INDONESIAN ARCHAEOASTRONOMY PROJECT By Ni Nyoman A. …spaceodyssey.dmns.org/media/63006/indonesianarchae... · throughout the year as seen by Javanese farmers. Figures are created

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INDONESIAN ARCHAEOASTRONOMY PROJECT

By

Ni Nyoman A. C. Dhitasari

I. Introduction

Astronomy is some of the oldest knowledge in human history. Many ancient civilizations have shown their deep knowledge of celestial objects, their movements and other sky phenomena. This knowledge is weaved tightly into their daily lives such as in the use of farming calendars, religious calendars, astrology, moral education, and belief systems. The Indonesian Archipelago consists of more than 17,000 islands with many different tribes, languages and cultures. This paper is a collection of stories on how some of these tribes perceived celestial events and used them in their daily lives.

II. Pranata Mangsa: the Management of Seasons of Javanese Culture

1. Definition and History

Pranata Mangsa literally means “the management of seasons”. It is the Javanese calendar used as a reference for agriculture and fishing. The calendar was first developed and used in 1856, under the Sultanate of Pakubhuwana VII of Surakarta. Since it was developed for the areas in the middle of Central Java, its usage is limited to a specific area and time. [1]

2. About the Calendar

The calendar is based on the solar year with an approximate length of 365-366 days. The solar year is then divided into several seasons or phases with unequal length. The main divisions of Pranata Mangsa are: a. Mangsa Utama (Main Seasons)

- Kemarau (dry season) or Katiga (lit “third”), 88 days in length. - Pancaroba (transitional season before the rainy season) or Labuh, 95 days in

length. - Musim hujan (rainy season) or Rendheng, 95 days in length. - Pancaroba (transitional season before the dry season) or Mareng, 86 days in

length.

b. Second system of four Mangsa Utama and two shorter Mangsa. - Terang (Javanese for “clear sky”), 82 days in length - Semplah (Javanese for “suffering”), 99 days in length - Paceklik (Javanese for “dry”), 23 days in length, this is one of the shorter

Mangsa. - Udan (Javanese for “rain”), 86 days in length. - Pangarep-arep (Javanese for “hopeful”), 98/99 days in length - Panen (Javanese/Indonesian for “harvest”), the last 23 days in the calendar, the

second shorter Mangsa.

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c. Mangsa (Seasons) The Mangsa Utama is then divided into several smaller Mangsa, with 12 Mangsa in total. The names of the mangsa are basically the Javanese numbers 1 – 10, but the other two Mangsa names are of uncertain origin and meaning. [2], [5]. The complete list of Mangsa Utama, Mangsa with descriptions of time period, natural signs and cues to the farmers are listed in Table 1.

The calendar is then further divided by observing the signs of nature and the position of the constellation Orion in the sky as the year progresses. In Javanese Culture, the shape of the constellation Orion resembles that of a plough, thus earning its name “Waluku/Weluku”, the Javanese word for plough. This must not be confused with the constellation “The Plough” in the Western sense, which refers to the constellation Ursa Major/the Big Dipper. [1],[3],[4] In the areas where the calendar was used (Central Java, in the Southern Hemisphere) the constellation Big Dipper is only visible for a very short time and very low in the northern horizon, thus not very reliable as a reference.

Figure 1. Comparison of Javanese Traditional Plough and the Orion Constellation Source: http://htn-alatpertanian.blogspot.com/2009/05/kenalan-dengan-luku-bajak.html (plough)

http://langitselatan.com/2008/06/11/menggali-kekayaan-astronomi-dalam-kearifan-lokal/ (Orion as Plough) Wikipedia “Orion” (constellation)

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The view of Orion as a plough is described as follows [3][4] “Here, close to the equator, the constellation appears on its side and Orion’s belt

plus three of the four outer stars (excluding Betelgeuse) were seen to resemble a

traditional Javanese plough (Weluku): they constituted the constellation Bintang

Weluku.”- Direct quote from [4]

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TABLE 1. THE PRANATA MANGSA

No. Mangsa

Utama

Long and

Short

Mangsa

Mangsa Date Candra

ǂ

(characteristic) Signs Constellation [6]

Orion in the

Sky [4]

Guidance for

Farmers

1

Ketiga

Terang Kasa

(Kartika)

June 22 – Aug 1

(41 days)

Sesotya murcå ing embanan

(“diamonds fall from their setting”)

Dry season; leaves fall, wood/branches dry,

grasshoppers go inside the ground, frozen dew kills plants (“diamond from the sky”)*[6]

Sapi Gumarang

(Taurus) (Heliacal rise June 9)

Heliacal rise (upright)$

Time to burn the haystack, start

planting palawija †

2 Paceklik Karo (Pusa)

Aug 2 – Aug 24

(23 days)

Bantålå rengkå (“the Earth

parched/cracked”)

Dry season; the Earth/soil parches and cracks, mango and

cotton trees begin to bloom

Tagih (Cancer) (Heliacal rise Aug 11)

Rising progressively

earlier

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Semplah

Katelu

(Manggasri)

Aug 25 – Sept 18 (24 days)

Sutå manut ing båpå

(“the child obeys his father”)

