Between Solo and Yogya

[ganjawulung]

Originally Posted by A. G. Maisey

... Thus, when Jogjakarta opted for a keris style displaying some of the features of the Mataram style of keris, they were in fact opting for a style that displayed features associated with a more recent period than that which was already in vogue in Surakarta. Naturally, this was considered to be only fitting, as Jogjakarta was clearly the more recent kingdom, thus it should use the more recent style:- Mataram.

This is similarly reflected in the titles which apply to the ruler of Jogjakarta, and the ruler of Surakarta. The title in Surakarta was, and is, "Susuhunan", which is a Javanese term. The title in Jogjakarta was agreed upon as "Sultan", which is not a Javanese term, but an Islamic term. It appears that at the time Mangkubumi agreed to use the term Sultan, he considered that it was a fitting title for the ruler of a kingdom that had been partitioned from another.

A study of the way in which both Jogjakarta and Surakarta developed following partition will demonstrate that the values in Jogjakarta tended to be orientated towards Islamic values, whilst the values in Surakarta tended more towards traditional Javanese values.

As has been frequently mentioned , the Jogjakarta keris style is somewhat more restrained than the Surakarta style. This is evidence of the dictum of the "plain man" which is predominantly an Islamic, rather than a Javanese trait. On the other hand, Surakarta style in many ways retains the exuberance of the original Javanese style, as demonstrated in pre-Islamic art, and developed through to the present time in the flamboyant style of Bali.

Dear Alan,

Everytime, if we discuss about the style of Solo and Yogya – in keris, for instance, or in wayang, or their traditional dresses – we must be prepared to a “never ending” discussion. These two “schools” are so dichotomic. But anyhow, discussing Solo vs Yogya is always interesting for me…

Apologize me, Alan, not to discuss in a ‘chronological’ way. But I try to response your questions and statements (that need further explanation from you) erratically. This not just mere “word-game”. But beyond… These are about values in Jogjakarta, that according to you, tended to be orientated towards Islamic values, whilst the values in Surakarta tended more towards traditional values, back to Majapahit. And you mention too, about the title of the Solo ruler, Susuhunan – that sounds more Javanese to you, and Sultan that sounds Arabic.

Don’t you think that actually both titles are Islamic? Please regard further, that the empire of Susuhunan is “kasunanan”, and not “kasusuhunanan”. And of Sultan, is “kasultanan”. Susuhunan is also called Sunan. Susuhunan Paku Buwono (PB) II for instance, also called as Sunan Kombul (rules in the year of 1670-1674), or Susuhunan PB III alias Sunan Suwarga, and Susuhunan PB X alias Sunan Sawarga, PB XI Sunan Hangabehi… But all Hamengku Buwonos are sultans.

Sunan and Sultan, are titles to differ, whether the ruler is in Yogyakarta Sultanate, or Kingdom of Surakarta. You may compare too, back to the era of Islamic kingdom of Demak (1500-1548). During Demak era, there was Sultan Trenggono – one of Raden Patah’s son. But almost in the same era but in different part of Java, in the other Islamic kingdom of Cirebon, there was Sunan Gunung Jati.

As you know, all the “nine wali” (walisongo) – the Islamic religious leaders in the 15-16th century -- bore the Sunan title too: Sunan Bonang, Sunan Giri, Sunan Kudus, Sunan Muria, Sunan Kalijaga… etc A Sunni leader in Turki, Mahmoud of Ghazni, also called Sunan too (998-1030 AD).

Or you may see the predicate, both for Susuhunan or Sultan. Susuhunan Paku Buwono, for instance, his formal name is always “Sampeyan Dalem Ingkang Sinuhun Kanjeng Susuhunan Paku Buwono ing Ngalaga Senopati Ngabdurrachman Sayidin Panatagama” (His Majesty Susuhunan Paku Buwono – Commander in Chief, Leader of Islamic religion and society). Or Sultan, that always bears formal names as “Sultan Hamengku Buwono Senopati ing Ngalaga Ngabdurrachman Sayidin Panatagama Kalifatollah” (Sultan Hamengku Buwono, commander in chief, Leader of Islamic religion and Society).

