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Originally Posted by A. G. Maisey
... If I look at an example of pamor buntel mayat, and I wish to name that pamor, with no preknowledge of what it may be called, and I wish to use the Javanese language to name it, what choices of names do I have?
The one name that must stand above any other possible choices is "slanted wrapping"---"buntel mayat".This is an accurate physical description of the motif.
Now, how long will it be in a society where people habitually play with words, before "mayat" becomes "mayit"?
Factor in the intensification of Kejawen philosophies and the growth of the modern Javanese keris belief system since the first half of the 19th century, and it would probably be surprising if "mayat" did not morph into "mayit".
Another good choice for a name would include a rope reference---as in dadung muntir---but a big, thick, heavy rope, like a hawser, a tambang.
The word "mayit" does not seem to occur in Old Javanese.
The word "mayat" is reported by one authority as occurring in Old Javanese, but not by Zoetmulder, and its meaning is different to its meaning in Modern Javanese.
The word "buntel" does not occur in Old Javanese.
The word "tambang" does occur in Old Javanese and it carries the same meaning as in Modern Javanese.
If keris technology was transported to Lombok prior to about 1600, this pamor motif would have been named in Old Javanese, not Modern Javanese.
The Modern Javanese language did not develop until after the House of Mataram assumed power in Central Jawa, late 16th. century.
Prior to the emergence of the Modern Javanese language the name of the pamor motif "buntel mayat" could not have been "buntel mayat".
Is it possible that in the name used for this pamor motif in Lombok, we are seeing a reflection of the original Javanese name?
Or, did this pamor motif not appear until the Modern Javanese language was already established?
If this is so, then when did the pamor motif enter Bali/Lombok? Most certainly not with the original transference of keris technology.
Anybody out there understand Sasak?
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Dear Alan,
I took a breath for a while, just to think about everything you said. But what is hanging in my mind is, that never before I've read or heard someone or somewhere, about the pamor's name of "buntel mayat". That is really horrible, more horrible than "buntel mayit" in my ears.
Old Javanese, of course they know the word "mayit". For sure. Just look at the Wayang, the folk theater of Java. There were a raseksi (female demon-giant) named Gedheng Permoni. She had a devil kingdom, named as Setra Ganda Mayit (smelling corpse - water).
In the case of pamor "buntel mayit", did the word "mayat" morph to "mayit"? But why, only the pamor? And why, the dhapur bearing the word "mayat" didn't change as "mayit"? Why still dhapur Mayat for the certain straight blade, and Mayat Miring for the certain 3 luks keris?
Probably, those word are on their own way. Buntel Mayit, really means as "corpse". But Mayat and Mayat Miring, that supposed to be the other meaning, not like "mayat" (corpse) in Indonesian term. In the case of dhapur, it is pretty sure that the word Mayat is not like the "mayat" in Indonesian meaning (not corpse, but slanted).
If buntel -- as you just said -- assumed not to be used in Old Javanese, why still you use "buntel mayat" instead of (for instance) "bungkus mayat"? Anyway, either "buntel mayat" or "bungkus mayat", those words are more horrible and more terrorizing than "buntel mayit". So?
Ganjawulung