Forum > Traditional Weapons
Alu
EricB:
Ok that clears it for me, now I know what we are talking about, thanks Mas Don :)
@ Mas Bram:
I can think of a view options for defending/attacking an opponent whit this item, but I never seen it used in Pencak Silat
I can remember to see it in a dance performance, if I'm not mistaken a dance from the Toraja lands.
wassalam,
Sabrang kidul:
--- Quote from: Ranggalana on 06/01/2008 08:14 ---The alu is the traditional pestle used to husk and polish rice all over traditional Indonesian rice land.
Some silat styles use it.
It is not considered a weapon, really, and a Satria would not use it.
Warm salaams to all,
Ranggalana
--- End quote ---
Mas,
What do you mean alu it is not considered a weapon? For me a weapon is (among other) an extension and amplification of our limbs therefore anything even a simple branch used for that purpose is a weapon.
The short alu can be easily used as a pentung or Penggada as used by wrekudoro or setyaki (I've seen video of modern day Indian martial artist using a penggada/mace very similar to rujakpolo). A long alu, if one is strong enough to control it perhaps can be used similar to a long staff or toya
--- Quote from: Ranggalana on 06/01/2008 08:14 ---In wayang kulit, the alu is the weapon of Petruk, the clown-god with a long nose and one finger pointing, master of the ilmu Kanthong Bolong, and panakawan (wise companion) of the Pandawa.
Warm salaams to all,
Ranggalana
--- End quote ---
I'm going off topic here, however I found the panakawan character very intriguing. As far as I know, they did not exist in the original Indian mahabharata epic therefore they are a distinctive flavor of the Indonesian wayang. In the javanese context (Bali has different panakawans and Sunda, to the lesser extent as well), many people will argue that there are significant Islamic (Sunan Kalijogo?) influence in their depiction. Even their names (Semar-Petruk-Nala Gareng-Bagong) can arguably reflect this islamic influence.
In the case of Petruk, it is said that it came from the arabic fatru(k), has a connotation of to 'leave', 'abstain' or to 'forgo' (everything that God had prohibited). The term 'kanthong bolong' or also imply a warning to us that we human are nothing but empty vessels . We came empty and will return empty, except for our amal.
Perhaps mas Bram can elaborate, after all I'm just a dalang trainee....
Cheers
O'
Ranggalana:
--- Quote from: Sabrang kidul on 06/01/2008 11:59 ---...(Bali has different panakawans and Sunda, to the lesser extent as well), many people will argue that there are significant Islamic (Sunan Kalijogo?) influence in their depiction. Even their names (Semar-Petruk-Nala Gareng-Bagong) can arguably reflect this islamic influence.
In the case of Petruk, it is said that it came from the arabic fatru(k), has a connotation of to 'leave', 'abstain' or to 'forgo' (everything that God had prohibited). The term 'kanthong bolong' or also imply a warning to us that we human are nothing but empty vessels . We came empty and will return empty, except for our amal.
Perhaps mas Bram can elaborate, after all I'm just a dalang trainee....
Cheers
O'
--- End quote ---
Yes Mas Oki I am aware of the Arabic interpretations but I really believe that these are new as well. Sunan Kalijogo, over the years, seems to have done more and more things. Older primbons like from 1950 ke belakang don't have as much Islamic overtones as current interpretations do.
As to Petrucio, I have personally seen an old Italian mask that would be perfect as Petruk. I have been told that Petrucio is a mischeivious character, and Petruk, though wise, is naughty too.
Kanthong Bolong is, I was taught, essentially a common name for the Buddhist meditation technique commonly named Satipatana. RM Sosrokartono, Endonesya's first international jurnalist (I think) used to teach Kanthong Bolong from his Darusalam house in Bandung. His handwritten notes say : Kanthong bolong: yen ana isi lumuntur marang sesami. Then he goes on to write the famous : Sugih tanpa bandha Digdaya tanpa Aji Nglurug tanpa bala Menang tanpo ngasorake. He is the great unknown poet of Jawa after Ranggawarsita.
So back to Petruk. I think some clever academic should study him. I don't think that the references to Kalijaga are based on much more that intuition, I witnessed these references emerge in the late 1980s -ish.
I mean, if Mas Oki was a Majapahit satria, mas Oki would nyengkelit keris, that is a weapon. At home, one of Mas Oki's servants in the back house would be busy pounding rice using an alu, the alu there is a tool. Mas Oki might hit an intruder with the alu but he would not sengkelit it. This is what I mean, ngaten lho.
A weapon is made to be used to kill. Killing is its main purpose.
Salam hangat,
Ranggalana
Sabrang kidul:
--- Quote from: Ranggalana on 06/01/2008 13:13 --- RM Sosrokartono, Endonesya's first international jurnalist (I think) used to teach Kanthong Bolong from his Darusalam house in Bandung. His handwritten notes say : Kanthong bolong: yen ana isi lumuntur marang sesami. Then he goes on to write the famous : Sugih tanpa bandha Digdaya tanpa Aji Nglurug tanpa bala Menang tanpo ngasorake. He is the great unknown poet of Jawa after Ranggawarsita.
Salam hangat,
Ranggalana
--- End quote ---
Just to add my unworthy bits for those who are interested in the (semi) modern Indonesian history. As mas Bram said, not many of us (even Indonesian) recognize the name RM Sosrokartono as much as his younger sister, Raden Ajeng Kartini eventhough it is Sosrokartono that Kartini always rely on for advice and guidance.
Sosrokartono is widely considered as a genius in the family. A graduate of Leijden, he was reputed to master more than 20 different foreign languages. Returning to Indonesia, he was involved in the nationalist movement through education for Indonesian people (including opening a public library and became the head of Taman Siswa in Bandung). He was also well known for his ability to heal people using air putih as the medium.
Selanjutnya, silahkan mas Bram tambah lagi. Apology for veering further off topic....
Salam
O'
Michael Lee:
--- Quote from: dsbasuki on 06/01/2008 11:09 ---
--- Quote from: EricB on 06/01/2008 10:45 ---can someone post a picture of an "alu"
--- End quote ---
Salam Kang Eric,
"alu" is "pestle" in English as mortar is "lesung". So lesung+alu = mortar+pestle. It could be as small as a regular mortar&pestle grinder for spices or as large as in this picture (the woman is holding the "alu"):
http://klasik.blogmas.com/files/2007/09/lesung-kayu_menumbuk1.jpg
This is the small "alu" (the pestle, not the mortar):
http://klasik.blogmas.com/files/2007/09/lesung-batu1.jpg
Salam,
--- End quote ---
The first image from Dsbasuki's post looks and sounds like what we call the "Trumbu." It was given to us by Pendekar Sukarma of Tarik Kolot. He gave us 4 jurus that are characterized by very low to the ground stances with lots of lower leg and foot strikes. We know it as a farm tool turned weapon.
Follow this link and scroll down to the bottom of the page. The last 2 images are what I'm talking about:
http://www.cimande.com/about/mama/photos.htm
Cheers!
Michael
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