In the Webster unabridged dictionary animism is described as:
“1. The belief that all life is produced by a spiritual force separate from matter.
2. The belief that natural phenomenon and objects, such as rocks, trees, the wind, etc. are alive and have souls
3. The doctrine of the existence of the soul as independent matter.
4. A belief in the existence of spirits, demons, etc.”
I was educated from the age of four in a European Dutch school in Jakarta, and indoctrinated after school hours into the Islamic religion by an Orthodox Muslim Ustad (teacher). I therefore believed that the practice of Animism was a superstition. However, after experiencing and witnessing the spiritual world my-self, I came to realize that there is a solid truth behind the practice of Animism.
All religions mention the existence of spiritual beings (like setans, djinn, angels, etc.) and the existence of souls and life after death. It is the inability of human beings to experience and witness the spiritual world and the souls con-tained within it which cause them to conclude that these things do not exist.
Experience has always been the best teacher.
One cannot go very far by just believing in what other people say. What other people say may in turn be based upon what they heard from another and another and yet another, etc. They will deviate further from the truth the further they go from the source.
Wonoroto is a typical village in Central Java. When you enter it, you find
an unspoiled world that makes you feel you are living in a timeless age. As of this writing, there is still no electricity there.
The pace of life in Wonoroto is slow, nobody is in a hurry. Everyone works to earn their daily living, sometimes till very late at night. You see people walking at two or three o’clock in the morning carrying heavy loads of farm produce or other merchandise to faraway markets. But they walk in a relaxed manner talk-ing to each other on the way.
All the necessary work will get done on time, however. Timing is a very important factor to an agricultural community which heavily depends upon the mercy of Mother Nature. But they do their jobs in relaxed and natural ways, at ease, and in harmony with nature.
Although everybody in the village is a Muslim, they have not discarded the old religious beliefs and practices. Harmonious synchronization of the various practices seems quite natural to them.
Provided you understand the Javanese language, this can very obviously be seen in their selamatans. Their Islamic prayers are recited melodiously in heavy Javanese accents. They are aware of the existence of Allah as the One and Only Almighty God. They acknowledge the Prophet Mohammed as the Messenger of Allah. But they also acknowledge the existence of the spiritual beings, who live in and control certain areas of the village. They beg them not to disturb and harm their village and community. They pay homage and express their gratitude to the founder of the village and they ask for blessings from their ancestors, and send prayers for their ancestor’s well being in the hereafter.
There are two huge banyan trees in the village, both enclosed by a bam-boo fence. The first one, located on the northeastern side of the village is called
“Serut.” The villagers always try to avoid this place. They are even afraid to cultivate the padifields surrounding this sacred area. It has been known amongst them that Serut is the residence of a powerful fearsome spirit, known as Kyahi Serut.
Raden Subroto Tirtowiranu is an elderly man who holds the position of deputy village head in Wonoroto. His prestige and wisdom, however, goes far beyond that of the village head himself. Subroto told me that one night he had a spiritual experience in which he was shown a spiritual view of Serut. In this experience, he saw Serut as a big mansion. He saw the master of the mansion, Kyahi Serut, as a powerful fearsome looking spirit. In the mansion were several inhabitants of Wonoroto who had died. Apparently, their lost souls live in this mansion as the slaves or servants of Kyahi Serut.
When I came to Wonoroto in 1960, I met with Kyahi Serut myself one morning around dawn. He was about ten times taller than a coconut tree and carried a young chicken in his hand. I was surprised to hear this “chicken” crying like a girl. When I␣ looked more closely, I saw that the chicken was the soul of a girl. I␣ stopped Kyahi Serut and asked him why he was doing this.
With a brief snarl, he said, “Mind your own business,” and vanished.
Later that morning, I␣ inquired around the village whether a girl had re-cently died. I␣ was not surprised when they confirmed that a fourteen year old girl had just died.
The other sacred banyan tree is located on the southeastern side of the village and is called Krapyak. Krapyak is known as a place where Eyang (grand-father) Lokajoyo used to come for a rest or to relax and contemplate. Krapyak is a cool and peaceful place over looking the Mongo River. Once a year in the month of Suro of the Javanese Lunar calendar, the place is cleaned and a new bamboo fence is erected around the sacred area. Eyang Lokajoyo is known as a good Grand Old Man. He helps many villagers who sincerely ask his help.
