Tembi house portrays Javanese cultural pluralism
Tembi house portrays Javanese cultural pluralism
Sri Wahyuni, The Jakarta Post/Yogyakarta
For those interested in learning more about Javanese culture and
its development, the Rumah Budaya Tembi (or Tembi Cultural House)
is an excellent place to start.
The center, which celebrated its fifth anniversary last week,
is located in Timbulharjo village in Sewon, Bantul, about 8
kilometers south of Yogyakarta and aims to portray Java in all
its diversity.
Culture at Rumah Tembi is understood in terms of heritage and
production systems. Culture as a heritage system creates symbols
that identify different eras, while the concept of a cultural
production system stresses the continuing change and adaptation
of traditions over time.
"As such, therefore, we are not preserving (culture) in the
sense that many may perceive. Rather, we look deeper into daily
activities that many probably see as not so important or
special," house director Nuranto told The Jakarta Post.
Rumah Tembi, according to Nuranto, functions basically as a
cultural-historical journey with the small hamlet of Tembi,
Timbulharjo, as the starting point. The journey begins with the
question: What is there of cultural significance around Tembi?
"It turns out that there are many historical places around
here and we have documented them," Nuranto said.
Established on May 20, 2000, Rumah Tembi's journey is
expressed in three outcomes -- documentation, research and public
service.
The institute aims to document many of Yogyakarta's
marginalized, unpopular or forgotten heritage sites. In doing so
it examines what is physically left, how the oral traditions of
the surrounding community pertain to it, and what is written in
literature.
"Often what is told in the community about a particular site
is completely different from what is written in the literature.
That's why we need to record both as well as document what is
physically left at the site," coordinator Ons Untoro said.
Ons says the house has documented almost 100 sites in
Yogyakarta and its surroundings. A map of each of the sites is
also provided so readers will hopefully get a better picture of
the areas described.
"Some of the documentation, including photos, can be viewed
through our website at www.tembi.org," Ons said.
Two important sites are in the Kerto and Pleret districts.
Kerto was the center of Mataram Kingdom during the rule of its
first King Sultan Agung, while Pleret was the center of the same
kingdom during the rule of Sultan Agung's son, King Amangkurat I.
The physical remains of the kingdom in Kerto are what are
locally known as umpak; the base of a traditional Javanese
building. Pleret, meanwhile, boasts the tomb of one of the wives
of Amangkurat I: Ratu Malang. Nearby is also the grave of famous
puppeteer Panjang Mas, the former husband of Ratu Malang before
the king had his way.
At this site, a map describing the journey of Sultan Agung
from Kerto to Batavia (now Jakarta) to attack the Dutch colonial
administration is provided.
"It's amazing to imagine how (difficult) it must have been for
them to travel that long on foot before they could attack," said
Ons.
Other forms of documentation include audio-visual records of
cultural performances, including that of the traditional
kethoprak shadow puppet show; a song recital, the macapatan;
along with modern performances of the traditional campursari
musical theater and contemporary works.
The museaum is also a must-visit at the center. Complete with
a joglo-style roof, it is set in the middle of a 3,000 square
meter compound behind the performance hall and contains a range
of artifacts, from those used in daily life to the more
specialized tools of traditional rituals.
Earthenware cooking appliances, fishing nets, hooks and
baskets, medicines, including the equipment and ingredients used
to make the jamu herbal tonic, and a selection of traditional
toys are all fascinating.
"We also have a complete database on Yogyakarta's artists in
our library," Ons said.
In terms of research, the center aims to enrich and empower
local communities by passing on its knowledge. It holds numerous
discussions, both in-house and community-based, including a
regular talk show on a local radio station.
The center also arranges performances of traditional and
contemporary culture held every Friday on the third week of the
month.
"We have a policy of encouraging everyone to perform here and
we have made the performance hall a public place," Nuranto said.
Other activities hosted include fine art exhibitions,
seminars, film screenings, macapatan, and book and magazine
publishing.
The center also offers courses on the Javanese art of sesorah,
a traditional form of public speaking and emceeing to the
advanced level, with well-known sesorah making up some of its
graduates.
In the future, according to Nuranto, the house will be
developed into a kind of cultural laboratory where anyone can
learn more about Javanese culture. Presently, he says, the house
often receives groups of students who stay there for a cultural
experience.
"They stay at the people's houses around here, learn the
culture in the community and have workshops here at Rumah Budaya
Tembi," Nuranto said.
In future, the center would be more proactive in offering such
programs to schools, he said.
The house is currently funded through an endowment fund
provided by P. Swantoro, a former editor at Kompas daily.
"We also hope that as the fund is further developed, some day
we will also be able to give a kind of cultural scholarship or
research grants," Nuranto said.