Dry season; vines climb the fence, young bamboo shoots

start to appear

Lumbung

(Crux)

Rising progressively

earlier

Harvesting the palawija

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Labuh

Kapat (Sitra)

Sept 19 – Oct 13

(25 days)

Waspå kumembeng jroning kalbu

(“tears well up in the soul”)

Beginning of rainy season; springs well up, cotton trees start to bear fruit, birds start constructing nests and laying

eggs

Jarandawuk (Crux) (Heliacal rise Oct 2)

Rising progressively

earlier

Harvesting the palawija,

preparing the soil for padi

gogo‡

5 Kalima

(Manggakala)

Oct 14 – Nov 9

(27 days)

Pancuran mas sumawur ing

jagad (“golden fountain waters the universe”)

Rainy season; big rains, Javanese tamarind trees start to

grow leaves, caterpillar and flying termites are out, root

spices are harvested

Banyakangkrem

(Scorpio)

Rising progressively

earlier

Repairing and preparing the

rice field water channel, starting

padi gogo

planting

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Udan

Kanem

(Naya)

Nov 10 – Dec 22

(43 days)

Råså mulyå kasuciyan (“holy

and noble feeling”)

Rainy season; season of many fruits, whistling ducks are

visible in water bodies

Gotongmayit

(Scorpio) Acronychal

rise (upright)$

Farmers starting to sow rice seed

in nursery, plowing the

field [4]

7 Rendhen

g Kapitu

(Palguna)

Dec 23 – Feb 3 (43

days)

Wiså kéntir ing marutå (“the poison in the

wind”)

Peak of the rainy season, flooded rivers, many people get

sick

Bimo Sekti (Milky Way)

Higher in the sky after sunset

Time to move rice seedling to the main rice

field

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Remarks: ǂ “Candra” in Javanese means characteristic/feature of a certain person or time period. In this calendar, the characteristic is described in a poetic way that generally represents natural signs of the time period/season. * During this period of time our Milky Way galaxy (“Galaksi Bima Sakti” in Indonesian) is clearly visible from the area. The stars of the galaxy are so bright that when people found frozen dew had killed their plants in the morning, they thought that it was the stars/ “diamonds of the sky” falling from their settings in the sky and killing their crops. The frozen dew is called “embun upas”

(“poisonous dew”) or “upas lintang” (poisonous star) [6]. The frozen dew is caused by the Bediding phenomenon. Bediding is the drastic temperature drop during night/early morning in the dry season (June-August). During this time, the Sun’s apparent position is in its northernmost point (tropic of Cancer). As a result, the Southern Hemisphere receives lower energy from the Sun and the temperature drops. The winter wind from Australia also adds to the temperature drop. Another cause is the absence of clouds during

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Pangarep-

arep

Kawolu

(Wisaka)

Feb 4 – Feb

28/29 (26/27 days)

Anjrah jroning kayun (“the

surfacing of the heart’s desires”)

Rainy season; cat mating season, paddy/rice starts to

grow, grubs and larvae abound

Wulan Jarangirim

(Cantaurus)

Culmination at dusk at the end of the period$

9 Kasanga

(Jita)

Mar 1 – Mar 25

(25 days)

Wedharing wacånå mulyå

(“the spreading of glorious

sounds/voices”)

Rice plants start to bloom, many insects make joyful

sounds, water is stored within the earth with possible small

flooding,

Wuluh (Pleiades)

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Mareng

Kasepuluh

(Srawana)

Mar 26 – Apr 18

(24 days)

Gedhong mineb jroning kalbu (“the building trapped inside the heart”)

Rice fields turn yellow; many animals are pregnant, small

bird eggs etched. Waluku (Orion)

11 Panen Desta

(Parawana)

Apr 19 – May 11

(23 days)

Sesotyå sinåråwèdi (“sparkling diamonds”)

Dry season, the birds tend to their young (“the sparkling jewels of their hearts”), the

cotton fruit ripens and breaks, rice harvesting season.

-

Lower and lower in the western sky

(upside down)$

The great harvest time for

rice

12 Terang Sada (Asuji)

May 12 – June 21 (41 days)

Tirtå sah saking sasånå (“the water leaves its places”)

Dry season; temperature drops and it is cold in the morning (bediding), water begins to

recede

-

Time to plant some palawija:

soya bean, indigo plant and cotton, and time to prepare soil to

plant corn

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the dry season. The clear sky of the dry season allows the energy received during the day to be released back into the sky without any clouds to reflect it back to the Earth (no greenhouse effect). [7] † Palawija, from the Sanskrit word “Phaladwija” literally means secondary crops. In Java, it means crops other than rice that do not need standing water during planting, such as corn, soya beans, potatoes, carrots, sweet potatoes, mung beans, cucumber, etc. ‡ Padi gogo is a type of rice that does not require standing water and is very suitable for dry areas or areas with very short rainy seasons. $ The position of Orion is captured through Neave Interactive Online Planetarium, and will be described in more detail in subsection 3. Orion as the Agricultural Guide Constellation.

