Pamela Hardy and Darma Putra
Pamela Hardy is an undergraduate BA student at the University of Queensland. A while ago she contacted AIAA looking for support, and information about funding for a literature project she has created with a fellow student. During the next few years she will be working with I Nyoman Darma Putra, a Balinese PHD student at UQ, Darma is translating the Tantri tales into English and Pamela will be 'polishing' the English and illustrating the stories. As there are very few Indonesian books available to the wider reading public in Australia, Pamela and Darma decided to work on producing various Balinese Myths and legends in English. Her poetry and artwork have been published in Pelangi Magazine over the years. Pamela also has a web site of her paintings located at: http://www.uq.net.au/~zzrhardy
If you are able to provide support, encouragement or information about funding for this project please email Pamela at: s348735@student.uq.edu.au Below is a message from Pamela and some reproductions of her artwork including artist's notes.From the Artist:
A few years ago I tried to obtain some books about Bali for my grandchildren. Myths and legends, fables...you know, the sort of things kids love. There was very little available. So I hotfooted it off to the local library to search their catalogues. There seemed to be plenty of stuff from every corner of the world except Indonesia. 'Why is this area so sadly neglected?' I asked myself. There seems to be miles of academic material for big people...but what about the little people? Something simple with illustrations. Lots and lots of something simple with heaps of illustrations would be better.
To cut a long story short, Darma and I are collaborating on some Balinese stories based on the Tantri Kamandaka (animal fables). Darma will retell the stories and I am illustrating them. It is an exciting and challenging project and all we need is a publisher. Seriously though, we will publish ourselves if needed. Darma Putra and I feel privileged to be able to work together to make this contribution to children's literature.
The First Australian/Indonesian Connection - The Great Earth Mother
Waramurungundji- Great Earth Mother
Among the Kakadu, the now vanished people of the Alligator Rivers Region after whom the beautiful Kakadu National Park is named, the Great Earth Mother was called Imberombera. She was the original great ancestress from whom all things emanated.
Imberombera came from across the sea and arrived at Malay Bay on the coast of Arnhem Land. Her stomach was filled with children and from her head were suspended woven dilly bags in which she carried yams, bulbs and tubers. She held a digging stick in her hand. She traveled far and wide over Western Arnhem Land and everywhere she went she planted yams, bamboo, Cyprus palms and water lilies. She formed the hills, creeks, animals and plants and left behind her many spirit children, giving each group a different language. Another great fertility mother, Ungalla, made her journey after Imberombera and as she crossed the country she met the children of Imberombera. She carried some of the children on her shoulders, others on her hips and some of them walked. Ungalla herself wore sheets of paper bark and showed the Kakadu women how to make bark aprons. Finally, after having borne many children, she tore out her vagina and uterus and threw them to the women saying, "From now on this will be yours. You can have children from now on." And then she took her breasts and fighting stick and gave these to the women also. To the men she gave a flat spear-thrower and a reed spear. Among the Gunwinggu people a similar story is told of the origins of mankind. This story is of Waramurungundji, who also traveled across the sea from northwest Indonesia to land on the northern coast, at the beginning of the creation times. Waramurungundji, the 'mother', came from the northwest, in the direction of Indonesia, at the beginning of the world. When she landed on Australian coast she made many children, telling them where to live and what language they were to speak. She also created much of the countryside and left various creatures and natural features, bees and wild honey in one place and a banyan tree in another . . . Isaacs, Jennifer. Australia Dreaming: 40, 000 Years of Aboriginal History. Lansdowne Press, Sydney, 1984.
The Story of Nyai Lara Kidul Queen of the Southern Ocean
Come Dewi Srengenge! A kingdom awaits you.
You will regain your beauty and live forever!
A voice from the watery deep beckoned the princess to become Queen of the Indian Ocean. Nyai Lara Kidul's maiden name was Dewi Srengenge or Sun Maiden. Throughout the land her loveliness was unsurpassed. The king of Banyumas, in Central Java, came to hear of Dewi Srengenge's great beauty. He fell in love with her and made her his favorite wife. This made one of his other wives, Dewi Kundati, mad with jealousy. Secretly, Dewi Kundati employed the services of an old wizard who used his magical powers to turn Dewi Srengenge into an ugly and frightening creature.