Both, were Islamic, continuing the tradition of Mataram (Panembahan Senopati in Ngalaga, was the founder of Mataram Kingdom, ruled in 1575-1601), but in different clothes… You may look at their formal dresses, royal dresses. Solonense formal dress for reception, named as “beskap” – derived from the Dutch word ‘beschaaft’ that means ‘civilized’. Newly design of Javanese dress, that has dutch influence. While Jogjakarta has the “old” (I mean, before “palihan nagari’ or Gianti Treaty 1755. Not “old” style, Mataram style. The Jogja’s dress named as “sorjan”, real Javanese name, and maintained the traditional Mataram dress…

In the old days, (I remember) Solonese proudly said “beskap” (beschaaft) to say, that Solonese dress is “more civilized” than Jogjanese “sorjan” that looks “ndeso” or rural, pagan, villageois... And I remember too, the Jogjanese used to say proudly too, "hmm, we are Mataram(ese)", not dutch...

Ganjawulung

[A. G. Maisey]

Pak Ganja, before I respond to your post on titles, I feel that I must say this:- my expertise does not lay in all of the areas upon which I may comment. My expertise, and indeed, my professional foundation, lays in finding the answers to questions by accessing the knowledge of others.

So, if I say that the word "sultan" is Islamic, and "susuhunan" is Javanese, this is not my opinion formed from hearing or reading these words, rather, it is information lifted from the work of people whose job it is to know about language , and about history. All I do is repeat the knowledge of others who are recognised authorities in a particular field, I do not hold myself forth as any sort of an expert.

So let us now look at the three titles you have commented upon.

Sultan Agung was the first in Jawa to use this title of Sultan, from memory, I think he sought it from the Sultan of Turkey, which personage was at that time the only one in Islam permitted to bestow the title. He did not use the title until quite late in his reign.

In modern Indonesian the title of "sunan" has two meanings:- it is the title of the holy men who first brought Islam to Jawa, and it is a title of the ruler of Surakarta.

The roots of the word "sunan" are Islamic, not Javanese.It is a word first used as the title of Islamic holy men, and then later adopted by the premier ruler in Jawa.

The word "susuhunan" is similarly a title of the ruler of Surakarta, however, it lacks the Islamic association that is possessed by the words "sunan", and "sultan".

Thus, in usage the title "susuhunan" reflects Jawa, and the title "sunan" reflects Islam.

At the time of the partition of Jawa PBIII was known by the title of "susuhunan". In Hartingh's negotiations with Mangkubumi prior to the signing of the treaty, the matter of title was the first one that was discussed and settled. It was agreed that it would be inappropriate to have two Susuhunans Pakubuwana, so the title of Sultan Mataram was proposed and was accepted by both sides. Mangkubumi pointed out that three sultans ruled in Cirebon, and that two sultans had ruled in Mataram and in Pajang in the 16th century.Mangkubumi put forth the argument that the Javanese language knew no other title with the same significance, seemingly implying that this title of sultan was particularly appropriate for a divided kingdom.(Jogjakarta Under Sultan Mangkubumi--Ricklefs).

It is important that we recognise the distinction I am making between the value systems which applied in the new kingdom under Mangkubumi, and in the old kingdom under Pakubuwana, and that have developed into the shades of difference that we can see today.

At no time have I said, nor implied, that Jogjakarta was Islamic and that Surakarta was Javanese, and that by adoption of these values they each automatically excluded the other ideological values. What I said was that Surakarta's orientation was towards traditional Javanese values, whilst Jogjakarta's orientation was towards Islamic values.

Use of the word "orientation" indicates a tendency, it does not indicate a hard-line committment. So you have the situation where those elites who supported Mangkubumi were undoubtedly and beyond argument Javanese, but they, and Mangkubumi himself , had the tendency to maintain a firm committment to the Islamic values that had arisen during the Kartosuro period. Since he had assumed the title of "sultan", this in itself reinforced the connection with the first Sultan of Jawa, Sultan Agung, with the Islamic Sultans of the North Coast, and of Pajang. Sultan Mangkubumi was the "new man". He represented progress whilst at the same time continuing a value system that had developed from and been syncretised with, the values of Jawa.

Now, in Surakarta it was a slightly different situation. PBIII was the inheritor of a realm in ruins, and bear in mind:- he only inherited it at the will of the Dutch. The elites who had maintained their committment to PBIII had endured the Kartosuro period--- one might say that they endured it "up close and personal"--- they were more than aware of the changes that had taken place in Kartosuro under PBII, and were undoubtedly aware of the role played by Ratu Pakubuwana in the promotion of Islamic ideologies within the court. This strengthening of Islamic ideologies within the court of Kartosuro tended to alienate the court, and the elites, from the common people.