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3. Orion as the Agricultural Guide Constellation [4]

As discussed in the previous sections, Orion is the “plough star” for the Javanese people. Table 1 mentioned its basic position in the sky and how the farmers of Java perceived its position as a guide for the planting season. This section will discuss its position throughout the year as seen by Javanese farmers. Figures are created by taking snapshots of the Neave Interactive Online Planetarium. The date was set in 1856, the year Pranata

Mangsa was created to obtain the most accurate night sky. The time on the program was set (default by the program) in MST/MDT. Pranata mangsa begins during the summer solstice, around June 21- 22. At this time, Orion is on its heliacal rise: its first appearance during pre-dawn sky on the Eastern sky. Javanese farmers perceived the shape as the upright plough. This indicates the beginning of the Pranata Mangsa year.

Figure 2. Orion Heliacal Rise Orange line represents the connector of the plough to the buffalo, the red lines represent the handle (top)

and the actual piece that ploughs the field (bottom). Indonesian time will be 5:22 am.

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Around five months later, Orion is on its acronychal rise: it rises at sunset, seen on the Eastern sky. At this time its position of the plough is also upright. When this takes place, it is a guide for the farmer to begin the rice planting. The women will sow the rice seeds in the nursery field and the men will start plowing the main rice field, preparing it for when the seedlings are ready.

Figure 3. Orion Acronychal Rise

Indonesian time would be 06:06 pm.

Once the seedlings are ready, the farmer will move them from the nursery into the main field. During this process Orion rises higher and higher in the sky, and as the planting period ends, Orion reaches its culmination at dusk. Figure 4 shows Orion on its culmination at the end of February. Four months after the beginning of the planting season, Orion moves lower and lower in the sky and is eventually visible in the Western sky as an upside down plough. Javanese people will put their plough upside down when the planting season is over. When Orion disappears, it’s the end of Pranata Mangsa year.

Note: upright and upside down plough might be just the connector position: when it’s up it’s connected to the buffalo (thus ready to work), when it’s down it’s not.

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Figure 4. Orion in Culmination

Indonesian time would be 06:20 pm. The plus sign is the zenith of the celestial sphere.

Figure 5. Orion as it moves lower in the Western sky after sunset

Indonesian time would be 06:06 pm

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4. The Use and Challenges of the Calendar in Modern Days [1]

Today, with the development of science and technology, the Pranata Mangsa calendar is no longer used as often as it was. The calendar was developed in an era when the rice planting and harvesting could only take place once a year. Science and technology have developed new varieties of rice plant that can be harvested more than twice a year, new technologies in irrigation and fertilization, and better weather forecasting that all make the Pranata Mangsa calendar mostly irrelevant. Climate change also has significant effect on the use of Pranata Mangsa: because of it the calendar needs to be reviewed and adjusted.

5. References

[1] Wikipedia Bahasa Indonesia, “Pranata Mangsa” http://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pranata_mangsa , accessed on October 21, 2014. [2 ]English Wikipedia, “Javanese Calendar” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Javanese_calendar accessed on October 21, 2014. [3]What-When-How In Depth Tutorial and Information, “Javanese Calendar”

http://what-when-how.com/ancient-astronomy/javanese-calendar/ accessed on October 21, 2014.

[4] Ruggles, C.L.N. “Ancient Astronomy: An Encyclopedia of Cosmologies and Myth”,

an excerpt of page 207 on Amazon.com, accessed on October 21, 2014

[5] Personal knowledge of the language and culture. [6] Sarwanto, Edy Tri Sulistyo, Baskoro, Hendrik Pratama. 2013. “Analisis Tata Surya

Berdasarkan Sains Asli (Indigenous) Jawa” Seminar Paper. Pendidikan Fisika FKIP UNS. Universitas Negeri Semarang.

[7] Wikipedia Bahasa Indonesia, “Musim Bediding” http://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Musim_Bediding , accessed on October 22, 2014.

III. Indonesian Constellations

a. Gubug Penceng, Rasi Ikan Pari (Java) , Layang-layang (Indonesia, Sunda) : Crux

or Southern Cross

In Indonesia, the constellation Crux or the Southern Cross holds great importance. It is used as a guidance to find the celestial South Pole. There are at least three names for this constellation: Gubug Penceng (lit. ‘tilted house’) , Rasi Ikan Pari (lit. The Constellation Stingray), and Layang-layang (lit. “kite”).

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The name Gubug Penceng was given based on the shape of the constellation with its 5 major stars. According to myth, there were some young men building a house. Every day during the construction, a beautiful maiden walked in front of the construction site to the rice field to deliver food to the farmers. The young men were so distracted during the construction and as a result the house they were building was tilted. The maiden is represented by the star Alpha Centauri, and her sash flowing in the wind by Beta Centauri.[1] [2] Some ancient Indonesians see the constellation Crux, the stars alpha Centauri and beta Centauri as one constellation. In this case the constellation appears as a stingray, as seen below. Fishermen at the time used this constellation to navigate south, and due to their main livelihood, they named it the stingray [1]. When the constellation is seen only as the cross, Indonesians associate the constellation with a kite, hence the name ‘Layang-

layang’ (Indonesian for ‘kite’). [3]

Figure 2. Appearance of the Constellation Crux to Indonesian People as the

Constellation Stingray Source: http://kafeastronomi.com/mengenal-rasi-gubuk-penceng-atau-rasi-crux.html

