Burning Spirit for Preserving Javanese Script in Yogyakarta

While the use of local languages continues to decline in the mondial era, the spirit of preserving the Javanese script still burns in Yogyakarta.

KOMPAS/HARIS FIRDAUS

A number of residents take a course in reading and writing Javanese script at the Kinanti Sekar Art Studio, Yogyakarta City, Friday (11/6/2021) afternoon. The course, which is held once a week, aims to preserve the use of Javanese script in the community.

If in the past, the legendary tale of Aji Saka attracted the attention of children and encouraged them to learn, literacy efforts today are being encouraged to be more creative.

Three women sat in one corner of Kinanti Sekar Art Studio in Yogyakarta on Friday afternoon (11/6/2021). In their hands was a piece of paper with Javanese script written on it. After reading it line by line, they began transcribing it into the Latin alphabet.

"When it\'s finished, we\'ll sing this song together, OK," said Tio Cahya Sadewa, 23, the instructor of the three women who were taking a course on reading and writing Javanese script at Kinanti Sekar Art Studio. At the studio were also Ecuadorian students studying Javanese script.

Tio said the teaching method was just like in school. Apart from practicing writing on the blackboard, he also prepared printed materials.

"Then I usually ask questions. If there is a mistake, we will discuss it together," said Tio, a graduate of Javanese literary studies at Gadjah Mada University in Yogyakarta.

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Monica Kusumaningrum, 34, one of the course participants, said she was interested in learning Javanese script because she wanted to help preserve the script inherited from her ancestors. After becoming skilled in reading and writing Javanese script, Monica also wanted to introduce the script to her child.

“I want to take part in nguri-uri (preserving) Javanese culture. After I am able, I also want to teach the next generation so Javanese script does not disappear. If we don\'t preserve it, who else will?" said the housewife who lives in Sleman regency, Yogyakarta.

KOMPAS/HARIS FIRDAUS

A number of courtiers of the Yogyakarta Palace took part in training to read and write Javanese script, Tuesday (8/6/2021), at the Kawedanan Hageng Punakawan Widya Budaya Yogyakarta Palace building.

Another factor that encouraged Monica to learn Javanese script was that many places in Yogyakarta used Javanese script, such as in street signs and the signs of government agencies.

Regular training in Javanese script are also provided to royal servants at Yogyakarta Palace. On Tuesday (8/6) afternoon, about 30 servants sat cross-legged in a room, dressed in traditional Javanese clothing. Even though most were elderly, they were passionate about practicing writing each word from a book written in Javanese script.

"Yogyakarta Palace is the center of Javanese culture. So, the servants who [work] in the palace will be no good if they can\'t write in Javanese script," said Kanjeng Raden Tumenggung Rintaiswara, one of the teachers.

The training program has been held regularly for several years, with around 30 participants per session. One training session lasts three months, with lessons twice a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to noon.

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Before the Covid-19 pandemic, up to three training sessions could be held in a year. But since the pandemic, the training program was suspended for about a year and was resumed only recently, with measures that comply with the health protocols.

"This training is the 13th generation," said Tumenggung.

In addition to royal servants, Yogyakarta Palace also held free classes on Javanese script for the general public every Friday afternoon, but this has been halted during the pandemic.

KOMPAS/HARIS FIRDAUS

A signboard to keep a distance in the tourist area of Malioboro, Yogyakarta City, is seen equipped with Javanese characters, Sunday (6/6/2021). The use of Javanese script is one of the efforts to preserve Javanese script.

More creative

Sofian, a 51-year-old Javanese language teacher at a junior high school in Yogyakarta, said that students\' interest in learning Javanese script and language had decreased in the last two decades. In fact, the province has already issued Yogyakarta Gubernatorial Regulation No. 64/2013 on the Javanese language as a mandatory local subject for schools and madrassas.

“Kids usually learn parenthetically. Maybe the teaching method should be more creative. In the past, the story about Aji Saka would have generated interest in a class," said Sofian.

“Our targets are not ambitious. The important thing is that these children do not forget their cultural roots,” he added.

In Dari Pujangga ke Penulis Jawa (From Pujangga to Javanese writers, 1995), Linus Suryadi wrote that children learning Javanese script was inseparable from the Aji Saka myth. Meanwhile, Poerbatjaraka explained in Kepustakaan Djawa (Library of Java, 1957) that the New Javanese script evolved from the Pallawa script, influenced by the arrival of Indian traders around the seventh century. The New Javanese script, which consists of the 20 syllables ha- na-ca- ra-ka, da- ta- sa- wa- la, pa- dha- ja- ya- nya, and ma- ga- ba- tha- nga, started appearing in texts around the early 16th century.

Geberjawa Semesta Mahardhika community, for example, has held a creative Javanese script training course. The community, which was founded in December 2020, holds regular Javanese script lessons for children in Bausasran village of Danurejan district, Yogyakarta.

Our targets are not ambitious. The important thing is that these children do not forget their cultural roots.

KOMPAS/HARIS FIRDAUS

Geberjawa Semesta community activist Mahardhika reads a book about learning Javanese script at the house of one of the community members in Bausasran Village, Yogyakarta City, Saturday (5/6/2021). Geberjawa Semesta Mahardhika is a community that often holds training in reading and writing Javanese script.

“Geberjawa is an acronym for ‘joy’ in Javanese script. So we want to invite you to learn Javanese script in a spirit of joy,” said Syafaat Noor Rahman, 45, the secretary of Geberjawa Semesta Mahardhika.

Apart from being conventional instruction, there are also communities in Yogyakarta that focus on digitizing Javanese script. One such example is Seneng Gaul Jawa Budaya Linuhung (Sega Jabung), a community founded in 2019 that actively introduces the use of Javanese script on smartphones and computers.

The various contemporary efforts to preserve Javanese script does not only reintroduce cultural assets to the public, according to Sega Jabung founder Setya Amrih Prasaja, 39. These efforts were a process of rebuilding civilization, because when people no longer used their traditional script, they were erasing their civilization.

This article was translated by Hyginus Hardoyo.