In the month of Suro,*1 after the villagers clean the place, several families, who are convinced that their prayers for help have been positively responded to by Eyang Lokajoyo, sacrifice goats. The goats are slaughtered under the ban-yan tree, prepared and cooked on the spot and served as a meal for the selamatan which takes place under this banyan tree. As many as fourteen goats can be slaughtered on such an occasion.
The souls who inhabit these places are not, of course, enlightened souls, although they may be powerful. Other unenlightened souls may choose to retire in a remote place, for instance, in the mountains or in the ocean.
The Javanese royal families still faithfully send their yearly offerings for the souls of their ancestors retiring in the Merapi and Lawu mountains as well as those residing in the Indonesian Ocean south of Java.
Other natural phenomena such as rain and thunder are also considered to have their own souls and personalities and hence their own will. For this reason, some people in Java can call a rain to come or refuse a rain to fall. It is a popular practice for people in Java to do the, narang udan, a practice to refuse or post-pone the rain when they wish to have a big celebration. Simple people do it with simple means, such as a small red onion and a red chili stuck together at the point of the bone of a coconut leaf and saying the wish or the mantras. Important persons call on the help of spiritually potent persons and powerful heirlooms such as an ancient kris or spear.
There are krises and spears especially designed for such purposes called, singkir banyu, meaning to avoid water. There is one of these heirlooms in Wonoroto in the form of an ancient spear whose name is Kyahi Awu-awu Langit, meaning the Master of Gray Skies.
One day as we were about to start a sightseeing trip in an open horse drawn coach the rain started pouring down and all around the sky was colored dark gray. I␣ told Raden Subroto Tirtowiranu and my son, Laksmonosusilo, to try
*1The first of Suro is the Javanese New Year. Some believe that the first of Suro symbolizes the beginning of life. Many people honor the first of Suro, which means honoring the existance of holy life, moreover honoring the Almighty God, the Creator of life.
Kyahi Awu-awu Langit and see how he performed. My son was reluctant and doubtful and told me that it would not work under such an obvious condition.
I␣ told him that there was no harm in trying and that the condition was ideal to give the heirloom a real test.
He finally agreed. They went into the heirloom quarter, pulled Kyahi Awu-awu Langit from his sheathe and asked his help to stop or postpone the rain.
The rain instantly stopped and the sightseeing trip went on. Although we saw the rain falling all around us and in the distance, it did not fall on us. After we got back home from the trip, the heavy rain started to fall again in our village. Kyahi Awu-awu Langit had proven himself to be worthy of his great name. He is a remarkable spear, who radiates a fragrant smell.
Besides singkir banyu (to avoid the water) heirlooms which can maneuver water, there are also singkir angin (to avoid the wind) heirlooms which can neuver the wind and singkir gromo (to avoid the fire) heirlooms which can ma-neuver fire. Having such heirlooms in the house is like having your house pro-tected against typhoon, flood and fire.
Another natural phenomenon that has its own soul is thunder which is known in my village in Central Java as “Gandrik.” Legend tells us that Ki Ageng Selo, the great grandfather of the founder of the Mataram dynasty, once had a fight against Gandrik. Ki Ageng Selo was so powerful that he could capture Gandrik in his hand. Gandrik acknowledged his defeat and surrendered. He asked to be released and promised never to attack any descendants of Ki Ageng Selo.
When I␣ was a boy my grandmother told me to say: “Gandrik, kulo putunipun Ki Ageng Selo,” meaning, “Gandrik, I␣ am the grandson of Ki Ageng Selo.”
If you say this, she said, Gandrik will never touch you. I␣ considered this a mere legend, until Pak Subuh told me the same story about Ki Ageng Selo.
Since that time, I␣ began to take it seriously.
In the famous Demak mosque on the northern coast of Central Java, one can still see a pair of door leaves with a design of the Thunder carved on it by Ki Ageng Selo. In this design, the Thunder has a head, body and tail. It looks al-most like the design of a dragon but with flames branching out from the body.
Pak Subuh told me that one day in the early thirties in Semarang, during a heavy rain, a Thunder came down to him, moved around his body three times and then went away exploding in a big Thunderbolt in the sky. When Pak Subuh asked the Thunder why he did that, the Thunder replied that he was just paying Pak Subuh homage. Pak Subuh also told me that the Thunder has a head, a
body, a tail and long hair like a living being.