The reference to kites is also found in a story from West Java or the Sunda area. In this area the constellation is known as Bentang Langlayangan. Based on folklore there were two brothers: the elder brother α-Centauri (seen in the picture with its other name Rigil Kent) and the younger brother β-Centauri (seen in the picture with its other name Hadar). The younger brother flew a kite in the rice field. Then a strong wind came. The younger brother was trying to hold on to the kite but eventually was drawn up by the kite into the sky. Trying to help, the elder brother held his brother from behind. However, the wind was so strong that they both were drawn up into the sky. [4]

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References:

[1] Pramesti, D. 2009. “Menggali dan Memperkenalkan Kisah Langit Asia pada Dunia” Article on langitselatan website, accessed on October 23, 2014. http://langitselatan.com/2009/05/29/menggali-dan-memperkenalkan-kisah-langit-asia-pada-dunia/

[2] Wahyudi, M. Z. 2011. “Gubung Penceng, Penanda Arah Selatan”. Article on Kompas.com, accessed on October 23, 2014. http://sains.kompas.com/read/2011/08/15/11323940/Gubug.Penceng..Penanda.Arah.Selatan [3] G, Eko Hadi. 2014. ”Mengenal Rasi Gubuk Penceng atau Rasi Crux. Article on Kafe Astronomi website, accessed on October 23, 2014. http://kafeastronomi.com/mengenal-rasi-gubuk-penceng-atau-rasi-crux.html

[4] Wiramihardja, S. D. 2014. “Ethnoastronomy: The Sundanese of West Java and their

relations to Ethnoastronomy”. Center of Southeast Asian Studies Newsletter, Kyoto University. 3/9/2014. Accessed on January 15, 2015. http://www.cseas.kyoto-u.ac.jp/2014/03/ethnoastronomy-the-sundanese-of-west-java-and-their-relation-to-ethnoastronomy/

b. Waluku (Java) or Hala Na Godang (North Sumatra): Orion

In Javanese culture, Orion is the ‘plough star’. It was used to indicate the beginning and the end of the rice planting seasons hence the name ‘Waluku’ or the plough. Detailed discussion on the use of Orion in Javanese Calendar is featured in section II. In North Sumatra, especially for the native Batak people, Orion has its own starlore. Interestingly, this Orion starlore also talks about one of the moon phases. The story is as follows: Once upon a time there was a dragon. The dragon was so huge that its head reached the skies and the tail was grounded on Earth. Her name was Hala Na Godang. She had eggs laid on Earth, and every day she brooded her eggs, waiting for them to hatch. One day, a shepherd found those giant eggs while trying to find a shelter from the rain amongst the forest trees. He was shocked by the sheer size of the eggs, but he threw stones at the eggs, destroying them. Hala Na Godang was shocked to find the shepherd and even more shocked and angry to find her eggs destroyed. She then told the Shepherd that because of what he had done, she would eat him. Scared, the shepherd ran so fast that he eventually flew into the air. He tried so hard to escape the dragon and eventually reached the ends of the Earth and continued upwards, reaching the Moon. He asked for protection from the Moon, and the Moon agreed. The Moon hid the Shepherd. Not long after, Hala Na Godang arrived and asked the Moon

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where the Shepherd was. The Moon refused to reveal the shepherd, but after the dragon explained what had happened, the Moon agreed that the Shepherd was at fault and promised to find a solution to the problem. The Moon then discussed it with the Sun, and come up with a punishment of a fine for the Shepherd. Hala Na Godang refused the decision and insisted that the Shepherd deserved to be eaten because he had killed the dragon’s offspring. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a soul for a soul, said the dragon. The Moon relented. But instead of revealing the hiding place of the Shepherd, the Moon said to the dragon that she can devour the Moon, not just once, but over and over again. The dragon accepted the offer. Every 28 days or so, the dragon will come to the moon and devour it and it will disappear from the sky. This is what modern astronomy refers to as the New Moon. In Batak astronomy, the constellation Orion is the representation of the dragon, and the stars in the Orion belt represent the dragon’s eggs. The moral of the story is that we should never destroy other people’s property and that we should be responsible for our own actions.

Figure 3. Depiction of the story of Hala Na Godang Source: http://langitselatan.com/2011/01/02/jejak-langkah-astronomi-di-indonesia/

Image drawn by: Emanuel Sungging Mumpuni References:

[1] Yamani, A. “Starlore: Hala Na Godang, Cerita Tentang Orion dan Fase Bulan” Adobe Sound File. Obtained through personal communication with Avivah Yamani, the creator of the video.

