Dukun, the master of black magic

by uyungs

One aspect of the Indonesian culture that you’re not likely to get to see is the practice of ‘black magic’ or witchcraft. When you talk to regular Indonesian people they might tell you they believe in black magic, although they don’t practice it. Generally Indonesians do not like discussing black magic, especially their own experience with it, but its all around.

Today black magic, together with white magic such as fortune telling, love magic, healing massage and countless other forms, continues to play a dominant role within Javanese cosmology. Many local people believe in it wholeheartedly. All disasters, be they personal or communal, are attributed to black magic. Unusual or sudden death, crop failure, death of livestock, and marriage problems are all caused by a local dukun santet. Elsewhere in Indonesia, people will often consult a dukun to learn about the source of a relative’s illness.

Dukuns probably have more of a hold in Java than in Bali. Most Javanese are Muslim, so they are not supposed to dabble in other supernatural practices. When personal family crisis arrives, people will often consult a dukun, behind closed doors. In Bali the daily offerings placed at intersections and doorways to keep evil spirits at bay, are part of Balinese life. Apedanda (high priest) will have special powers himself to ritually cleanse and offer blessings.

Banyuwangi in East Java is a place associated with the practice of black magic.Banyuwangi has long been known as one of the most powerful centers of black magic in Indonesia, along with Banten in West Java and the island of Lombok. Banyuwangi’s fertile land has bred a farming culture with close links to the spiritual world. As a buffer zone between the islands of Java and Bali, Banyuwangi also has a long history of violent struggle which in the past often met with failure. This combination of fertility and failure led to an obsession with sorcery among the peoples of Banyuwangi.According to one history, black magic practiced today in Banyuwangi is a blend of animistic belief and Islamic mysticism which arose out of inter-religious conflict during the Mataram court from the 16th century onwards. Another account tracks the origins of Banyuwangi’s black magic to Tulung Agung, a region in the west of East Java.

Black magic in Banyuwangi takes on two major forms.

1. The first is sihir, black magic used to kill another person. This generally comes in the form of busung, where the victim’s stomach will grow grotesquely in size. It is believed various items such as knives, nails, broken glass, even small frying pans or animals can be found inside the stomach. Busung victims rarely escape death.

2. The second type of black magic in Banyuwangi is rapuh, sorcery designed to make the victim suffer throughout their lifetime. Symptoms include sudden blindness or deafness, paralysis or uncontrollable shaking and trembling.

Dukun santet are feared, and feelings of revenge often occurs in villagers. However, revenge killings of dukun santet were rare. Banyuwangi villagers have long kept black magic in check at the local village level. A code of ethics among Banyuwangi dukun santet forbids them from using their magic against people in the same village. If this occurs the accused dukun must undertake an oath of innocence in the local mosque. A dukun found guilty by fellow villagers was usually exiled from the village and perhaps his home and possessions torched.

Dukun are indistinguishable from everyday people. Some are reverent teachers of Islam, some are comical, and some are gentle parental figures. All are strong characters and inspire respect in their own ways. Dukun believe that their spiritual powers are a gift from God. If those powers are abused through personal gain or nethical intent, they will be lost or weakened.A person’s ability to become a dukun is generally passed down from their dukun ancestors. However, some form of preparation, at least initially, is necessary for dukun to receive their spiritual power. This usually consists of long periods of meditation and fasting for days or even months.

Once the dukun has received this spiritual power, he or she needs to learn the skills and knowledge of dukun practice. Some dukun learn these skills from another dukun or from books on ilmu Jawa that are readily available in bookshops. Others say their skills were taught to them by spirits whom they continue to consult for advice on the diagnosis and treatment of their clients.As the dukun practice is based on altruism, payment for their services is minimal. It is only a token of thanks, discreetly given to the dukun in a handshake at the end of the consultation.

Payment can be in the form of money, tobacco, or consumables used during the consultation such as flowers, herbs and incense. It usually is between the value of A$2 and A$5. As such, dukun live modestly and are neither rich nor poor but have enough with which to survive. A well-off dukun is often suspected of fakery.The dukun of Java have the wondrous ability to help people in all areas of their lives including the mind, body and soul through ancient practices. This intriguing and important aspect of Javanese culture provides hope, solace, healing and a sense of meaning for people in these uncertain and irrational times. It is no wonder the dukun trade is flourishing.

