Museum's offerings to spirits are 'shaken, not stirred'

By Narita Gianini

JAKARTA (JP): Where can you find a Martini served up as an offering to keep the other "spirits" happy?

It's at the Jakarta History Museum, often known as Museum Fatahillah, in West Jakarta. The museum administrators feel compelled to provide offerings, which are known as sesaji, at certain times during the year.

They declare, however, that they personally do not believe in the practice.

"We would be concerned that if we didn't give the offerings, a worker might be disturbed. We continue the custom, but I don't believe in it," said Subagiyanto, the head of the administration subdepartment at the museum.

In his position for about a year, he said he considered it a tradition passed down from previous generations of employees.

Old workers insisted on continuing the practice, he added. Offerings,selamatan (thanksgiving) and joint prayers are held in the hope of keeping untoward events from happening.

The head of the museum, Tinia Budiati, also professed to being a skeptic, but left the offerings up to her employees.

The first employee to organize the ceremonies was Marmo, who has retired; his duties have been taken over by Ruri, a museum messenger. Ruri occasionally consults Marmo if there are problems with the ceremonies.

"Our real intention is a good one, so that the workers will be safe. It is also to make sure that the staff and all of the visitors here will remain in good fortune," said Ruri.

The offerings consist of a big bottle of Martini, two cigarettes, bitter coffee, two empty glasses, powdered sandalwood and three types of flowers. Only the sandalwood is burned, with the rest of the items placed on a tray and set at six different spots.

For instance, on the second floor of the museum, the offering is placed in the 18th century courtroom on a marble table below a large portrait.

On the first floor, the offering is placed on the Purnawarman holy statue, the women's cell, the ticket window and the corner of an old room.

"Presentation of the offerings takes various forms," Ruri said. "For a small ceremony for the occupation of a building, it is easy. It is fine without Martini.

"But if the ceremony is big, for example like Chinese, English and French weddings which usually take place on the second floor for dinner, the offering must be complete.

But why the Martini and cigarettes?

Ruri was not completely sure, but believed it was related to a practice for the Dutch to drink the liquor and smoke during lazy evenings during the colonial period.

But he said that sometimes the rules could be circumvented when circumstances required.

"Actually, it can be whatever there is on hand. We sometimes also have the tumpeng (the yellow rice cone for good fortune).

"The main aim is the safety of everyone."

Ruri said Marmo functioned as the "mediator", sleeping in the museum for two consecutive nights before the ceremony to receive "instruction" during his dreams on what to do during the ceremony.

Ruri acknowledged that there were those who dismissed the practice as superstitious and contravening religious norms.

"That's how the Javanese describe it, but I just continue doing what has been done from the beginning, for our own good. It will come back to him anyway."

He is not the only spiritual intervention. There is also a pawang (shaman), who fasts and meditates to ensure the building is blessed by God.

There have been strange happenings, Ruri said, when offerings were incomplete.

A high school boy on a study tour of the museum fell down the stairs and was left paralyzed for three years until 1999.

"Believe it or not, that's what happened. So if there will be any ceremony, or program held here, we must help each other. If one doesn't know about something, it's better to ask the old employees here. We only try to prevent unpredictable things during the ceremony. We must be on our guard," Ruri said.

One of the preventive measures is a tight regulation for working hours; employees are barred from working from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. When one employee broke the rule, he suddenly fell ill.

A bottle of Martini and two cigarettes are not cheap goods, Subagiyanto said. The estimation of costs is presented to the planner of the ceremonies, who must pay for them. In the past, the planner has initially balked at the expense, but later accepted the decision. After all, it is the fear of the unknown which makes the ceremony worthwhile.