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http://voice.adobe.com/v/MT4Q4fioDMB www.langitselatan.com

Special thanks to Avivah Yamani and the LangitSelatan Astronomy Community in

Bandung, Indonesia.

c. Lintang Kartika (Java) and the legend of the eight brothers (Mentawai) : the

Pleiades

Similar to the western mythology of Pleiades, Javanese people viewed Pleiades as ‘Tujuh Bidadari’ (Indonesian, lit. the seven nymphs) or ‘Tujuh Putri’ (Indonesian, lit. the seven princesses). Some of Indonesian people also refer to it as ‘Bintang Tujuh’ (lit. the seven stars), even though it actually refers to the seven stars of the constellation Ursa Major. The Javanese mythology that serves as the background story of Pleiades is the story of Jaka Tarub and the seven nymphs. According to Babad Tanah Jawi (The Story of Java) book by R. Ng. Yasadipura [1], once upon a time there was a young man named Jaka Tarub. One day as he went to the forest to hunt, he accidentally saw seven nymphs came from the heavens to a nearby lake to bathe. Attracted to their beauty, he decided to steal one of the nymphs’ scarves, and then run back to his hiding place. Once the nymphs were done bathing, they dressed up and got ready to fly back to Heaven. One of the nymphs named Nawangwulan could not find her scarf and therefore she couldn’t fly back to Heaven. Her sisters had to leave her behind. Seeing the nymph cry in desperation, Jaka Tarub came out of his hiding place and offered help. Long story short, they eventually got married and had a daughter, Nawangsih. Because of her divine origin, Nawangwulan asked her husband to never peek or question the way she did things in the house. She never cooked rice the way it was normally cooked; instead she only used one grain of rice and it produced enough cooked rice for the day. Jaka Tarub, unable to contain his curiosity, opened the rice-cooker pot, thus diminishing Nawangwulan’s divine powers. From that point on she had to cook rice the way it normally cooked. Because she then needed a lot of rice grains, the rice in the barn started to become low. One day when going to the barn to get some rice, she found her long-lost scarf, which had been hidden there by her husband. She was so angry because of her husband’s deceit and decided to leave him and go back to Heaven. His pleas were of no use. She left with a promise that she will return once in a while to nurse their daughter and on the daughter’s wedding day. [2] Note [6]: in the writer’s own knowledge of Javanese culture, rainbows are believed to

be the bridge or trail left behind by the nymphs when they come down to Earth to bathe

and fly back to Heaven. In art depictions, each nymph wears a scarf of a different color

that represents every major color of the rainbow.

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Also from personal knowledge, in the Javanese wedding ceremony the night before the

wedding is called ‘Malam Midodareni’ (Javanese, lit. ‘the night of the nymphs’). The

word ‘Midodaren’ is of the same origin of ‘Widodari’ or ‘Bidadari’ (Indonesian), which

means nymph. Legend has it that Nawangwulan came with her sister nymphs on the

night before her daughter’s wedding and they dressed Nawangsih up for her wedding to

her utmost beauty. Javanese people believed that on the night before a wedding, nymphs

would come down from heaven to the Bride’s room to dress her up spiritually; blessing

her with beauty, tenderness, charm and charisma. For that to happen, the Bride has to

stay awake all night long, in hopes that on the wedding day the next day, she will appear

in her utmost beauty and charm, so beautiful that people barely recognize her

(‘manglingi’ in Javanese) due to the blessings from the nymphs.

The image of seven nymphs that represents Pleiades is also an inspiration for the Javanese traditional dance called Bedhaya Ketawang (Javanese, means the Dance of the Heavens). The dance was first choreographed by Panembahan Senapati, the King of Mataram (a kingdom in Central Java). Other sources mention that the dance was created by Batara Guru in 167, and danced by seven nymphs that were created from seven sparkling gemstones. [1] The dance is considered sacred, only select dancers may perform it after observing certain rituals. The dance is only performed during the coronation of the King or other special occasions in the palace. One of the configurations of dancers during the dance has similar configuration to the constellation Pleiades. [1]. Bedhaya Ketawang is usually danced by 7 to 9 dancers. According to legend and local belief, when 7 dancers are performing, one of the dancers is actually the spirit of (or one of the 7 dancers is possessed by) Kanjeng Ratu Kidul or the Queen of the Southern Sea (Southern Indian Ocean), the spiritual consort of Sultan Agung, the King of Mataram.[4] The dance is believed to be an expression of love from the Queen to the King and represents their union. [4]

Another name of Pleiades in Java is Lintang Kartika, two Javanese words that actually mean the same: star. Thus Pleiades is the Star of the Stars. This gives emphasis on the importance of Pleiades in ancient Java. In relation to farming, ancient Javanese people use Pleiades as a sign to start the planting season. When Pleiades is 50° above the horizon, it is the seventh season (‘Mangsa Kapitu’, see the ‘Pranata Mangsa’ section), time to move the rice seedlings to the main rice field. [3] Mentawai Islands, the group of islands off the western Sumatran coast, have their own mythology for Pleiades. While their Javanese counterparts describe Pleiades as seven or nine stars (Pleiades itself can be seen with 9 main stars provided the ideal night sky)[4], the Mentawai people describe that Pleiades originally consisted of eight stars. The myth told a story of eight orphaned brothers living on the island of Siberut. Their relatives were not happy to support them, so they put the eight brothers in barrels and threw them into the river. Down the stream one of their uncles found them and decided to take care

