Village Tells Tale Of A Mighty Royal Past

The Old Kingdom of Pejanggik was one of the most powerful and influential empires in all of Lombok’s recorded history.

The roots and reign of the kingdom can be traced through a visit to the Central Lombok village of Pejanggik, not far from Lombok’s international airport.

The village consists of around 900 households. It is relatively arid and since most households subsist on farming, it is poor. But the village is intrinsically linked to Lombok’s colourful and sometimes violent past.

The powerful Pejanggik Kingdom once extended from the east coast to the west coast, across the centre of Lombok, and co-existed with the better known Kingdom of Selaparang in the island’s east.

“Discussing the history of Lombok without reference to Pejanggik village is a big mistake,” said village chief Mustamin.

Evidence of the regal heritage of the village is found at the Seriwa complex of graves which is believed to include the tomb of the last King of Pejanggik. “Seriwa” is a term derived from the Sasak (ethnic Lombok) word “serio’”, which means to observe or see.

The King’s tomb, occupying an elevated position in a gated complex of tombs beyond a public cemetery, has existed for hundreds of years and has been declared a cultural heritage site. The complex is surrounded by very old frangipani trees.

The graveyard is in the centre of Pejanggik village, on the road between Praya in Central Lombok and Keruak in East Lombok.

“There are many versions of Pejanggik history,” said Mustamin. “But we believe that this is where the King was last viewed.” The King’s tomb is the only one that is not walled and the only one dressed with white fabric.

The sacred tomb attracts pilgrims from throughout Lombok and beyond, especially on Muslim holy days such as Eid al-Fitri (Idul Fitri in Indonesia).

As well as the royal tomb, Pejanggik village has the Toro watercourse where the King is believed to have hidden royal heirlooms. Some villagers claim to have antiques such as fabrics and home furnishings from the days of the empire.

When the waterway dries up, it attracts believers who use it as a venue for rituals.

According to historical literature, the Pejanggik Kingdom stemmed from the arrival of Deneq Putra Mas Pengendengan Segara Katon and his son, Deneq Mas Komala Sempopo, in the Rambitan area of Central Lombok. From 1648, the kingdom began to expand.

Relations between Pejanggik and the East Lombok Kingdom of Selaparang were good until political estrangement developed under its ninth king when relations soured at the hands of Pejanggik powerbroker Arya Banjar Getas.

Arya Banjar Getas clashed with the King’s son, Meraja Kusuma, and sought support from the Balinese Kingdom of Karangasem in a war that resulted in the fall of Pejanggik.

The King of Pejanggik was captured and exiled to Karangasem where he later died. Many Pejanggik nobles fled to Sumbawa.

The alliance of King Anak Agung Karangasem and Arya Banjar Getas systematically battered the Lombok kingdoms, one by one, conquering Parwa, Sokong, Langko and Bayan.

Many of the Lombok kingdoms surrendered without resistance and the entire island was conquered in 1740.

Pejanggik village commemorates its heritage with the annual Perat Timbung tradition – a war ritual involving timbung, a Lombok snack made of glutinous long rice. The ritual symbolises society’s obedience to the old kings.

Common opinion is that the tradition stemmed from both internal turmoil within the Pejanggik Kingdom and tension with Selaparang.

At the time, the king’s counsellors advised him to gather his people in a mutual giving of timbung in order to promote unity and friendship.

Today, the annual Perang Timbung ritual is staged along with Sasak cultural exhibitions and parades including traditional percussion music. Unlike the similar Lombok tradition of Perang Topat (Rice Cake War), Perang Timbung is a “war” between men and women.

The village’s history and colourful re-enactments of historical events have attracted international interest. “Tourists are coming to our village to uncover the heritage of the Pejanggik Kingdom,” said village youth leader Ilham.

source:http://www.enchanting-lomboksumbawa.com/

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Hindu Parade of Giants Unifies a City

   Lombok’s history of religious tolerance and cultural diversity was exemplified by the massive Ogoh-ogoh parade in Mataram on the eve of the Balinese Hindu new year celebration of Nyepi, known as Silent Day.