Pentjak Silat History

IntroductionLong before the Christian era, according to Indonesian historians 1500 years BC, it was the inhabitants of Tongkin and Annan (modern day Vietnam) who, due to various reasons, explored and settled on the current Indonesian islands. These explorers were more highly developed culturally than the indigenous peoples of the island groups now known as Indonesia. To this day one still finds evidence of the Dongson-culture. The original inhabitants were very primitive and darker in skin color as can be found today on Madagascar, Irian Jaya (New Guinea) and other Melanesian islands. The small groups of Vietnamese immigrants who later established themselves on these islands formed alliances, intermarried and formed the first true and oldest recorded kingdom, Kutai in southeast Kalimantan, in 400 AD.
SriwijayaA little over two hundred years later a great empire arose: Sriwijaya which stretched out over all of Indonesia and into parts of Thailand. This was in the years 650 to 1300 AD A kingdom was established, having its cultural center on the banks of the Nusi River. During this period between 650 and 750 AD a mighty temple was built in central Java called the "Borobudur" the largest Buddhist temple ever built on earth, with an unknown technology and considered today, as one of the "7 wonders of the world". The most notable ruler of this empire was Ratu (king) Balaputradewa (856-860 AD) the son of Ratu Samaratungga of Mataram (eye of God) who was a practitioner of Buddhism. It would seem logical that the Visayans who traveled over to Indonesia from India through Burma were much better armed and trained in warfare than the immigrants of Vietnam or the peoples of Indonesia and therefore were able to effectively rule this empire for so long. Their contribution to Indonesian culture is still evident today in Bali and in the common usage of various terms such as "guru" from the two words "gu" (one who dispels) and "ru" (darkness) in other words a wiseone or teacher.
The Kingdoms of East JavaAlways at war with the Sriwijaya were the kingdoms of east Java. Under the leadership of Ratu Darmawangsa in east Java during the wars to repel invaders, one can find evidence of combat and self-defense techniques (980 AD - 1017 AD). An alliance was created by Darmawangsa with prince Airlangga, son of Udaya of Bali, when Airlangga married Darmawangsa's daughter. When Airlangga became Ratu (1019 AD - 1042 AD) the techniques of Pentjak Silat became clearly more formalized and refined. The fighting techniques of Pentjak Silat were further refined during the periods of the following Ratus:
Ratu Dhoho (Kediri)
Ratu Joyoboyo (1135 AD - 1157 AD)
Ratu Tunggul Ametung (1222 AD - 1292 AD): Ruler of the Singasari kingdom who's wife was the famous princess Ken Dedes. It was at this time that an exceptional personality suddenly entered into the area neighboring the Singasari kingdom named, Ken Arok. It turned out later that he was not Javanese. Ken Arok was interested in contacting powerful wizards and seers. He traveled with Empu Gandring a Hindu-wizard who taught him all sorts of crafts (black arts, witchcraft). On Ken Arok's orders Ratu Tunggul Ametung was assassinated with a "Kris" (the mystic blade of Indonesia) provided by wizard Empu Gandring, and given to the assassin. The assassin was then immediately put to death by Ken Arok, who then took Ken Dedes as his wife and ascended onto the throne becoming Ratu of Singasari. This then was the beginning of the most famous empire in east Java the Mojopahit.
Mojopahit (1293 AD - 1470 AD): Here we see the test of Pentjak Silat under the leadership of Ratu R. Wijaya with the help of Adipati Arya Wiraraja. These two men led their armies against the dreaded forces of Sih-Pe, Ike-M'se and Kau-Sing, Generals under the command of Emperor Kubilai-Khan and drove them back. This and other victories expanded the Mojopahit empire until, under the rule of Ratu Hayamwuruk it encompassed all of the Indonesian islands and Malaysia. It was Gajahmada who during this period created an elite army of specially trained warriors called the "Bayangkara". Mataram (1586 AD to 1755 AD) was the last recognized kingdom or government, with its capital city named Pasar Gede (Kotagede). Therefore we can see that Pentjak Silat had many influences in its evolution as a fighting art, from the intermarriages with Vietnamese and Visayans, in warfare, exposure to trade with other countries such as China, as well as to Hinduism, Buddhism and eventually Islam.

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Beach Training at Binmaley, Pangasinan

TIPUNAN SA PANGASINAN BEACH TRAINING

Saturday noon and Sunday noon Feb 19-20 2011

Open invitation to Tipunan sa Pangasinan, a martial arts training camp
at a beach resort in Binmaley Beach, Binmaley, Pangasinan.

Training will be provided by Filipino Fighting Arts Int’l (FFAI) masters and other guest masters in arnis, silat, karate, kickboxing and self-defense.

Get a jump on summer with this fun event. It is beach blanket bingo meets Lapu-Lapu on the shores of Pangasinan.

Make your reservations now; space is limited.