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of them. But soon this uncle was overwhelmed with the care of the brothers, and he had no option but to get rid of them. When they were in the forest and the brothers were up in a tree, the uncle shouted that the enemy tribe was coming to attack them in the hopes that it will send the brothers away from him. The trick did not work; it only made the brothers realize that they were not wanted anymore. They decided to build a boat and sail away from the uncle. Before they went, they left some instruction about seasons to their uncle. They said that when the uncle sees them in the east before sunrise, it means the season to catch the crab (aggau) on the beach has come and the fruits on the trees are ripe. It also means that the stormy sea season is coming, thus they remind him to tell fishermen not to go fishing. When he sees them in the west after sunset, it means the season of calm sea has arrived, time for the fishermen to catch sea turtles. The season is called aggau and rura. After leaving the message, the brothers sailed to the sky and turned into eight stars in Pleiades. According to the legend, before they sailed to the sky, three of the brothers got married. Their wives, struck with grief, tried to follow the path of their husbands, but never really caught up with them. They turned into the three stars Orions Belt. Knowing that their wives’ failed, the husbands became so sad and tried to throw a boar jawbone to their wives. The jawbone becomes the Aldebaran triangle and Hyades group, located between Orion and Pleiades. The boat they were sailing in goes into the sky further from these group of stars, and becomes the constellation Triangulum.[5]

References:

[1] Utomo, Y. W. (editor). 2014. ”Lintang Kartika, Bintangnya Bintang Orang Jawa”. Article on Kompas.com, accessed on December 2, 2014. http://sains.kompas.com/read/2014/04/10/2146458/Lintang.Kartika.Bintangnya.Bintang.Orang.Jawa [2] Wikipedia Bahasa Indonesia, “Legenda Jaka Tarub”. Accessed on December 2,

2014 http://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legenda_Jaka_Tarub [3] Pramesti, D. 2009. “Menggali dan Memperkenalkan Kisah Langit Asia pada Dunia” Article on langitselatan website, accessed on December 2, 2014 . http://langitselatan.com/2009/05/29/menggali-dan-memperkenalkan-kisah-langit-asia-pada-dunia/ [4] Sang Petualang. 2013. “Taurus Sang Banteng”. Article in Penjelajah Angkasa-

Himpunan Astronomi Amatir Jakarta website, accessed on December 2, 2014. http://penjelajahangkasa.com/2013/03/taurus-sang-banteng.html [5] Yamani, A. 2014. “Sail to the Sky”. Podcast on 365 Days of Astronomy website, accessed on December 2, 2014. http://cosmoquest.org/x/365daysofastronomy/2014/05/25/may-25th-sail-to-the-sky/

[6] Personal knowledge and experience of Javanese culture.

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IV. Solar and Lunar Eclipse

Javanese, Sundanese (West Java) and Balinese people believed that solar and lunar eclipses happen when the sun or the moon is swallowed by a giant. There are several variations to the story, and this report will only present the most commonly known stories. Based on the book Adiparwa (a Hindu text) the story of solar and lunar eclipses are as follows[1][2][3][4]: The gods and the giants were in search of Tirta Amerta or Tirta Kamandalu, the water of immortality. The story mentions that the water of immortality can only be obtained by churning Kesirarnawa/Lautan Susu (lit. Sea of Milk). It was such a daunting task that gods and giants agreed to put aside their differences to work together to get the water. They moved a huge mountain called Mandaragiri, tied a giant dragon named Wasuki/Basuki around it, put it on a turtle called Kurma as its base and started churning the sea together. The Gods held the dragon’s tail and the Giants held its head. After such hard work, the water of immortality appeared. The gods, due to their position, got the first chance of drinking the water. There was a long line of gods that made the giants extremely nervous. They were afraid that they might not get a share of the water. One of the giants named Kala Rahu or Batara Kala disguised himself as a god and got in line. Batara Surya (sun god) and Batara Candra (moon god) knew of his plan and told Batara Guru (the supreme god) or other versions mentioned Batara Wisnu (the preserver of the universe). Batara Wisnu took his weapon Chakra and beheaded Batara Kala as he swallowed the water of immortality. Because the water had touched his mouth and part of his throat, his head remains immortal and float around while his body fell to the Earth and died (some versions mention that it became rice mortar). Batara Kala was so angry at Batara Surya and Batara Candra that he chased them down for all eternity, trying to kill them by eating them. In some occasions he caught up with them and swallowed them alive; that’s when a solar or lunar eclipse takes place. However, because Batara Kala no longer has a body, the sun and/or the moon eventually emerges after being swallowed. Another version mentions that when the signs of eclipse are visible, the people of Java and Bali are advised to make noises using their rice mortar and pestle, and also other kitchen utensils. One version states that it will warn the sun and the moon that the giant is near so they have a chance to escape; another story states that it will scare the giant so it will vomit the sun and the moon. Yet another version states that since the rice mortar once was the giant’s body, hitting it during an eclipse was actually an action of tickling or hitting the giant so it will vomit the sun and the moon. References:

[1] Susilowati, H. 2012. “Raksasa Kala Rahu Menelan Bulan Terjadi Gerhana”. Article on Paris Sweet Home website, accessed on December 15, 2014. http://www.parissweethome.com/bali/cultural_my.php?id=17 [2] Wikipedia Bahasa Indonesia. “Adiparwa”. Accessed on December 15, 2014. http://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adiparwa#Kisah_pemutaran_Mandaragiri

