Patih Bujang Ganong, a royal servant of ministerial rank, was wriggling to dodge the violent lunges of Singo Barong, a monstrous tiger, and Dhadhak Merak, a giant peacock. Frightened, the red-faced, disheveled servant was sent scurrying to the feet of King Kelana Sewandana. The King was at that time anxiously anticipating the love of Princess Songgo Langit of the Kediri Kingdom.
Ganong's report enraged the king. With his magic whip, called Pecut Samandiman, King Sewandana snapped the ferocious beast and bird, cursing them and transforming them into a Reyog, a creature resembling a tiger with a peacock straddled atop its head.
This folktale was presented recently in a traditional dance typical of this southern East Java city and regency. The dance was performed as part of the Reyog Ponogoro festival to mark the Grebeg Suro Javanese new year and preserve the local folk art.
No exact record exists as to when this folk dance first evolved, but the dance is always performed at special events, particularly Grebeg Suro -- which coincides with Islamic New Year -- and has become an iconic performance of Ponogoro.
East Java's Suro this year was observed on Jan. 15-20 across several cities, including Mojokerto and Malang. In Ponorogo, the Reyog dance was the main feature of the celebration, in addition to a procession, a purification ceremony and a ritualistic offering at Lake Ngebel.
Thirty-one Reyog troupes from different parts of the country joined the Ponorogo festival, including those from: Lampung, South Sumatra; Tanjung Pinang, Riau; the East Kalimantan cities of Balikpapan and Kutai Kertanegara; as well as cities in Central Java and Ponorogo itself.
"As organizers of the event, the huge response makes us proud," Bambang Wibisono, head of the Ponorogo regency arts office, told The Jakarta Post.
Ponorogo square was turned into a giant stage for the four-day festival, with each Reyog group demonstrating its graceful movements and dynamic, Ponorogo-style rhythm to the accompaniment of Javanese musical instruments like the kempul and kenong (small gongs), a gong, a small drum, angklung (standing bamboo xylophone) and a trumpet. Local residents thronged the square to enjoy King Kelana Sewandana and Bujang Ganong fight the mystical creatures, Singo Barong and Dhadhak Merak.
The end of the Javanese calendar year is the peak of Grebeg Suro, with Ponorogo citizens taking part in a mass procession through the city. At the same time, this procession marked the public administration's relocation from the older part of town on the outskirts of Ponorogo, to the regency office in the "new" city.
After presenting an ancestral heirloom to the cemetery of Ponorogo's first regent, Betoro Katong, hundreds of people marched to the city center, some via carriages pulled by brightly decorated horses.
Known for its strong tradition of warok, a type of martial arts handed down by past warriors with allegedly supernatural powers, Ponorogo was in a festive mood.
Tens of thousands of local residents lined the streets to welcome the procession as their ancestors had hailed royal warriors coming home victorious. A rousing ovation and cheers rose among the crowd as the reyog troupes of their various hometowns arrived.
"The groups with the giant reyog masks in the folk dance costumes are the ones I like most," said Nardi, a spectator.
By midnight, the crowd of thousands had gathered at Ponorogo square, looking forward to welcoming the new year.
The site was the center of celebration, with a huge stage erected to the south for the traditional performances that would be presented. Hundreds of vendors had set up shop around the square, and a carousel lit up the atmosphere.
Fireworks began showering their shimmering configuration of colors in the night sky as the Javanese year of 1939 turned over into 1940.
"May Ponorogo become mukti wibowo (prosperous and honorable)," said Ponorogo Regent Muhadi Suyono, blessing the year ahead.
The celebration closed with prayers at Lake Ngebel, as offerings were floated away. Located some 25 kilometers from the city, the lake was where the rejoicing new year revelers entered a mood of peace and serenity.
A two-meter-high tumpeng (cone-shaped, celebratory yellow rice) and a box of prayer books on a bamboo raft were cast off and sunk as offerings into the lake, accompanied by the reverberating sounds of reyog music.
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'Empu' Molog: Master costume designer of 'reyog'
Friday, February 02, 2007
ID Nugroho, The Jakarta Post, Ponorogo, E. Java
A seemingly plain piece of paper bears the following words: "Certificate of Appreciation presented to Haryokemun Al Molog, by the Smithsonian Institution Office of Folklife Program, in official recognition of participation in the 25th Annual Festival of American Folklife".
The certificate is the pride of Haryokemun Al Molog, a master craftsman of reyog -- the set of costumes and props used in the folk dance of the same name, which is indigenous to Ponorogo, East Java. The certificate awarded by the Smithsonian Institution attests to his world-class skills and talent in his craft.
"I went to Washington myself at the invitation of the Smithsonian," he said on Sunday, Jan. 21, the day after the year's Reyog Ponogoro festival.
Haryokemun Al Molog is the last empu, or master, of the craft. Now 83, he began making reyog in Ponorogo when he was seven.
Molog learned the craft from his father and grandfather.
"With my four brothers, I have made reyog since childhood, but I'm the only successor of my father in this profession," he said.
Molog, a former judge of national reyog festivals, is passionate about reyog craftsmanship. For him, it is not merely a means of livelihood, but carries its own rewards in the "gifts" it brings to others.
"It gives me great pleasure to meet customers' orders and to see many people enjoy the folk dance, although only a few of them know who has made the costumes," he laughed.
Molog's reyog costume and prop sets have been bought by reyog dance troupes and lovers of this art form throughout Indonesia. He receives orders for at least four complete reyog sets each year.
A single set comprises a reyog mask (a creature with the face of a tiger/barong with a peacock on its head), wooden horses, a bujang ganong (servant) mask, a probo (winged throne signifying kingship), a cemeti samandiman whip, angklung (standing bamboo xylophone), a gong, a kenong (small gong) and a trumpet.
"A set costs Rp 27 million, and a special set can reach Rp 45 million," Molog said.
The pieces in the "special" set are crafted in greater detail and have finer carvings.
When making a complete set, Molog begins with the barong-peacock mask. Made from the wood of the dadap (coral tree/Erythrina subumbrans), the mask is covered in tiger skin and is adorned with a peacock spreading its feathers like a fan.
"Depending on the order, genuine tiger skin and peacock feathers can be used," he pointed out.
For such an order, the tiger skin is purchased from Riau and the peacock feathers are imported from India.
"I use the skins of tigers dying of old age, not those that are poached. I realize that if too many tigers are hunted and killed, my reyog business will close down because the supply of skins will be gone," he said.
A separate embellishment called a krakap above the reyog monster's head is affixed after completing the main body of the tiger-and-bird mask.
A reyog set takes Molog and his six apprentices about a month to finish. His apprentices are in charge of the reyog costumes as well as the other props and accessories.
"I make the reyog tiger head myself, because I cannot yet entrust them with this job for the moment," said Molog.
Moreover, making the mask requires some mystical calculations.
He believes that this Javanese practice, which he highly respects, has a significance of its own.
"I observe some procedures even before cutting the wood, and I fast before starting my work," he said.
The oversized, tall reyog masks he produces are also different in their design from those by other craftsmen. As many people claim, Molog's works are more gorgeous and attractive.
Sadly, however, the traditional reyog craft Molog has preserved has not been fully inherited by his four children. His three daughters specialize in sewing reyog accessories, and his son and daughter-in-law are merely familiar with the craft.
"Let's hope my family will be capable of carrying on this profession in the future," he said.
It is hoped that Molog will not be the last master craftsman of Ponorogo's indigenous folk art and dance.
Eva Yuliawati's expression abruptly changed the first time she saw a female condom. The mother of two clumsily held the Fiesta brand condom and observed it closely.
