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.