Kocet-Kocetan hilt form

[tunggulametung]

Originally Posted by Alam Shah

This are the info that I've seen... from Dominique Buttin's site.

"It is an insect as can be seen by its six legs. Some sources identify it as a stink-bug.
The story behind the Kocet-Kocetan is the following: The beetle (or bug) Batara Karpa was born out of an egg which was laid by his mother Dewi Winata, a bird-demon, who was married with the Rishi Kasyapa, a tortoise. Three other animal gods were born out of this marriage: Batara Garuda the sun-eagle, Batara Agniya the marten and Batara Kowara the snake.

So the xenomorphical shape of a beetle is a very old motif and probably has a very deep mythological background.
The Kocet Kocetan equals Batara Karpa. That is why the shape of it was only permitted to be used by the Brahman, the Hindu priestly caste.
It is believed that the kerises of the Brahman do have magical powers and are able to create `Holy Water`.

I'm checking my Ensiklopedi Wayang Purwa (covering Mahabarata, Ramayana, Kanda, Paramayoga, Pustaka Raja Purwa and Purwakanda) and here's the result:

There are 4 different Winatas:
(Note x equal to marriage)

I. Dewi Winata (the daughter of Betara Brahma):
Resi Kasyapa x Dewi Kadru = thousands of serpents sons
Resi Kasyapa x Dewi Winata = 2 eggs, Garuda Aruna and Garuda Aruni
Resi Kasyapa x 11 other daughters of Hyang Daksa.
The conflict with Dewi Kadru was when she lost a bet about the color of Ucesrawas, horse from Suralaya. This slavery paid by Saktiwisa, the holy water belong to Batara Brahma.

II. Resi Winata (Son of Batara Bribrahma).
He descents the Garudas from the line of his grand son, Resi Briswara:
Resi Briswara x Garuda Harini = Garuda Harna, Garuda Brihawan, Garuda Sampati, Garuda Jatayu

III. Garuda Winata (son of Dewi Tanti and Batara Darampal)
Garuda Winata has 3 younger brothers:
1. Batara Agniya, a chivet
2. Batara KARPA, a bug
3. Batara Kowara, a serpent
unfortunately no additional infos about this.

IV. Kapi Winata
a monkey raksasa from Kiskenda Kingdom under King Sugriwa. Created by Batara Yama (Yamadipati).

This is to add to Fearn's finding. So, in my opinion, Fearn is correct that it is not the mainstream Mahabarata story, probably a local adaptation.

Nice picture by Ki Jayamalelo. I always thought that a pupa symbolize fertility, eternity, immortality, etc. This applied to sprout-like design in some keris hilts. As for the kocetankocetan mood being described in a Balinese hilt, either describing a pupa-like position or yoga/meditation.

Thanks.

[Raden Usman Djogja]

ko-cet... ko-cet-tan... o-ooo
ko-cet... ko-cet-tan... o-ooo
.......................................

derived from local song-music (DANGDUT) sang by Rhoma Irama

back to hilt, especially phillosophy meanings, I have the same question as newsteel concern. why was kocet-kocetan chosen? If God of Karpa's appearance is a bug. There are so many kind of bugs, including bugbuster

I tried to memorize my childhood when my friends and I looked for butterflies and coconut bugs (kumbang). After having some buterflies and coconut bugs, we went to my one of my friend home. Knowing we had lots of butterflies and before we did some cruelgame, his mother said to us that in some aspects we had to learn from butterflies and kumbangs. Buttterfly was metamorphosis from caterpillar while kumbang was from larva (local name was uret). Both caterpillar and uret were weak and disguisting. To change their destinies, they did long fasting till God accepting their wishes. Caterpillar became a beautiful butterflies and uret became a strong kumbang. Strong kumbang. Even beheaded, kumbang still alive quite longtime.

His mother lesson at that time was to urge us to do fasting, fasting and fasting. However, now situation change. If my cousins know I am fasting, he will said, "Om, be carefull... you can get malnutrized". Instead of I delivered a message that I got from old generation, now, you generation frankly share opinions they found from modern school of thought.

OeS

[Marcokeris]

Thanks a lot to all members for great full explanatons.
Now i have no doubts: it is a insect!

Michel
the booklet ukiran was written by G. De Marval but many De Marval's drawings are from "M.K. collection". So i have presumed it was a possible collaboration with M.K. (Martin Kerner ?)

[Alam Shah]

Thanks all for the inputs...
mick, fearn... the observation and scientific viewpoints are highly appreciated, thanks.

Ki Jayamalelo... the picture provided the answer to why 4 or 6 legs.

Marco, Michael, Michel, tunggulametung... thanks for your references from the hilt prespective and symbolism.

So to recap...

What is the kocet-kocetan hilt?
It's a Balinese hilt form that was inspired by the beetle, (Batara Karpa).

Where does it originate from?
It's originated from Bali and specifically used there.

When the name:"kocetkocetan" rise for the first time?
in W.O.J. Nieuwenkamp; First European Artist in BALI (1997):52
The picture itself is from 1907

in Jasper & Pirngadie's classic book De inlandsche kunstnijverheid in Nederlandsch Indie from 1912 is "kotjèt-kotjèttan" mentioned (fig. 325).

What are its meaning and symbolism behind this hilt form?
The pupa, pupa-like position or yoga/meditation symbolizes fertility, eternity, immortality... (?) ... unsure about this one...