People from Lombok’s indigenous Sasak community, which is Muslim, joined representatives of the island’s Chinese and other ethnic populations to support and take part in the Hindu parade of giant hand-made effigies of ogres.

The huge, often gruesome effigies are sculpted to represent the Balinese Hindu concept of Bhuta Kala which addresses the immeasurable characteristics of universal strength and time.

On predominantly Hindu Bali, the effigies are paraded on the eve of Nyepi, which this year was on 23 March, and then destroyed before the island plunges itself into silence and darkness for 24 hours in an effort to convince any surviving evil spirits that no one is at home on Bali.

The 24 hours of Hindu fasting, reflection and meditation is held to purify the soul and body and persuade evil influences to leave Bali in peace for the coming year.

While Ogoh-ogoh in Bali remains an exclusively Hindu ritual, in which youth participation is encouraged by official competitions among villages to create the best effigy, in the Lombok capital of Mataram all Hindu communities and others participate in one Ogoh-ogoh parade.

Muslim Sasaks and Chinese of various religions contribute effigies to the procession and assist with organisation and management of the parade which has become an official annual event of West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) province.

“Ogoh-ogoh this year was very special and the involvement of so many elements of society epitomised our strong culture of religious tolerance,” said 2012 Ogoh-ogoh Mataram chairman Nyoman Artha Kusuma.

In Bali, individual Hindu communities use Ogoh-ogoh to enact stories from the Ramayana and Mahabharata whose legends feature creatures such as dragons, spiders and crabs.

In Mataram, people’s creative spirit has seen the creation of effigies of fantastic alien creatures and even such modern-day phenomena as the Harley-Davidson motorbike.

Mataram’s Hindus conduct Ogoh-ogoh as a means of warding off natural disaster such as cyclones, landslides and weather conditions that result in reduced crop yields. Through Ogoh-ogoh they seek God’s blessing to protect their environment from natural misfortune.

“We ask that winds which have the strength to sweep away the homes of fishermen are turned into breezes that carry them to good fishing grounds, and that winds with the power to uproot trees become pleasant breezes that cool the residents of the city,” said Artha Kusuma.

The 2012 Mataram Ogoh-ogoh parade theme of Uniting for Equality and Tolerance of Differences allowed those taking part to embrace and express the Indonesian national objective of Unity through Diversity.

Traditional Balinese music was followed by a typical Sasak beleq (drum)   presentation and other ethnic music styles such as cilokak, tawak-tawak and ale-ale.

Officially in its seventh year, Ogoh-ogoh in Mataram this year attracted thousands of spectators and a group of foreigners who joined the parade bearing an effigy of their own.

In predominantly Hindu Bali, activity is severely curtailed in the 24 hours of Nyepi following Ogoh-ogoh. Transport is halted and people stay within their homes to meditate without the use of electricity and machinery. The island is dark and quiet.

On Lombok, Hindu communities voluntarily observe the seclusion of Nyepi at their own discretion, but the island is otherwise open for business.

As a result more and more tourists from Bali as well as non-Hindu residents of the island travel to Lombok, especially to the north-western islands of Trawangan, Meno and Air and to the Senggigi tourist strip, for the Nyepi break.

The annual Nyepi influx from Bali has become an important tourism boon for Lombok. Some resorts offer special Nyepi packages and most report increased occupancy.

source:http://www.enchanting-lomboksumbawa.com

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Fighting with Fire Fosters Forgiveness

      For nearly 200 years, two Hindu communities in Mataram have conducted the lively ritual of Perang Api, or fire war, on the eve of the Balinese Hindu celebration of new year, known as Nyepi or Silent Day.

While Lombok people of many faiths come together on the eve of Nyepi for the colourful Ogoh-ogoh street parade of giant evil effigies, Ogoh-ogoh is a tradition that originates from Bali. The unique tradition of Perang Api belongs to Lombok.

