Suro's celebration no fun for the royalty

By T. Sima Gunawan

JAKARTA (JP): Javanese people, and the royalty in particular, celebrate the Javanese New Year, which fell on May 31 this year, by reflecting on the past and contemplating the future. No dances. No songs. No fun.

Suro, the first month of the year, is a time to pay more attention to spiritual matters. People are advised against holding big family events such as marriages and circumcisions. Moving to a new place is also considered inappropriate. There is no written rule about this, but people believe bad things happen to violators.

"As a member of the royal family, I believe in the notions. I have to stick to tradition," said GRA Koes Raspiyah Soeryo Hadipranoto, a daughter of Paku Buwono XII, the Sultan of Surakarta.

GRA Koes Raspiyah noted that fewer and fewer people, especially the younger generation, believe in the Javanese tradition of good days and bad days.

"Their parents don't tell them about this and they don't read the primbon (divining manual) either," she said.

Waluyo, a secretary at Jakarta's Institute of Javanology, told The Jakarta Post that Javanese belief and superstition are two different things. The Institute of Javanology was established in 1984 to preserve Javanese culture as a national heritage.

"Javanese people often recorded their individual experiences and then matched them with the calendar. Analyzing this, they came to the conclusion that it is not good to do things which are very important for one's life during the month of Suro," he said.

"At the beginning of the year, it's better to do spiritual things, to contemplate, to pray and to praise God, asking God to bless all of us. It's better not to do things for the sake of one's individual interest," he said.

Waluyo underlined that the rules of Suro have much to do with faith.

"If you don't believe them, just go ahead. But if you feel uneasy, contemplate and sharpen your mind," he said.

History

The Javanese calendar started in the administration of Sultan Agung of the Mataram Kingdom in Central Java in the 17th century. It followed the introduction of Islam as a new religion.

Before Islam was introduced, people followed Hindu and the calendar, called the year of Saka, was recognized.

In 1633 A.D., or 1555 on the Saka calendar, Sultan Agung decided to switch from the Hindu solar calendar system to the lunar calendar system adopted by Moslems.

Moslems had started to use the lunar calendar system in 622 A.D. following the hijri, or the move of prophet Mohammad from Mecca to Medina. The Islamic year is also called Hijri.

The Javanese calendar is the combination of the Saka year and the Hijri year. May 31, 1995, a public holiday, was Muharram 1, 1416 of the Islamic calendar or Suro 1, 1928 of the Javanese calendar.

Even though Islam is the prevalent religion in Indonesia, celebrating the Islamic New Year isn't popular. Organized mass prayers or other special events are not usually held during the holiday.

The ritual celebration of the Javanese New Year is concentrated in Surakarta and Yogyakarta, the sites of the old Javanese kingdoms.

A thanksgiving party of wilujengan was held on Tuesday morning in Kraton Surakarta. Tumpeng (rice cone) and tens of other traditional Javanese dishes were served following the recital of prayers.

The royal families also organized a ritual procession involving some 3,000 people who walked around the palace and its neighborhood on New Year's eve. A number of heirlooms were shown to the public during the event.

The processions began in 1974 in response to a suggestion by the Indonesian government.

Haryono Haryo Guritno, chairman of the Institute of Javanology, said that according to old beliefs, a procession featuring sacred heirlooms could prevent plagues and bring peace.

"The heirlooms are shown to the public with the hope that their magic will affect the people. It is expected that the state will be peaceful and politically stable," he explained.

Among the heirlooms displayed was a famous spear called Kanjeng Kyai Slamet.

GRA Koes Raspiyah said that as a sacred heirloom, Kanjeng Kyai Slamet must be escorted by several white buffaloes.

Participants of the procession organized by the Surakarta palace left the kraton gate at midnight on Tuesday, followed a seven-kilometer route, and returned before 4 a.m.

Thousands of people watched the procession, hoping that they would be blessed by the occasion.

After the ceremony, the people grabbed the janur (palm leaves) used to decorate the kraton because the leaves are believed to bring good fortune. The people collect the waste of the white buffaloes to prevent plant diseases, said GRA Koes Raspiyah, chairwoman of the Yayasan Ksatrian, an educational foundation under the management of the kraton.

She said that adult male members of the royal family, who were not ill, were obligated to join the procession. The females can join if they wish.

Royal family members who don't take part in the procession stay in the palace and meditate.

The procession was not only for the royal family and the abdi dalem (employees of the palace). Everyone was welcome to join it, she said, adding that all participants were required to wear traditional black Javanese clothes.

Two years ago, Taman Mini Indonesia Indah, the Indonesia in miniature park in East Jakarta, began holding Javanese New Year activities.

This year, Taman Mini organized a series of events between May 30 and June 11. Among the activities are traditional performances, traditional ceremonies and traditional healing. A discussion on keris and heirlooms will take place on the last day.

More than 1,000 people took part in this year's procession at Taman Mini, which was led by 15 people wearing uniforms like those of Surakarta and Yogyakarta kraton soldiers. They were followed by five elephants from the Safari Park in West Java, and two white buffaloes. Behind them were people carrying a number of heirlooms and 70 tumpeng.

Most procession participants were members of the aliran kepercayaan kepada Tuhan YME or mystic club.

Permadi, a director of the Ministry of Education and Culture in charge of mysticism, said that there are about 250 mystic organizations in Indonesia. They have millions of members, including top government officials.

He praised Taman Mini for holding the Javanese New Year celebrations, saying that it is a good way to preserve tradition and culture.

Permadi called on people to look at Japan, which is modern but maintains a strong cultural basis.

"We need to promote our own culture, which has started to deteriorate," he said.