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[3] Personal experience and knowledge of Javanese and Balinese culture. [4] Wiramihardja, S. D. 2014. “Ethnoastronomy: The Sundanese of West Java and their

relations to Ethnoastronomy”. Center of Southeast Asian Studies Newsletter, Kyoto University. 3/9/2014. Accessed on January 15, 2015. http://www.cseas.kyoto-u.ac.jp/2014/03/ethnoastronomy-the-sundanese-of-west-java-and-their-relation-to-ethnoastronomy/

V. Lintang Kemukus: the Comets

Javanese people believed that the appearance of comets in the sky was a sign of impending chaos, disaster, disease, death, or simply bad luck. This belief stems from the legend of Keris Kyai Condong Campur, a very powerful weapon that was believed to exist in the era of the Majapahit Kingdom of East Java (1293 – 1527) around the 14th century. [1] [2] Majapahit was one of the most powerful kingdoms in Indonesia, and it was able to unify the whole archipelago closest to Indonesia’s current territory under the King Hayam Wuruk and his Prime Minister Gadjah Mada. [2] Keris or Kris is a stabbing weapon in the dagger family. In its history it was used as a weapon for fighting in war or dueling and also as an item in offerings for ceremonies. Although it is no longer used as a weapon, culturally it is still very significant in many cultures that are familiar with the weapon due to their history under the Majapahit Kingdom. In 2005, UNESCO declared the Indonesian keris one of Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity. [3]

Figure 4. Javanese Keris Source: http://uniqueindonesia-place.blogspot.com/2011/07/keris-java.html

Keris ware made by special-skilled keris smiths called Empu/Mpu. Each Keris has its own character and (believed to have specific) supernatural powers. One of the most famous keris

during the Majapahit era was the Keris Kyai Condong Campur. The intention behind the creation of the keris was to unify two major differences in the Majapahit Kingdom: the high

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class and the low class citizens. Its name reflects the good intentions: ‘condong’ which means ‘inclined/leaning towards a certain point’ and ‘campur’ which means ‘mixed’ or ‘unity’. Thus, the

meaning of the name was ‘that which unifies’. The keris was so special in its making: legend has it that it was made by one hundered Empus with materials taken from various places. It is believed that the keris had great power to unify all the differences in the kingdom and even to unify many nations. To everyone’s surprise, Keris Kyai Condong Campur had an evil character and negative supernatural powers that could bring chaos to the land. [1][4] According to the legend, at that time each citizen class had a keris that represented them. The high class citizens (the nobles, the royals, the rich, the merchants) were represented by Keris Sabuk Inten (lit. Javanese, ‘the belt of gems/diamonds), while the low class citizens (lower class workers, laborers) were represented by Keris Sengkelat (the name is believed to originate from the Javanese words ‘sengkal atine’ or ‘tired heart/deeply disappointed’ due to the lower class’s disappointment in the situation and the hardships of life). [1][5] Knowing the evil character and power of Keris Kyai Condong Campur, Keris Sabuk Inten felt threatened and decided to fight it. Keris Sabuk Inten lost the fight. Keris Sengkelat,

despite its reluctance to fight, decided to take over the battle and eventually defeated Keris

Kyai Condong Campur. Defeated, Kyai Condong threatened to return every 500 years and bring chaos (lit. Javanese ‘ontran-ontran’) throughout the land. It bolted to the sky, leaving a bright trail that Javanese people called ‘Lintang Kemukus’ or ’star with a tail’, i.e. comets. [1] [4] [5] Even though the story was believed to be only a myth or a legend, in reality the differences in the Majapahit Kingdom never subsided. Many other factors were also influential to the decline of the kingdom, including the fight over the succession and the rise of many foreign powers. In the end, the Majapahit Kingdom fell to the Islamic Kingdom Demak from Central Java that was founded by one of the descendant of the kings of Majapahit itself. [2] [5] Whether the fall of Majapahit Kingdom was caused by the failed Keris Kyai Condong

Campur, it is up to each and every one of us to decide. Another story of Lintang Kemukus is included in section VI. References:

[1] Ki Rudi. 2013. “Legenda Keris Kyai Condong Campur dan Tombak Korowelang”. Personal Blog Keris Jowo I. Accessed on December 2014. http://kerisjowo1.blogspot.com/2013/02/legenda-keris-kyai-condong-campur-dan.html [2] Wikipedia. “Majapahit.” Accessed on December 2014. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Majapahit [3] Wikipedia Bahasa Indonesia. “Keris” Accessed on December 2014 http://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keris [4] Permata, A. I. 2013. “7 Keris Pusaka Legendaris”. Personal Blog Indo Keris. Accessed on December 2014.