The fire war begins at sunset when hundreds of young men from the two “hostile” communities of Negara Sakah and Sweta, all clutching tied bundles of dried coconut palm leaves, face off against each other in readiness for war.

Once the referee declares war, the dried bundles which have been doused in kerosene are lit and become weapons used to target the bodies of the enemy. Serious burns may result.

Village elders say Perang Api dates back to 1838 when Mataram was ruled by Balinese kings from Karang Asem just across the Lombok Strait.

In the early days Perang Api left the battleground strewn with burned corpses. Today, the two communities believe they are haunted by the smell of burning flesh which they believe is the work of an evil spirit that wants to disrupt their tranquillity.

Hindus in the two communities believe the fire war tradition will protect them from mischief-making and disruptive spirits.

Historically, Perang Api was conducted to expel evil in times of disease which brought death. To eliminate the causes of an epidemic, and deny access to other bad influences, flaming torches were held in all corners of an afflicted area while people chanted “burn.”

“Today Perang Api is a means of self-purification through the medium of fire on the eve of Nyepi,” said Ketut Deswanto of Negara Sakah. Nyepi this year fell on 23 March.

The length of today’s Perang Api ritual is strictly controlled by community leaders to minimise injury. The fact that many participants suffer burns does not detract from the spirit of the event which ends with opposing fighters embracing each other in forgiveness.

Everyone looks happy and there is no intention for revenge.

“Although our bodies may be hurt, we feel very happy,” said Dewa. “I participate in the Perang Api tradition nearly every year.”

source:http://www.enchanting-lomboksumbawa.com

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Simple Park Reveals Rich Sasak History

A Simple cultural park in Central Lombok regency houses dozens of books written by famous Sasak cultural specialist and prolific author Lalu Gede Suparman (1945-2004).

Gede Suparman’s writings, of cultural and historical significance to the indigenous Sasak people of Lombok, include stories from the ancient kingdoms of the island, ever-popular children’s tales and a Sasak-Indonesian dictionary.

All was quiet when we arrived at the park in Jelantik village in the Jonggat district, only two kilometres from Praya, the regency capital.

Sometimes known as Jingga Park, the location was formerly the office of the Jonggat community head who was Gede Suparman’s father, Lalu Wira Jingga.

For most Sasak people, the garden represents a place in which a prominent figure wrestled with world culture and art. It was where Gede Suparman devoted a large part of his life to preserving Sasak tradition.

The author’s family keeps more than 50 of his original works, some handwritten and many of them already printed, and a small typewriter. The originals are bound in the customary manner and many are in quite shabby condition as they have not been well protected.

His significant, high-quality works also include a complete history of Lombok and a complete history of the kingdoms of East Lombok.

“I have been the guardian of these books since before the author’s death,” said Palmaeni Zohara, the third child of Gede Suparman. Palmaeni said her father had asked her to reproduce his hand-written works by typewriter.

The author’s complete histories are the result of him tracking down ancient writings on papyrus leaf.  His history of Lombok dates back to the island’s oldest kingdom, of Laeq. In another of his works, the history of Suwung, he chronicles the establishment and rule of the Suwung Kingdom by Betara Indera until its decline which led to the rise of the Kingdom of Lombok.

The Sasak Kingdom of Lombok reigned through the 9th to 11th centuries when it was conquered by Balinese expansionists. Other Lombok Kingdoms chronicled by Gede Suparman include Pejanggik, Langko, Bayan, Sokong Samarkaton and Selaparang.

The Selaparang Kingdom ruled for two separate periods: In the Hindu and pre-Islamic period from the 13th century until the arrival of the Kingdom of Majapahit in 1357; and in the Islamic period that emerged in the 16th century and ended around 1740 after a joint conquest by forces from Bali’s Kingdom of Karang Asem and Banjar Getas.