Another question: Why a beetle?

[Raden Usman Djogja]

Originally Posted by Alam Shah

Another question: Why a beetle?

in some believes, even in some religions, BEETLE, BEE and ANT are great animals.

[Marcokeris]

Originally Posted by Alam Shah

Thanks all for the inputs...
mick, fearn... the observation and scientific viewpoints are highly appreciated, thanks.

Ki Jayamalelo... the picture provided the answer to why 4 or 6 legs.

Marco, Michael, Michel, tunggulametung... thanks for your references from the hilt prespective and symbolism.

So to recap...

What is the kocet-kocetan hilt?
It's a Balinese hilt form that was inspired by the beetle, (Batara Karpa).

Where does it originate from?
It's originated from Bali and specifically used there.

When the name:"kocetkocetan" rise for the first time?
in W.O.J. Nieuwenkamp; First European Artist in BALI (1997):52
The picture itself is from 1907

in Jasper & Pirngadie's classic book De inlandsche kunstnijverheid in Nederlandsch Indie from 1912 is "kotjèt-kotjèttan" mentioned (fig. 325).

What are its meaning and symbolism behind this hilt form?
The pupa, pupa-like position or yoga/meditation symbolizes fertility, eternity, immortality... (?) ... unsure about this one...

Another question: Why a beetle?

In Bali's temples i have always seen a lot of Gods' pictures / statues but never a beetle
...maybe istead of to be distracted by local beauty i had to observe better

[Rick]

I remember Mel Brooks the actor ; he had a character known as the 2,000 year old man . The fellow had the answers to all our questions about the past (his answers were humorus of course) .

Now wouldn't it be wonderful if we could find the 2,000 year old Balinese man .

[Alam Shah]

Originally Posted by Marcokeris

In Bali's temples i have always seen a lot of Gods' pictures / statues but never a beetle
...maybe istead of to be distracted by local beauty i had to observe better

This is what I found today at Sentosa (resort island) in Singapore.

[Marcokeris]

Great Alam!!

[tunggulametung]

Originally Posted by Alam Shah

What is the kocet-kocetan hilt?
It's a Balinese hilt form that was inspired by the beetle, (Batara Karpa).

What are its meaning and symbolism behind this hilt form?
The pupa, pupa-like position or yoga/meditation symbolizes fertility, eternity, immortality... (?) ... unsure about this one...

Another question: Why a beetle?

Hi Alam,

I just want to pass some additional info that I got from a friend (I hope I translate the message correctly):

'Kocet' in certain Balinese region and also in Sasak (Lombok) means 'small'. In another Balinese area, it refer to a sound of a dry hinge. This explain that kocetkocetan bug also having the ability to made similar noise.

In Lombok version, kocetkocetan hilt derived/inspired by the a water bug called 'kenciut' that usually live in rice field. People of these area regard the bug as symbol of prosperity (for the farmers); as it possibly means that the land is fertile, etc - maybe Fearn can confirm this. That is the reason that mostly kocet2an appear in glamourous fashion, to show prosperity.

Thanks!

[fearn]

Hi Tunggulametung,

Interesting idea, and I'll look into it. In general, water bugs are predators (as are dragonflies), and their natural prey would be other insects and snails that eat the rice crop. In that sense, a good population of water bugs in a rice field could be good luck for the farmer.

F

[Alam Shah]

Interesting... thanks tunggulametung and fearn...

[milandro]

This is my Kocet Kocetan , made of black kerbau horn

[Bill M]

Originally Posted by Alam Shah

Thanks all for the inputs...
mick, fearn... the observation and scientific viewpoints are highly appreciated, thanks.

Ki Jayamalelo... the picture provided the answer to why 4 or 6 legs.

Marco, Michael, Michel, tunggulametung... thanks for your references from the hilt prespective and symbolism.

So to recap...

What is the kocet-kocetan hilt?
It's a Balinese hilt form that was inspired by the beetle, (Batara Karpa).

Where does it originate from?
It's originated from Bali and specifically used there.

When the name:"kocetkocetan" rise for the first time?
in W.O.J. Nieuwenkamp; First European Artist in BALI (1997):52
The picture itself is from 1907

in Jasper & Pirngadie's classic book De inlandsche kunstnijverheid in Nederlandsch Indie from 1912 is "kotjèt-kotjèttan" mentioned (fig. 325).

What are its meaning and symbolism behind this hilt form?
The pupa, pupa-like position or yoga/meditation symbolizes fertility, eternity, immortality... (?) ... unsure about this one...

Another question: Why a beetle?

.

[drdavid]

Just to put in another bit of information, Karsten Sejr Jensen in his Kris disc (chapter 7 pge 10) mentions this about the Kocet-Kocetan hilt form

A very special hilt is the so called Kocet-Kocetan hilt, which represents the capricorn beetle or mantis religiosa. Martin Kerner thinks that this particular beetle was the totem animal of the Brahmans. According to mythology the beetle is said to be their ancestor for which reason it is reserved them alone to wear krisses with this hilt19. It is possible that this is the case, but the hilt is mainly found in South Bali, so it is more likely that it is connected with the principalities there, being their special hilt

I dont think it is a praying mantis (mantis religiosa) but the Capricorn beetles are members of the cerambycidae family that Fearn mentioned
David