After the partition, court ideologies in Surakarta tended towards a restoration of the ideologies that would realign the court with the common people. Apart from anything else, this gathering of the abangan to the bosom of the court was a political necessity to permit the continuation of the realm. At the same time, the Susuhunan of Surakarta was in the very difficult position of only maintaining his position with the agreement of the Dutch, who in fact had by this time assumed the position of overlords. The Javanese perspective of the Dutch Governor General at this time was that he was another ruler within Jawa, but the most powerful ruler within Jawa.

Jogjakarta had been formed from a combination of rebellion and Dutch manipulation, whilst Surakarta had been permitted to remain as the result of Dutch political expediency. The feeling in each of the courts differed in that one saw itself as having been established through force, the other knew that its continued existence depended upon cooperation with the Dutch. So it came about that Surakarta developed a tendency to more readily absorb Dutch ideas, whilst at the same time attempting to foster a return to the agrarian roots of the Javanese heartland.

Surakarta had already learnt what could happen with an over committment to an ideology that was at variance with the ideology of the common people, and additionally Surakarta had the experience of the strength and the deceit of the Dutch overlords. It could be said that the Surakarta elites had been through an educational process.

Of course, the Jogjakarta elites had been through an educational process too, but the result in Jogjakarta was widely different to the result in Surakarta.

The result of these differences today is that Jogjakarta is Javanese with a court ideology and a more general system of values that has a strong thread of Islamic ideology running through it. Surakarta is Javanese with a court ideology that has attempted a syncretistic approach of amalgamation of Javanese, Dutch, and Islamic ideologies. Both courts, and both demographic areas of influence are Javanese; both are Islamic, however one has a stronger orientation than the other towards the ideologies of Islam (as it is practiced in Jawa), and one has a stronger orientation than the other towards the native Javanese ideologies of the abangan---with of course, greater evidence of European influence.

I did not say that Surakarta "--- tended to traditional values, back to Majapahit---".
What I said was "---The Surakarta style of keris , even down to today, displays the inheritance of Majapahit,---", and I also said "--- the values in Surakarta tended more towards traditional Javanese values.---"
Two different statements, and in different contexts, that should not be taken from their original contexts and combined.

Both courts demonstrate the acknowledged Javanese trait of syncretism, but one has tended in one direction, the other has tended in a slighly different direction. Both are of course of the House of Mataram, but let us not forget, that the trunk of that tree of Mataram is Surakarta. Jogjakarta, The Mangkunegaraan, The Pakualamanan, are branches from that tree, and in the case of the Pakualamanan, a branch from a branch.

In essence , Pak Ganja, I feel that we are in broad agreement on this matter. I do not agree that there is a dichotomy, or completely opposed nature in either of the two courts, nor in the two demographic areas. Both are simply different expressions of the same culture.Different expressions created by different roots and different experience.

I know that you are an enthusiastic supporter of the work of Prof. Ricklefs. I suggest a close reading of "Jogjakarta Under Sultan Mangkubumi, 1749-1792", "The Seen and Unseen Worlds of Java, 1726-1749", "War Culture and Economy in Java, 1677-1726". Most of what I have written during this discussion can be supported by reference to these works.

I am still waiting for your references relating to the "old schools", and exactly how you intended the dating of "Mataram" to be understood.

[PenangsangII]

Pak Ganja, Pak Raden, Alan

I am glad that this topic is discussed in depth. History is another passion of mine, and in Tanah Jawa context, the post Demak era.

You see, most of my history lesson came from my late grandfather, who belonged to the 2nd wave of immigrants from Tanah Jawa to Tanah Melayu (peninsula). The 1st wave was in the 15th C, during the Malaccan Sultanate, whereby many Jawanese & Buginese were hired by the Malaccan Kingdom as professional soldiers (mercenaries?). The 2nd wave took place in the 16th C when many Jawanese soldiers who served Adipati Yunus in his crusade to free Malacca from the Portuguese occupation, chose to stay in the peninsula. The 3rd wave was as a result of Jaka Tingkir's hagemony thruout Tanah Jawa, while the 4th wave (economic immigrants) was in the 19th C.

My grandfather might have been biased (and could have been wrong too) in saying that when Sultan Trenggono chose Jaka Tingkir as his successor, the wahyu keprabhon was lost forever, hence he never told me any stories post Demak era. According to him, the glorious empire of Majapahit & Demak disintergrated because Tanah Jawa was ruled by commonners (Jaka Tingkir) and subsequently by senopaten blood line.