Gede Suparman also chronicles a history – written by Raden Barak, of Kuripan village – of the political administration of the East Lombok village of Sakra.

It is recorded that young and headstrong ruler Raden Surya Jaya, ignoring the advice and experience of his elders and religious leaders, dragged Sakra village into a complex and ultimately fatal situation in which it suffered defeat.

The long and complicated story eventually results in a massive uprising by the Sasak people.

Oral story-telling is still the dominant means by which Sasak people pass down their history and culture. The work of Gede Suparman is therefore highly important o Sasak public record.

Many academics have examined his writings and combined them with oral stories, said daughter Palmaeni. “Researchers routinely come from the University of Gajah Mada in Yogyakarta and we’ve also had students from Kyoto in Japan,” he said.

Gede Suparman had three wives and several children. Born in 1945 to Lalu Wira Jingga and Rumisah, he started elementary school in 1957 and went on to train as a teacher. He studied law at Mataram University from 1973 and in 1978 studied bagong art in Jogjakarta.

After retiring as a teacher, he focused on writing. His family says he was also talented at painting, sculpture and dance. He coached the traditional Lombok dance style of Rudat, which is a historical presentation involving dancers dressed in the colourful costumes of soldiers with Arabic influences such as the fez.

Gede Suparman’s family has agreed to establish a foundation in his memory and to preserve his efforts to perpetuate Sasak culture. In the past, cultural and educational practitioners conducted a seminar to review his works.

Sasak cultural specialist Lalu Jalaluddin says Sasak people are born to a destiny which is dictated by Sasak wisdom. They are born into a life which is simple and uncomplicated but principled and responsible, he said.

In the social context, Sasaks should help build a spirit of unity and mutual assistance, and the Sasak community should be able to transmit its wisdom to other peoples.

source:http://www.enchanting-lomboksumbawa.com

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Getting Together for the Rituals of Rice

 In the face of pressure to adopt agricultural technology to improve the efficiency of rice production, many Lombok farmers adhere to traditional practices and rituals which exemplify the spirit of togetherness.

Often rejecting time-efficient harvesting machines and other modern equipment, the farmers rigidly maintain their system of ngerampek which draws communities together to participate in all aspects of the rice growing process.

Many Lombok communities produce two rice crops a year and others, in the high-rainfall Mount Rinjani foothills, can produce three of four crops. Often one crop is being planted while a nearby padi is ready for harvest.

Across the island, though, from planting until harvest, rice farmers manage the process in a spirit of togetherness in which traditions determine work groups and their tasks.

In the south, ngayah is a local term which defines how traditional farmers produce their rice in partnership. A ngayah group of five to 10 men will spend about half a day taking rice seedlings from one padi and tying them into bundles of a particular size for spreading in another padi that has been ploughed for planting.

“At our place there is a ngayah group and traditional wages are paid, for example, to the person who binds the rice seedlings before they are planted,” said farmer Marham, 50, from Tempos village in West Lombok’s Gerung district.

Marham is a member of his community’s Ngayah group which is named Pade Angen.

Once the bundles of rice seedlings have been distributed, at certain distances apart, the Ngayah group’s work is done. The field is ready for planting which is the task of a group of around 10 women named ngelowong.

In the planting season, the ngelowong leader will usually call the group to work both in the morning and afternoon. The women form a line in the padi and start to plant neatly. It is skilled and intensive work that will end for the day only as the sun is setting.

At harvest time, the groups of men and women will work together. The men are responsible for separating the rice grains from the stalks by a method named ngerampek in which bundles of rice stalks are banged against a traditional wooden structure to release the grains.

One the rice stalks are discarded, the women are tasked with gathering those grains that have not been released through ngerampek. Through this system named mepes, the women usually gather up to one-and-a-half baskets of grains.

“Although there are modern machines for harvesting, this traditional system still survives as it allows the farmers of Lombok to practice togetherness,” said farmer Badrain of Narmada in West Lombok.

