About this blog. Retracing the spirit of my ancestor
By Farsijana Adeney-Risakotta
Since the article of our home in the southern cost of Javanese ocean in Parangtritis appeared in Kompas, in February 6, 2011, I have gotten many requests from people around Indonesia to share more about the environment around the heirloom house. We name the house "Pondok Jati Rasa". Pondok means a little house, in fact the house is not a little. Its size is about 9 x 13 meters. Using the word "Pondok" in Indonesian gives a deep meaning of feeling cozy. Our home in Yogyakarta uses the same idea of Pondok as it refrects the reality of we are around with people.
Two more words need to be explained. Jati is a deep word because it has a physical reality to refer to the name of tree which is considered as the best tree in the Javanese knowledge. It is the teak tree. However, this word, "jati" in our language, Indonesian also relates with the concept of "genuineness, authenticity. When I say, Jati in this context, I always go to see the innerself within myself. Pondok Jati Rasa is now around the teak forest.
The last word which takes from the same idea of our home name in Yogyakarta, which is Rasa. Clifford Geerz, the famous anthropologist, explains about the word of Rasa in his book which titled "Javanese Religion", as the word that has a wholistic concept of the Self. Rasa refers to the explanation of five senses. Rasa uses to name feeling, touching, eating, thinking, hearing. Even this word of Rasa can open ourself to enter to the world around us.
Pondok Jati Rasa is the twin of Pondok Tali Rasa which is our home in Yogyakarta. Pondok Tali Rasa is the new home built from our idea which starts from the name of the house that was going to be. I will explain later on about this home. For now, I can mention little bit about the meaning of Pondok Tali Rasa. The word of "pondok" and "rasa" already explained above. Now the word of "tali" means " a rope". So it means that the house which connects us like a rope to tie together for sharing and celebrating our thinking, eating, feeling, playing, laughing and sensing of art. It has been a blessing house for us and many people, chidren, women, youth and students doing different activities together according to each group plans.
I would say that without this twin, the idea for naming Pondok Jati Rasa would not appear.
Pondok Jati Rasa is the heirloom house made all with ancient teak. It was the house of my great grandparents. His name was Karso Dirjo. He was the head of district by which he could effort to have the type of house. The house was build the size of 9 for the width. The number of nine (9) has a sacred meaning because it relates to the aknowlegment of the 9 "Sunan" who were the pioner of muslim ulamas in Indonesia.
Then the length is 13 which is the unlucky number for a common people, but not for those who has an inner power. So it seems like my great grandparents was considered "sakti" which shows his supernatural power.
It was built in 1822. This year is engraved on the top of the middle beam of the house. It is older than the war of Diponegoro which was happened in 1825. When we moved the house from the original place in the village of Taji, in the area of Prambanan, to the current location, later I discovered the Prince of Javanese, Diponegoro had visited "Goa Langse", the cave of Langse which located just 200 meters down to the inner belly of the earth, in the costline under the cliff, from our home. So I though perhaps the house had to be moved at the current location because of the spiritual environment in the area.
I am happy to begin writing about this story to share to you all about how deeply has our culture interconnected.
The house is now in the location which faces the sacred ocean for the Javanese people. The Javanese people believe in the existence of the female power on the ocean. The myth of the queen of the South which is called Nyai Roro Kidul has inspired me to the wonder of how I can interpret this experience relating to myself as a woman who inherits the family ancient home (Farsijana)
To be continued (firstly, on the process of moving the house which began with the thanksgiving pray between Muslims and Christians among us as family to the second story about what our practices to the nature. We have planted almost 2000 trees in the area of almost 9 ha).
By Farsijana Adeney-Risakotta
Since the article of our home in the southern cost of Javanese ocean in Parangtritis appeared in Kompas, in February 6, 2011, I have gotten many requests from people around Indonesia to share more about the environment around the heirloom house. We name the house "Pondok Jati Rasa". Pondok means a little house, in fact the house is not a little. Its size is about 9 x 13 meters. Using the word "Pondok" in Indonesian gives a deep meaning of feeling cozy. Our home in Yogyakarta uses the same idea of Pondok as it refrects the reality of we are around with people.
Two more words need to be explained. Jati is a deep word because it has a physical reality to refer to the name of tree which is considered as the best tree in the Javanese knowledge. It is the teak tree. However, this word, "jati" in our language, Indonesian also relates with the concept of "genuineness, authenticity. When I say, Jati in this context, I always go to see the innerself within myself. Pondok Jati Rasa is now around the teak forest.
The last word which takes from the same idea of our home name in Yogyakarta, which is Rasa. Clifford Geerz, the famous anthropologist, explains about the word of Rasa in his book which titled "Javanese Religion", as the word that has a wholistic concept of the Self. Rasa refers to the explanation of five senses. Rasa uses to name feeling, touching, eating, thinking, hearing. Even this word of Rasa can open ourself to enter to the world around us.
Pondok Jati Rasa is the twin of Pondok Tali Rasa which is our home in Yogyakarta. Pondok Tali Rasa is the new home built from our idea which starts from the name of the house that was going to be. I will explain later on about this home. For now, I can mention little bit about the meaning of Pondok Tali Rasa. The word of "pondok" and "rasa" already explained above. Now the word of "tali" means " a rope". So it means that the house which connects us like a rope to tie together for sharing and celebrating our thinking, eating, feeling, playing, laughing and sensing of art. It has been a blessing house for us and many people, chidren, women, youth and students doing different activities together according to each group plans.
I would say that without this twin, the idea for naming Pondok Jati Rasa would not appear.
Pondok Jati Rasa is the heirloom house made all with ancient teak. It was the house of my great grandparents. His name was Karso Dirjo. He was the head of district by which he could effort to have the type of house. The house was build the size of 9 for the width. The number of nine (9) has a sacred meaning because it relates to the aknowlegment of the 9 "Sunan" who were the pioner of muslim ulamas in Indonesia.
Then the length is 13 which is the unlucky number for a common people, but not for those who has an inner power. So it seems like my great grandparents was considered "sakti" which shows his supernatural power.
It was built in 1822. This year is engraved on the top of the middle beam of the house. It is older than the war of Diponegoro which was happened in 1825. When we moved the house from the original place in the village of Taji, in the area of Prambanan, to the current location, later I discovered the Prince of Javanese, Diponegoro had visited "Goa Langse", the cave of Langse which located just 200 meters down to the inner belly of the earth, in the costline under the cliff, from our home. So I though perhaps the house had to be moved at the current location because of the spiritual environment in the area.
I am happy to begin writing about this story to share to you all about how deeply has our culture interconnected.
The house is now in the location which faces the sacred ocean for the Javanese people. The Javanese people believe in the existence of the female power on the ocean. The myth of the queen of the South which is called Nyai Roro Kidul has inspired me to the wonder of how I can interpret this experience relating to myself as a woman who inherits the family ancient home (Farsijana)
To be continued (firstly, on the process of moving the house which began with the thanksgiving pray between Muslims and Christians among us as family to the second story about what our practices to the nature. We have planted almost 2000 trees in the area of almost 9 ha).
I am sending this story to my networks at Facebook to company your lunch time. Have a nice break to come.
BalasHapus