Jathilan, Moves of the Grassroots - Part II

[caption id="attachment_18868" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Jathilan by GudegNet/Joko Widyarso"][/caption] After reaching climax, the performance of an original Jathilan dance slows down gradually. It is when the man with whip plays his shaman role and heals the possessed with a certain prayer and water as the medium. This entire possessed and healing thing contains a massage on how destructive people can be, for both themselves and their country, if there is no harmonious relation with their leaders. Jathilan and similar performance develop in various ways and aspects. Kuda Lumping from western part of Central Java adopts angklung (percussion music instrument made of bamboo) from Sundanese culture, while Jaran Kepang of East Java uses slompret, a traditional flute that plays important role as the main melodic instrument in gamelan ensemble from East Java and Madura. In Jaran Kepang, performance offers terrifying attraction with blades. Taking the fact that, for Javanese  and many other cultures as well, horse symbolizes masculinity, Jathilan was previously performed only by men. The horsemen were dressed in blangkon (traditional Javanese cap), shiny earrings, necklace, and bracelet, mustache, bright colored knickers, usually with gilded embroidery on the edges. The man with whip was dressed in less shiny costume; wearing black pants with blangkon or iket (a piece of batik cloth tied on the head, functioned as cap). The gamelan players usually dressed in uniform of bright colored surjan (traditional Javanese shirt). To pronounce their masculinity, the make up of the horsemen and the man with whip were thick and strong in colors. [caption id="attachment_18869" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Jathilan by GydegNet/Joko Widyarso"][/caption] In modern days, Jathilan loses its spiritual purpose though still maintains its spiritual practices. This fact, in addition to the absence of written record, causes many Jathilan developed in various ways throughout Yogyakarta and Central Java. The shift in purpose from ritual to amusement makes today's Jathilan less magical but more entertaining. It is now even danced as a street performance by a group of 3-5 men. The change is interpreted mostly on number of dancer, costumes, and the detail of the dance. The general addition is the appearance of funny characters dressed funny way in masks and Javanese traditional costume, usually called as Penthul and Tembem. With sunglasses and classic caps as that of sultans, it is now set in a more entertaining way to meet its amusement purpose. Jathilan street performers, however, tend to simplify decorations to meet the mobility purpose. Apart from all effort of preservation, Jathilan artists still find difficulty in withstanding the modern era. As what happen to many other forms of cultural art throughout Indonesia, there is a massive lack of official medium of expression. There is no real participation from the local or central government to preserve grassroots traditions, the most important aspect that build this republic. And as it was, Jathilan is surviving away from the spotlight, in rural areas to remote villages on the foothill, from smoky sidewalks to overpopulated alleys. Jathilan, Moves of the Grassroots - Part I Also published here Click here for version in Bahasa Indonesia