The spirit of togetherness is also expressed when Lombok farmers perform rituals of thanksgiving to God for fertile soil and abundant crops.

Lombok’s indigenous Sasak people, who are Muslim, traditionally express gratitude to God for agricultural success as well as other achievements in life.

In Panarukan village in West Lombok, Sasak people offer thanks to God by performing the roah gumi ritual after a harvest, when the community will eat and pray together, and by carrying offerings to all corners of their rice fields.

Lombok’s Hindu community will conduct the traditional Ngalapin ceremony as a means of reflection and of offering thanks to the Laksmi, the goddess of prosperity, for abundant yields. The Hindus also perform the ceremony to encourage better crops in the future.

The ngalapin ceremony is led by a priest, usually at the harvest site, and is accompanied by drumming on bamboo and other traditional instruments.

Geographical proximity and historical links between Lombok and neighbouring Bali, where most people are Hindu, have over time caused the development of many cultural similarities between the people of the two islands.

source:http://www.enchanting-lomboksumbawa.com

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Craft Villages get a Spot on the Tourist Map

Tour packages are being developed to take visitors to two Lombok handicraft villages newly designated as tourism attractions.

In Mas Mas village in Central Lombok and in the Batusela community of West Lombok’s Sesela village, traditional artisans are honing their skills in expectation of rising visitor numbers.

Mas Mas craftsmen produce ketak products, such as table mats and containers, from a tightly woven grass which grows naturally in nearby forests.

Batusela artisans are masters at producing cukli goods such as masks, chests and frames, all from carved timber ornately inlaid with designs made from shell.

Both ranges of products are popular with visitors to Lombok and are readily identifiable as traditional crafts of the eastern Indonesian island which is gaining an international reputation as an emerging tourist destination.

Lombok is part of the province of West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) which has been identified, along with neighbouring Bali and East Nusa Tenggara, as a corridor for tourism development in the MP3EI national masterplan to accelerate growth.

In response, NTB tourism groups have actively sought to identify additional NTB attractions to include in tourism packages.

A workshop attended by the province’s Regional Leadership Council (DPD), Indonesian Guides Association (HPI) and Indonesian Tours and Travel Association (ASITA) initially identified Port Tawun and Pekemit village, both in West Lombok, as well as Mas Mas and Batusela as potential attractions.

NTB’s HPI deputy chairman Ahmad Hairi said once the shortlist was narrowed to only Mas Mas and Batusela, workshop delegates visited the two communities to determine their potential.

Most people in Batusela, in the Gunungsari district, are skilled carpenters who have extended their craft of woodcarving into the art of cukli, said Ahmad. The village therefore is already attracting some visitors and villagers have adapted to accommodate them.

Through the West Lombok administration, an art market is being built in Batusela especially to accommodate tourists wanting to explore and buy cukli products.

A dedicated package tour would now be devised to take tourist to Batusela by traditional cidomo (pony cart) transport, said Ahmad. Drivers of the ornately decorated carts and ponies would be equipped with knowledge relevant to tourists.

“Tourists will be taken to see the wood carving and cukli processes in the village and may even have a turn at carving if they wish.”

The old village has the added attraction of being the home of relics from the days of the Kingdom of Lombok. They include a mosque, believed to be a gift from Balinese King of Lombok Anak Agung Gede Karang Asem, which is still used by Batusela villagers.

“In the mosque area is a spring that flows all the time, even when Lombok is suffering a prolonged drought,” said Ahmad. “Today people still bathe here and take the water for everyday use.”

The excursion to Mas Mas village, in Batukliang district, was led by HPI Central Lombok chairman Karyadi, who said the village was equal to other Lombok tourist destinations.

Set in the foothills of Mount Rinjani, the cool village offers scenic views of verdant rice paddies against a background of the majestic peak and virgin tropical forests.

Most Mas Mas villagers are farmers and some of them, as a sideline, take the special grass from the mountain forests to create the internationally-popular ketak products.