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http://indokeris.blogspot.com/2013/01/7-keris-pusaka-legendaris.html [5] Wikipedia Bahasa Indonesia. “Keris Kyai Condong Campur”. Accessed on December 2014. http://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keris_Kyai_Condong_Campur

VI. Bima Sakti: The Milky Way [1]

In Indonesia, our galaxy is known as Bima Sakti or ‘Bima the Mighty’. In the ancient era, Indonesia was strongly influenced by the Hindu religion, and thus most phenomena were understood in terms of Hindu mythology. Hindu literature Mahabarata told a story of a family dispute over the throne. Two groups of cousins, namely Pandawa and Kurawa, were always on the battle to be on top of each other to make their way to the throne. Pandawa is a group of five brothers (Yudhistira, Bima,

Arjuna, and twins Nakula and Sadewa), sons of the king Pandu and his two wives. Kurawa is a group of 99-brothers and 1 sister, the cousins of the Pandawa. In the line of succession, the Kurawas came from a higher line of succession; however the eldest of the Kurawas was younger still than the eldest of the Pandawa. This created tension over who deserved the throne. Both groups were studying under the same teacher, Rsi Durna. Although expected to be neutral, the teacher favored the Kurawas over the Pandawas. Knowing that Bima had the most physical strength among them all, Rsi Durna realized that he might have a crucial role in fighting the Pandawas over the throne. He decided to send him on a task that he knew no one has ever accomplished before, in the hopes that Bima would get killed in the process. He sent him to acquire Tirta Prawita-adi, the elixir of knowledge, from the Tibrasara forest at the foot of Chandradimuka Mountain. Bima set himself to the journey. Once he arrived, he started to tear up the forest, ransacking the area in hopes of finding the elixir. Plants died and animals ran for their lives, but no elixir was found. Two giants living in the area got very angry because of their depleted resources and challenged Bima to a fight. Bima defeated them, and the giants turned into gods, Batara Indra (god of rain and thunder) and Batara Bayu (god of winds). They thanked Bima for releasing them from the curse, and gave him the Jalasengara spell and a weapon called Ekal Druwendra as a token of gratitude. But still, no elixir was found. The gods sent Bima back to his teacher with a promise that Bima will learn the truth. Bima returned to the teacher and told him what happened. Fearing that his plan would unravel, Rsi Durna told Bima that it was just a test of his skill, courage and determination. He them told Bima the place he needed to go to obtain the elixir, a place more dangerous than the first one: the Southern Ocean, called the Karang-Bolong Ocean. Even though his brothers and the King Krishna warned him that it was just a trick, he was determined to go and accomplish the task given to him by his beloved teacher. Just to be safe, the King assigned a group of three servants called the Punakawan to accompany Bima in his journey.

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Once they arrived at the ocean, Bima ordered the Punakawan to stay alert at the beach while he walked into the water. Not knowing how he could breathe under water, he tried the spell given by the gods. The spell allowed him to explore the ocean floor without any problem. While he was busy searching for the elixir, a giant dragon called Nemburnawa attacked him. Bima and the dragon fought so fiercely for days in the water that the water formed a lot of sea foam. The foam was reflected in the sky and seen by the Punakawan. Sensing trouble, the Punakawan set to the sky to make a sign for King Krishna. Semar, the eldest and the father of the other Punakawans went to the sky and created a bright, red streak as he himself was reddish in appearance, and this is known as Lintang

Kemukus or the comet. Gareng went to the south-eastern sky and became Lintang Joko

Belek (‘the man with the red eye’) that appeared at dusk, what we know now as Mars. Petruk went to the south-western sky and became Lintang Panjerino or Venus. They watched the fight from the sky as they gave signs to Krishna. After battling for days with no success, Bima remembered the weapon given to him by the gods. He used the weapon to stab the dragon in its throat. The dragon thrashed as it was dying, leaving the ocean even more churned. Instead of blood, the wound released a very bright light that left a mark in the sky. Once the battle was over, Semar moved to the southern part of the sky near the leaning hut (the Constellation Crux) and stayed there to watch over the Earth. The sky object where he supposedly stayed is known as the Banyak

Angrem or the Coalsack Nebula in the Milky Way. The sea foam reflected in the sky is what we know today as our own galaxy, the Milky Way. Due to the story and its relation to the story of Bima victoriously defeating the dragon, Javanese people named the galaxy ‘Bima Sakti’ or ‘Bima the Mighty’. As the story goes, the dragon turned into a dwarf named Dewa Ruci. Dewa Ruci revealed the only way to get to the elixir of knowledge, which was to enter his left ear. Bima was very confused because it wasn’t possible, but Dewa Ruci told him how to do it. Once he followed every instruction, he received the true knowledge. He returned to his teacher and told him everything. The teacher became very upset and ashamed of himself in understanding that evil won’t win against good.

Sundanese/West Java people have a slightly different view of the Milky Way. Sundanese people perceived the Milky Way in the sky as a splash of light and with splotches of darkness. With this impression in mind they name that object in the sky as Catang bobo or Catang, which means rotten tree trunk with holes.[2]

References:

[1] Yamani, A. 2014. “July 27: Bima the Almighty”. Podcast on 365 Days of Astronomy. http://cosmoquest.org/x/365daysofastronomy/2014/07/27/july-27th-bima-the-almighty/

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[2] Wiramihardja, S. D. 2014. “Ethnoastronomy: The Sundanese of West Java and their

relations to Ethnoastronomy”. Center of Southeast Asian Studies Newsletter, Kyoto University. 3/9/2014. Accessed on January 15, 2015. http://www.cseas.kyoto-u.ac.jp/2014/03/ethnoastronomy-the-sundanese-of-west-java-and-their-relation-to-ethnoastronomy/