Limahong

Limahong
By Ambeth Ocampo
Philippine Daily Inquirer

OFTEN OVERLOOKED in the Lopez Museum collection of works by Felix Resurreccion Hidalgo are studies of a painting on the defeat of Limahong showing dead Chinese pirates on a beach. Limahong, many of us remember from Philippine history class, was a fierce pirate who tried to conquer the Philippines in the 16th century but was repelled by the combined efforts of the Spaniards and the natives.

What made the story marvelous was how he escaped using a secret tunnel from his lair in Pangasinan to the open sea and back to China. I read up a bit on Limahong recently and found out that the name we remember him by is an alias, it is Fukien for his real name, Lin Feng. This terrible name first appears in history in a report to the Chinese emperor on Oct. 3, 1572 placing the number of his pirate gang at not more than 500 to 600 men. Crushing Lin by force was recommended instead of the usual manner of buying a pirate chief’s surrender by offering him official rank.

Another reference to Lin is dated June 1574. He is reported to have escaped to Fukien with over 10,000 men. (Was this a pirate band? It seemed to be an army.)

In August 1574 he attacked and plundered Ching-lan, was pursued and engaged in Wang-kang (part of Taiwan). Then he disappears from the Chinese sources for a year.

The Spanish sources record a sighting of him and his group in Manila Bay on Nov. 29, 1574. In Juan Gonzalez de Mendoza’s “History of the Great Kingdom of China,” Lin is reported to have defeated Vintoquiam, a rival pirate, and to have a fleet of about 95 ships. Lin captured merchant vessels from Manila as he fled from the Chinese government and learned that Luzon was an easy target because the Spaniards could not put up a sufficient defense. Lin sailed to Manila with 62 ships and expected no resistance from a city that was allegedly populated by old people and invalids.

In Francisco de Sande’s report to Philip II dated June 7, 1576 Lin was sighted off Ilocos where he encountered and destroyed a Spanish ship with 22 men on board. An eyewitness reported this to Juan de Salcedo in Vigan, who went out to investigate and sighted the pirate fleet sailing southward to Manila. Salcedo sent word to Governor Lavesares and made haste to the capital with 54 soldiers. On the eve of Nov. 30, 1574 Lin dropped anchor in Corregidor and sent his trusted Japanese associate Sioco, with 700 men armed with pikes, arquebuses and battle axes on small boats to attack the harbor. An easterly wind (taken by the Spanish as divine intervention) delayed the Chinese who arrived northwest of Manila around 8 or 9 in the morning. Natives reported to Master of Camp Goiti (for whom Plaza Goiti in downtown Manila is named) that the city was under attack from the king of Brunei. Sick in bed Goiti dismissed the report since the southeast monsoon winds made an attack from Brunei improbable. Goiti was one of the casualties in the advance attack of the Chinese. When Sioco’s forces approached Manila, they were driven back by arquebus fire that killed about 80 Chinese pirates.

Sinsay, an influential Chinese in Manila, briefed Lavezares on the situation and assured him that the attack was by a pirate band and not from the forces of the Emperor of China. His advice on the defense of Manila included the removal of thatch roofs from houses to avoid fire from Lin’s slash and burn offensive. Sinsay warned that Lin usually mounted a major assault three days after his first attack.

On Dec. 2, 1574 the pirates landed near the ruins of Goiti’s house. There Lin divided his men into three groups: the first took the attack route taken three days earlier, the second went up to the streets of Manila, and the third attacked from the beach. They burned houses as they made their way to the city but were again repelled by Spanish defenses. Lin retreated to Cavite and after two days sailed to Pangasinan where he settled and began building a fortress.

Lavezares re-grouped his men, appointed Salcedo Master of Camp, ordered the execution of two native chiefs he suspected of aiding the Chinese, and planned an attack on Lin that took three months of preparation. On March 23, 1575 Salcedo sailed from Manila with 59 ships and arrived in Pangasinan on March 30 with 256 Spaniards and 2,500 natives (another source gives a smaller headcount: 250 Spaniards and 500 natives). Salcedo attacked Lin’s fort while his other ships captured pirate vessels and burned them. Then all his forces converged and lay siege on the fort where they took many prisoners, including women and children.

The Spanish retreated when the Chinese fort was reinforced. Salcedo was unhappy with the outcome and said so, demoralizing his men.

Both sides spent months waiting for the other’s next move. The Chinese rebuilt their fortress and ships while the Spaniards whiled away the days gambling and extorting tribute from the natives.

On Aug. 4, 1575 Lin with 37 vessels sailed through the blockade of the Spaniards, out of Pangasinan, and back to P’eng hu. There are sightings of Lin in the Chinese historical record, but on Feb. 28, 1576 it was reported that Lin abandoned his men. He then disappears from all records, and disappears from history.

What would our history be if Limahong succeeded and became ruler of the Philippines?