“Tourists who come here get to see the process of making ketak products and also enjoy watching the villagers at work,” said Karyadi. “They often join workers in the fields for refreshments.

“Not far from Mas-Mas, visitors will find many beautiful natural attractions including the Benang Setokel and Benang Kelambu waterfalls and Aik Bukaq nature park.”

source:http://www.enchanting-lomboksumbawa.com

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Memutah harnesses Purity and Eternity

The Memutah tradition of Lombok’s indigenous Sasak people, which involves a ceremonial procession and rituals to engender an abundant harvest of rice, is full of messages and meaning that impart local cultural wisdom.

Although this important rice ritual is almost extinct, it is still conducted in some rural communities including the Tanjung district of North Lombok.

On the day appointed for the first harvest of rice, the Memutah procession creates a magical atmosphere as the paddy owners (risata) and young local men make their way to the rice fields.

Six little girls, wearing the traditional Lombok-style Kebaya and carrying drinking water containers named ceret, appear and line up neatly behind the owners.

Before the rice is harvested, the owners of the fields must wash to purify themselves. Then one little girl will present to the owners a rombong, a rice container made from woven bamboo.

Within the rombong are duplicates of traditional rice-cutting tools formerly used by Sasak farmers.

The paddy owners must hold the rombong as if they are holding a baby. This signifies the paddy caring for and nurturing the rice.

After cleansing themselves in the manner of Muslims before prayer, the owners proceed towards the fields with traditional ceremonial swords, name kris, sheathed at their waistbands.

In this procession named Mengacep, the owners must not speak and they may not be addressed by anyone they encounter along the way. Instead, the farmers must concentrate and silently pray for an abundant harvest.

Ritual dictates that the first rice stalks to be harvested should be at the main point of entry of water into the rice fields. It was at this place that the first five rows of rice, named Mother of Rice (Inan Pare) and Father of Rice (Aman Pare), were planted.

Before harvesting the Mother of Rice and the Father of Rice, the owners sing a prayer in the ancient Javanese language of Bahasa Kawi. The rice is then cut with the traditional Sasak tools.

About 15 Mother of Rice stalks are cut and tied with a white thread to symbolise purity. About 15 Father of Rice stalks are cut and tied with a black thread to symbolise eternity.

The two tied parcels are placed in a rombong for storage in the rice barn. Before storage, the Mother of Rice and the Father of Rice usually are hung in the field in a berugak – a traditional Lombok open-sided structure with a thatch roof.

According to Datu Artadi, a community leader who has in the past led Tanjung Memutah processions, not one grain should be allowed to fall from the parcels of the Mother and Father of Rice.

“Even if one grain is dropped, then it must be collected to show respect for the newly-harvested rice,” he said, adding that the Mother of Rice and the Father of Rice may not be eaten either.

source:http://www.enchanting-lomboksumbawa.com

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Brave Little Jockeys Born to Ride Rough

To Witness the dexterity and bravery of Lombok’s little jockeys, mostly aged only five and six years, head to Praya in Central Lombok on any Sunday.

These tenacious little bareback horsemen take to the race track without the protection of helmets or boots to wave the Lombok flag in the face of the better known child jockey traditions of Sumbawa island and Sumba island in the neighbouring province of East Nusa Tenggara.

The action peaks at Praya’s old field (lapangan tua) between around 10am and noon when hundreds of people come to a standstill as the little jockeys arrive with their mounts.

The Sunday event is a horse lover’s picnic with owners showing and racing their favourite horses and displaying a good selection of the small horses used to pull cidomos – the colourful traditional pony carts used on Lombok as taxis.

One recent Sunday, about 20 horses were presented for participation in two main categories of events. In the senior class, the determined little jockeys test their dexterity and the speed of their older horses on a two-kilometre track.

The junior class is a horse-only training session at which small horses without jockeys are expected to follow the lead set by one or two more mature horses.

