, the birthday of KGPAA Paku Alam IX.

The traditional archery competition is unique and quite unlike
modern archery.

Instead of standing, for example, the archers are seated,
while aiming at the target.

Traditional gamelan music, usually music with a slow beat like
uyon-uyon gadon, accompanies them while shooting. In the past,
the music was performed live.

At present, however, due to a lack of funds, a cassette is
used.

A lack of funds, too, according to Seno Broto who is also a
royal servant of the Yogyakarta Palace, has impeded the
regeneration of this unique sport. It's not surprising,
therefore, to note that most of the participating archers are
over 50.

Relaxing is another word to describe how the participants feel
about the traditional archery competition. In this particular
competition, participating archers are required to have 20
rambahan, or rounds each, in which a maximum of four arrows may
be released by each of the archers.

When all the participants have had their turn, the official
will signal them to stop and let the cucuk, children assigned to
pick up the arrows and give them back to the archers, do their
job.

In refined Javanese, the official will then politely invite
all the participants to take a break to enjoy the prepared snacks
or the strong, sweet tea served. Some are seen smoking during the
break.

"I like the sport because it is relaxing. It's not emotional;
just like fishing," said Sujarwardi, 64, a participant from
Imogiri, Bantul who had two white flags with him that afternoon
meaning that two of his arrows had successfully hit the target.

Rimawan, a royal servant of Puro Pakualaman principality,
concurred, saying that the sport was not only good for his
health, but was also good for his emotional wellbeing.

"If you want success, you have to shoot with feeling.
Otherwise the arrow will break like this one," said Rimawan,
showing a broken arrow he had just released that hit the wall
behind the target.

Indah Yuwono, a woman archer from the neighboring town of
Klaten, Central Java, says she likes the sport because it is
stress releasing. That afternoon Indah had two red flags and a
white flag with her, meaning that two of her arrows had hit the
head of the bandulan while one had hit the body.

In the competition, Indah, like the other women, is not
required to wear a complete Javanese costume. A jarik (long batik
cloth that a Javanese woman usually wears around her waist down
to the feet like a skirt) is enough.

The happiest archer that Tuesday afternoon was Sukro Kusmanto,
as three of his four arrows hit the bandulan in a single round.

For the achievement he got the selaksan or prize of Rp 10,000.

In the past, according to Seno Broto, in such a competition
archers competed for a gold medal from the palace or ekoloyo. The
medal was given only to the archer whose all four arrows hit the
bandulan in a single round. "It's of course very difficult to
achieve," Seno said.

The traditional archery competition usually finishes when dusk
is approaching and ends with the presentation of the prizes and
trophies from the sponsors. In 70 days, these archers will meet
again for another competition.

It is unfortunate indeed that such a rare and unique
traditional sport and cultural event seems to have been
overlooked by both domestic and foreign tourists visiting
Yogyakarta. In fact, it could be an interesting tourist
attraction.