Forum > Traditional Weapons
Alu
Ranggalana:
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.
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.
Most alu are now lost, gone, as since the 1970s the post-harvest handling of rice changed because of the 'Green Revolution'. They can be as tall as a person of shorter, and the best are made of heavy, solid wood, like kayu kesambi, kayu lamtara, or the very best would be from the hard and heavy and string kayu walikukun.
Warm salaams to all,
Ranggalana
kuntulbaris:
Salam Pak Bram,
Talking about alu, I remember one of famous saying about pandeka Minang:
"samuik tapijak indak mati, alu tapijak balah tujuah" (onother version says "alu tapijak balah tigo").
means:
"ant is stepped on would not die, alu is stepped on would break into seven pieces" (another version says "break into three pieces)".
The meaning looks like starigth forward and simple, but behind this there is a very deep philosophy, I am sure you can feel it... :)
Salam from neigbourhood area...
Ranggalana:
--- Quote from: kuntulbaris on 06/01/2008 10:20 ---...Talking about alu, I remember one of famous saying about pandeka Minang:
"samuik tapijak indak mati, alu tapijak balah tujuah" (onother version says "alu tapijak balah tigo").
means:
"ant is stepped on would not die, alu is stepped on would break into seven pieces" (another version says "break into three pieces)". ...
--- End quote ---
Salam Pak Kuntulbaris and thankyou for the saying from Minang. Very deep ... and very high at the same time. A goal in silat. Good silat is walking on water, moving mountains.
Sorry for making a long quote Kang Eric, I just wanted to highlite the word alu there, and point out that between the land of the Minang and the land of Jawa there are many miles of mountains, jungles, rivers and sea, but the word, alu, remains the same.
This sugests a very ancient origin. Maybe even older but at least as old as rice cultivation. The alu appears in the legend of dewi Sri, the legend of Rara Jongrang and is also the weapon of the character Petruk.
Petruk is interesting, and has been strongly linked to traditional Itailan comedy and might be an illustration of people to people (theatre artist to theatre artist) creative contact between old Jawa and old Europe.
Salam hangat,
Ranggalana.
EricB:
no problem wit the quote mas Bram, this is a usefull one ;)
But I have a question in this topic: can someone post a picture of an "alu"
I don't recognize the word, and don't know the weapon/tool.
Maybe when I see it I'll recognize it
thnx.
dsbasuki:
--- 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,
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