But it’s a serious competitive event. Horseshoes are diligently checked and among the hundreds who line up for the spectacle are diehards who place bets on their favourites.

Praya’s little jockeys have often had a year or two to practice their bareback riding skills before they ride competitively at age 5 or 6.

On Sundays, their day off from school, they hit the track with enthusiasm. They have no compunction about spurring their horses on towards a win and a blasé acceptance that their hobby may bring injuries.

Five-year- old Martin, born in Praya, emerges from a training session with his face covered in mud and his horsewhip welded to his right hand.

Introduced to horse-riding by his father at age 4, Martin participates in every amateur jockey event and competes against little jockeys from West Lombok, North Lombok and Sumbawa as well as his home regency of Central Lombok.

Martin exudes confidence before any race. On the track, the crowd erupts in cheers as his agile little fingers dance along the reins to manoeuvre his horse.

The capital of Central Lombok regency, Praya was once the home of important royals in the society of Lombok’s indigenous Sasak people. Sasak kings are known to have kept horses.

Throughout Lombok, ornately decorated small horses are still used to pull carts to provide traditional cidomo taxi transport for many residents and often for tourists too.

Even today, most Lombok communities keep a horse. Prices for horses vary widely from Rp8 million to Rp100 million, depending on the animal’s performance on the racetrack.

People are fond of naming their horses according to their dexterity and other attributes.

One local horse hero is not a local, however. Skardio is a 2.164m-high white stallion bought about eight years ago in Jakarta by Iwan, 30, of Sobirin in Praya.

Foaled on 10 October 2004, to sire Hanoman II and dam Mustika Dupont, Skardio has won tournaments in Praya and Sumbawa. He was a major attraction at an equestrian event in association with southern Lombok’s Bau Nyale festival.

Well known in Praya and beyond, Skardio’s speedy performances on the track have attracted offers of millions of rupiah from would-be owners.

If you are on Lombok on a Sunday, don’t miss the excitement and wonder of Praya’s tenacious little jockeys and other displays of traditional horsemanship.

source:http://www.enchanting-lomboksumbawa.com

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Knights of Sasak Fight for Friendship

    Lombok’s indigenous Sasak community actively preserves its ritual arts such as the challenging sport of Peresean (stick-fighting), which traditionally was practised by the knights of Sasak.

Two brave young men, named pepadu, use rattan sticks and cowhide shields to test their strength and agility. Their behaviour and attitude teach the true meaning of chivalry.

The fierce fight takes place to the beat of traditional music and is sometimes staged during the dry season as a plea to God for rain and fertile crops.

Peresean begins when two judges, named pekembar, appoint the young fighters. Dancing traditional steps, the pekembar nominate the pepadu who face each other in the arena. An appointed pepadu cannot refuse, even in the face of defeat by a stronger opponent.

Each fighter carries a one-metre long rattan stick for striking his opponent and an animal skin shield for defence. As the starter whistle sounds, spectators erupt in cheers for one or other of the village champions.

Combatants must not strike the legs and should target only the upper body including the shoulders, back and head. Strikes to the head earn a higher score, but once blood is drawn the victim is declared “Out.”

The stick-fighting tradition, kept alive for hundreds of years, invariably draws excited local crowds and curious tourists. It is on the agenda of most cultural events including celebrations of Indonesia’s Independence Day on 17 August.

Some Lombok villages have a reputation for the resilience and agility of their young pepadu. West Lombok’s Parampuan village generally sends 15 accomplished pepadu to an event.

These young knights of Sasak have been physically trained by a former champion pepadu and psychologically trained to resist defeat.

Rus, 35, was a popular young pepadu who earned the title Si Hujan Rintik, or The Rain Drop, for his speedy ability to disable his opponent’s swinging stick.

Representing Penarukan village in Gerung, Rus bled from the head only twice in the many events he contested from his early teens. “At the core of the tradition is the spirit of brotherhood and solidarity, rather than hostility,” he said.