Thus, by having the discussion here, esp pertaining to Jawanese kingdom post kartosuro, has seriously changed my perspective with regards to Tanah Jawa history, the land where my ancestors blood was spilt. Please continue the discussion. Thank you.

PenangsangII

[A. G. Maisey]

It can be an interesting exercise to trace the bloodlines of the current House of Mataram back to their origins. I will not comment further on this.

When I read Javanese history I constantly have the feeling that Mario Puzo must have been a student of Javanese history.Of course, he claimed to be a student of the history of the Mafia, but I suspect that he had really studied the history of Jawa.

[ganjawulung]

Originally Posted by PenangsangII

I am glad that this topic is discussed in depth. History is another passion of mine, and in Tanah Jawa context, the post Demak era.

Dear Penangsang,

You have the specialist on it, MC Ricklefs. Please regard the book, "A History of Modern Indonesia Since c 1200". It has been published since 1981, 1993, 2001 (Palgrave), and in Indonesian language 2005 "Sejarah Indonesia Modern 1200-2004" (Serambi)...

Ganjawulung

[Raden Usman Djogja]

Originally Posted by A. G. Maisey

The word "susuhunan" is similarly a title of the ruler of Surakarta, however, it lacks the Islamic association that is possessed by the words "sunan", and "sultan".

dear Gonjo and Alan,

allow me to contibute for this discussion and please correct me if I do a mistake.

Sultan, sunan and susuhunan refer to islamic words.

The rootword of Susuhunan is Sunan. The repetition of SUSUhunan means superlative. Implicit meaning of Susuhunan is THE GREATest SUNAN or SUNAN the GREAT. The pure repetition must be SUSUNAN (instead of susuHunan). Why using H? Because "H" in this case is to show that the users come from High Elevated People in Jawa society, e.g:
ADI becoming hADI
ARGO = hARGO
ANOMAN = hANOMAN

So, there is no strong evidence either Surakarta or Solo if one of them claims inheriting Mojopahit (just based on the different title of its king: Susuhunan and Sultan). However, if there is opinion both of them were influenced deeply by Majapahit culture. Perhaps, it was true. It was because Mataram (before devided becoming 2 or 4) represented "indigenous" people. Indigenous means old/Majapahit culture. Thats why Mataram's Sunan was Sunan Kalijogo (the only Sunan came from indigenous people, others Sunan were overseas: arabic, chinese, etc).

According to a word of WALISONGO. Wali means priest/Sunan/messenger. Songo means Nine. However, imho, Walisongo does not means the NINE WALIs. Why? If we count the number of Walis in Jawa, it will not be NINE. If we read the history of Jawa, especially the begining of Islamic era, All Walis were not in the same generation. Part of them were son or even grandson of others. So Walisongo = NINE WALIs is anachronism.

imho, again, the rootword of Walisongo is Jawa language. It comes from WALI SANG HO(ha). Wali still means messenger/priest/Sunan. HO(ha) is the first word of Jawa alphabetic: HO NO CO RO KO (ha na ca ra ka). In arabic word, the first word is ALIF. Some Jawa-Islamic scholars believe that ALIF is the symbol of singularity. It is the symbol of GOD (Allah). Meanwhile, HO in Jawa, it represents HOM(aum, om) for Jawa-Hindhu beleiver. Ho/Om/Aum is the ultimate power holder.
So... WALISONGO means WALI SANG HO means WALI SANG ALIF means WALIYULLAH means "the messenger of God"

It is tricky way of (Sunans of) Jawa. How did they do to transform the OLD VALUE (hindhuism) to the NEW VALUE (islam). From the OLD GOD to the NEW GOD. Anyway, this is just my opinion... the very ordinary people who spent his childhood in JAWA.

warm salam,

Usman

[ganjawulung]

Originally Posted by Raden Usman Djogja

It is tricky way of (Sunans of) Jawa. How did they do to transform the OLD VALUE (hindhuism) to the NEW VALUE (islam). From the OLD GOD to the NEW GOD. Anyway, this is just my opinion... the very ordinary people who spent his childhood in JAWA.

warm salam,

Usman

Dear Raden,
Does it sounds as true "jogja school"? Thanks for your sharing...

Ganjawulung