Dewi Srengenge, as you can imagine, became terribly distressed at her horrible transformation and fled from the palace, far from the prying eyes of people. One day as she was walking aimlessly she met a kind-hearted man who listened to her tale and took pity on her. The old man reported the story to the king who immediately sentenced Dewi Kundati and the wizard to death. However, no one could restore Dewi Srengenge to her former beauty.
In her sadness she wandered from village to village until she finally reached the southern coast of West Java. At the beach near Samudra, she heard a voice calling, "Come Dewi Srengenge! A kingdom awaits you. You will regain your beauty and live forever. Come!" Lured by the voice, Dewi Srengenge hesitantly entered the sea and from that moment became known as Nyai Lara Kidul, Queen of the Southern Ocean.
It happened that Lara Kidul possessed a beloved sister who had been searching for her a long time. In due course her search led her to the exact same place where Lara Kidul entered the sea. Grieving over the loss of her beloved sister, she stood at the water's edge sobbing. Suddenly, she heard a voice, "You need a fish's tail . . . if you wish to join your sister." Lo and behold, when she stepped into the ocean, Nyai Lara Kidul's sister was transformed into a mermaid. She swam off quickly into the ocean to join her long lost sister.
Many years later, Senopati, King of the Mataram Empire, went to a beach to meditate. Nyai Lara Kidul closely observed the lone figure of the king on the shoreline and made herself known to him. It was love at first sight and Senopati determined to make her his wife. In time, the king had his way and they were married. On their wedding day, however, the Queen of the Southern Ocean made a solemn vow to Senopati that if he, or any of his descendants, were ever in need she would come to their aid.
Thus was established the tie between Queen Lara Kidul and the great royal family of Mataram. The deep spiritual significance of the union of Queen Lara Kidul and the king of Mataram can be witnessed during the Labuhan ceremony, still celebrated annually at the water's edge. The ceremony, which takes place after the birthday of the Sultan of Yogyakarta, is in honor of Queen Lara Kidul, and seeks her continued blessing on the Sultan, his court, and his people. Offerings are brought from the Sultan's palace to Parangsumo, on the southern coast facing the Indian Ocean. The offerings include money, petals and female garments such as a shawl and a length of batik. There are also offerings of the Sultan's hair and fingernail clippings.
The offerings are first brought to the village of Kretek on the western bank of the River Opak in the early morning. They are then carried across the river and down to the village of Parangtritis, at the water's edge. This is where the sixteenth century ruler was said to have first met Nyai Lara Kidul. The offerings are placed on a bamboo raft and cast out to sea by the kraton officers. An enthusiastic crowd watches as the raft is tossed about by the waves, throwing offerings into the sea. When the offerings are eventually washed back to shore, spectators scramble to collect them, believing they contain supernatural powers. The Sultan's hair and fingernail clippings, however, are buried in the sand, in a special walled-in area on the beach. These too are eventually dug up by the spectators and are kept as sacred souvenirs.
Today, the legend of Queen Lara Kidul is still very much part of the local tradition and beliefs. When a swimmer is swept away by the treacherous waves along the Samudra beach, near the resort at Labuhan Ratu, in West Java, local folklore says that Queen Lara Kidul has taken another to join her entourage in the watery deep. During violent thunderstorms the villagers of nearby Sukabumi lock their doors and fasten their windows because they fear Nyai Lara Kidul's fearsome display of temper. On special festivities, Queen Lara Kidul is again venerated in a palace dance named Bedaya Ketawang.
This legend explains the relationship of the Queen of the Southern Ocean to the royal family of Yogyakarta and Surakarta (Solo), and perhaps it also helps to explain the origin of the legend concerning the mermaid called 'air matang duyung'. . . which means longing tears.
Pamela Hardy
URL:http://www.uq.net.au/~zzrhardy
Email: s348735@student.uq.edu.au
Pamela Hardy is a member of the Australia Indonesia Arts Alliance.