I also had an interesting experience in connection with Gandrik. In the late seventies, about a half a dozen of my trained horses were hired by an equestrian school and one of my mares delivered a foal. I did not know that the mare was pregnant when she was sent to the equestrian school.
My horses were kept free out in the open on my ranch in the mountains, and apparently this mare was served by a young colt which was also in the herd.
After being at the equestrian school for about five months this mare delivered a foal.
I was not there when it happened but my son Laksmonosusilo told me that the foal was claimed by the General and immediately taken to the General’s ranch in the mountains. My son was very upset about this, but we as civilians could do nothing to claim our right against a powerful army general in a third world country. I told my son to surrender and submit this matter to God and ask for His justice. I stayed up several nights in a row to do a prihatin.
Not long after that, I heard that two of the General’s favorite fillies died on the race track, one with a broken leg had to be put to sleep. On his ranch, his best and only imported stallion standing as a stud suddenly died of a colic and his best younger stallion (born in Indonesia) was struck dead by a Thunder while inside the stable. These four casualties happened within a week.
The General called me on the phone and told me about his incredible misfortunes and we decided to meet at the equestrian school. He told me that he was really puzzled that in the space of a week four of his best horses had died.
“And mind you,” he said, “the young stallion was struck by a Thunder while still inside his stable.”
I␣ told him that he should give me back my foal and this he did without hesitation.
In my area in Central Java, people would not dare to say an oath: “May I␣ be struck by Gandrik if I do not say the truth.” Those who had said this and lied had really been struck by Gandrik in our village.
When Sultan Hamengku Buwono the VIIIth died, a Thunder displayed his homage by thunder explosions, although it was a clear day. (The Sultan is a descendant of Ki Ageng Selo.) Thunder is an ordinary physical phenomenon.
But Gandrik, as a powerful spiritual entity, can manipulate and control it at his discretion. In the book, A Dictionary of Angels by Gustav Davidson, Gandrik is referred to as “Lord of Lightning” or “Angel of lightning.”
When people in Java give an offering and place the offering under a tree, a big stone, or other places, they do not worship these objects themselves, but give the offering to the souls residing in them. They do not regard and worship these souls as gods, but just as powerful spiritual entities.
Long before the arrival of Islam and Christianity, the Javanese were al-ready aware of the existence of the One Almighty God, Whom they refer to as Dzat Ingkang Moho Kuwaos. Dzat means substance, Ingkang means which, Moho means great, Kuwaos means mighty. Moho Kuwaos means Almighty.
Thus Dzat Ingkang Moho Kuwaos means The Almighty Substance or The Al-mighty God.
That natural phenomenon such as Wind and Water could be commanded, is also mentioned in the New Testament in chapter 8:22-5 of St. Luke:
“Now it came to pass on a certain day, that he went into a ship with his disciples: and he said unto them, Let us go over unto the other side of the lake.
And they launched forth. But as they sailed he fell asleep: and there came down a storm of wind on the lake; and they were filled with water, and were in jeop-ardy. And they came to him, and awoke him, saying, Master, Master, we perish.
Then he arose, and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water: and they ceased, and there was a calm. And he said unto them, Where is your faith? And they being afraid wondered, saying one to another, What manner of man is this!
for he commandeth even the winds and water, and they obey him.”
In 6:45-51 of St. Mark it is said: “And straightaway he constrained his dis-ciples to get into the ship, and to go to the other side before unto Beth-sa-’i-da, while he sent away the people. And when had sent them away, he departed into a mountain to pray. And when even’n was come, the ship was in the midst of the sea, and he alone on land. And he saw them toiling in rowing; for the wind was contrary unto them: and about the fourth watch of the night he cometh unto them, walking upon the sea, they thought it had been a spirit, and cried out: For they all saw him, and were troubled. And immediately he talked with them, and saith unto them, Be of good cheer:␣ it is I; be not afraid. And he went up unto them into the ship; and the wind ceased; and they were sore amazed in them-selves beyond measure, and wondered.”
Jesus Christ derived his power to command nature from the Light of God. Ki Ageng Selo derived his power to control the Thunder by cultivating the essence of fire within him and Amat Sayuti Suryosuwarno derived his power to master the wind by cultivating the essence of air within him.
1