Peresean is integral to Sasak life. Resisting desire to refuse facing a stronger opponent represents the bravery of the Sasak community which has nothing to fear from threats or barriers if people behave correctly.

After every Peresean match, opponents clasp each other in a warm embrace, acknowledging there will be no hard feelings for blows inflicted or wounds sustained.

“Historically, there has never been an act of revenge or even an unfriendly incident after Peresean,” said Rus. “The hostility of the match is never taken out of the arena.”

The Peresean spirit of sportsmanship and chivalry develops strong bonds of brotherhood between opponents who may not previously have known each other.

The West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) provincial police force has initiated a Peresean contest as a cultural means of dispelling potential threat of inter-village conflict.

“We remind people that the spirit of Peresean lives within them,” said Sasak cultural leader Lalu Nasib. “Physical competition should be carried out only in the Peresean arena.”

source:http://www.enchanting-lomboksumbawa.com

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Cukli Craftsmen Revive their Ornate Skills

   The Heartbreaking first Bali bombings on October 12, 2002, tarnished the global reputation of Indonesia as a safe destination, crippled Bali’s important tourism sector and severely eroded Lombok tourism.

Lombok’s key tourism areas, such as Senggigi, were suddenly devoid of visitors and companies operating hotels, restaurants and travel agencies were forced to lay off workers.

Business ground to a halt, impacting on Lombok’s traditional weavers of Sukarara village, the pottery producers of Banyumulek and the industrious cukli craftsmen of Sayang-Sayang village in Mataram who produce furniture and other items intricately inlaid with pieces of shell such as kerang and mother-of-pearl.

In many cases, craft production ceased and artisans were forced seek work in the fields, as motorcycle taxi drivers or as porters in local markets.

“All work associated with the tourism sector was affected and many businessmen ended up in poverty because of debt and even bankruptcy,” said Suhaili Suaeb who owns Ovi Handicraft, a cukli business at the Sayang-Sayang art market on Jalan Lingkar Utara.

Before the 2002 Bali bombings, said Suhaili, almost 80 percent of residents around Sayang-Sayang were professionally engaged in making cukli handicrafts such as carved tables, chairs, doors, traditional timber windows and masks inlaid with shell.

After the tragedy, which left 202 people dead and shocked the world, only a handful of cukli artisans continued their work.

Now, with the revitalisation of Lombok’s domestic and international tourism business, cukli craftsmen at Sayang-Sayang are again busy producing their distinctive products.

While business is not as brisk as before the downturn, said Suhaili, buyers are crowding into the Sayang-Sayang art market (pasar seni).

Suhaili, who has worked with cukli since 1998, was loyal to his craft during the extended slump and diligently operated alone to produce cukli craft which he was forced to sell at low prices.

“The important thing was to get some capital back to put meals on the table,” he recalled.

After the Mataram city council established the Sayang-Sayang art market in Cakranegara, he rented a market stall for Rp540,000 a year.

His business is growing as Lombok gains a reputation as a tourist destination and visitor spending increases the buying power of the local market. He also is exporting to Spain and Australia.

Export orders can fill three commercial trucks, he says, without revealing the value of the goods. “What is clear is that the price is pretty big,” he laughed.

Suhaili says traditional crafts such as cukli were often taught by parents who had learned the skills from their ancestors.

“Lombok cukli artisans initially only made objects such as the carved doors, ornately inlaid with pieces of shell, which can be found in many ancient buildings on the island, and small wooden items such as masks, lizards and jewellery boxes,” he explained.

Nowadays, cukli craftsmen also make a broader range of interior and exterior furniture and fittings for homes and businesses such as hotels.

Due to limited supplies of shell, however, this essential raw material is sourced from Sulawesi, Ambon in Maluka province and Flores in East Nusa Tenggara.

The craft of cukli is distinctive to Lombok and items, said Suhaili, are priced from Rp10,000 to Rp8.5 million.

source:www.enchanting-lomboksumbawa.com

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