The Mamaca Text with a Pandawa Story for Rokat Pandhaba

in Madura

I Wayan Dana

, Hanggar Budi Prasetya

, A. M. Hermien Kusmayati

, and Bayu Wijayanto

Dance Department, Institut Seni Indonesia Yogyakarta, Jl. Parangtritis Km 6.5, Bantul, Yogyakarta, Indonesia

Puppetry Department, Institut Seni Indonesia Yogyakarta, Indonesia

Dance Department, Institut Seni Indonesia Yogyakarta, Indonesia

Karawitan Department, Institut Seni Indonesia Yogyakarta, Indonesia

Keywords: Mamaca, Rokat Pandhaba, mask dance.

Abstract: Rokat Pandhaba is a purification ceremony to prevent someone from danger which is still carried out by some

Madurese people. In the ceremony, Pandawa stories are always presented. There are two kinds of presentation

of the story, depends on the economic ability of the person who will conduct ceremony. If the family is

wealthy, the Pandawa story is presented in the form of a puppet mask show. While for the poor family, the

Pandawa story is presented in the form of Mamaca narating. Both of the performances have the same story.

This research focused on presenting Pandawa stories in the form of Mamaca. The research data was collected

through observations on the Rokat Pandhaba ceremony in Pamekasan and Mamaca text analysis. Based on

the research, it can be concluded that the Pandawa story is used as a certifier that a Madurese will be out of

danger if the family performs the mask dance.

1 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Oral Literature of Mamaca in

Pamekasan

In Pamekasan region, an oral tradition developed

called Mamaca. This oral tradition has similarities

with Macapat (read:Mocopat) tradition which

developed in Java. Both are in Javanese songs, but

have different nuances, based on the cultural

influences of each region. Although it is in the form

of Javanese song, the Mamaca tradition continues to

grow in Islamic boarding schools and rural Madurese

communities. The Mamaca tradition in Pamekasan is

a form of acculturation of local culture with Macapat

in Java.

The term Mamaca (Madurese language) means

reading a story from a particular manuscript. This

manuscript is also called Kitab or Layang. This

manuscript is written in Arabic pégon. Kitab or

Layang contains various stories that have the

influence of Islamic culture. There are several

popular Mamaca manuscripts, namely Layang

Nurbuwat, Layang Yusuf, and Layang Pandhâbâ.

These three manuscripts often deliver various events

intended to fulfill various interests. The leader of the

Mamaca group knows and adjusts the reading that

will be presented in the event.

Figure 1. Narating Mamaca

Mamaca is usually performed or narated by men.

The reading activities are carried out alternately one

by one and sometimes they do it together. Someone

who acts as a Mamaca singer is called pamaos which

means a reader (Figer 1). The rhythm of the reading

follows various traditional song patterns in slendro-

style that frame sentences that read from the Kitab or

Layang. These traditional song patterns are

synonymous with the Macapat tradition as in Java

404

Dana, I., Prasetya, H., Kusmayati, A. and Wijayanto, B.

The Mamaca Text with a Pandawa Story for Rokat Pandhaba.

DOI: 10.5220/0008765604040409

In Proceedings of the 1st International Conference on Interdisciplinary Arts and Humanities (ICONARTIES 2019), pages 404-409

ISBN: 978-989-758-450-3

(Kusmayati, 2018). One of the Mamaca performers

acts as a translator or is called panegghes. Panegghes

convey the meaning of the sentences which are read

by pamaos into Madurese Language. The

interpretation in Madurese language is delivered

gradually after sentence by sentence or verse after

verse is finished being sung by pamaos. The Mamaca

performance is sometimes also accompanied by the

sound of flutes or the beat of the xylophone.

A family can request or invite the Mamaca group

to become a part of the facilities in the certain ritual

ceremonies. One of the ceremonies that involving

Mamaca is the purification ceremony of rokat. Rokat

ritual in the Javanese tradition is known as ruwatan.

Rokat ceremony is carried out for people who get the

name pandawa or pandhabâ (sukerta, Java). In the

view of the Madurese, those who are included in the

category of pandābā are only male or female

children, two brothers and sisters, five brothers, a man

among several sisters, and a woman among several

brothers. The only male child is called the pandhâbâ

tiger. The only female child is called the pandhâbâ

rato. Two children, male and female are called

pandhâbâ pangantan or pandhâbâa antèng. Two

brothers are also called the pandhâbâ tanganting. The

five brothers are called pandabâ lèma '. Those who

because of their birth carry certain traits are

traditionally believed to be free from danger after the

rokat pandabâ purification ceremony be held. In

practice, it is usually coupled with a wedding

ceremony or the first seven-month pregnancy

ceremony for girls' Ruwatan (Rahayu, 2018).

The Rokat purification ceremony is very popular

among the Madurese, especially in Sumenep and

Pamekasan regions. Rokat Pandhâbâ is done so that

humans in the category of Pandhaba are spared as

prey to Bathara Kala. Bathara Kala is Goddess Uma

and Bathara Guru's giant son. He was born because of

a mistake born. The people who are characterized by

the pandabā are Bathara Kala's meal promised by

Bathara Guru.

Figure 2. Mamaca group member sitting in front of the offering for

Rokat Pandhaba

In the narrating of Mamaca, the performers sit

cross-legged and sit around the porch or living room

which is lined with mats (figure 2). Layang that will

be read is placed on the pillow. Layang with the

pillow will move according to the seat of the pamaos.

The voice of pamaos and panegghes, and the sound

of flutes or xylophone will be heard intermittently and

sometimes simultaneously together. If the

implementation of the Mamaca is concurrent or for

the benefit of a ceremony, the equipment of the

ceremony (money, traditional snack, garden produce,

cooking utensils, agricultural equipment, etc.) are

placed in the middle of the circle. In general, the host

also serves foods, coffee, and cigarettes. Coffee and

the others are enjoyed together before starting the

ceremony and at rest.

The reading of Layang starts at around 8:00 p.m.

and must have been completed before 12 p.m.

because the core ritual of the rokat Pandhâbâ is held

at midnight around 12 p.m. After the reading of

Layang is finished, followed by the rokat ritual with

a sign of spraying for the children or people who are

protected from danger by the older family member.

Figure 3. Giving flower water to a pandhaba rato, person who is

purified in Rokat Pandhaba purification ceremony

The Mamaca Text with a Pandawa Story for Rokat Pandhaba

405

2 LAYANG PANDHABA

Layang Pandhaba manuscript is composed in five

songs with the order of Kasmaran 16 stanzas, Sinom

40 stanzas, Pangkur 36 stanzas, Artati 16 stanzas, and

Kasmaran for the closing of 7 stanzas. Here's a quick

story about Layang Pandhaba.

Prophet Adam had a son, named Prophet Sis. The

Prophet Sis and a wife who is an angel had some

children, one of them is Bathara Guru. The

descendants of the Prophet Sis did not adhere to

Islam. The offspring is called Sangyang. Bathara

Guru has a child named Bathara Kala. It is told that

Bathara Guru asked the gods to weigh the universe.

Bathara Kala and Sangyang Pungkur did not

participate. At that time, they were meditating.

Therefore, they were casted out to marcapada. One

day, Sangyang Pungkur was awarded a gemstone

chalice (cupu manik). Sangyang Pungkur went to

meet Bathara Guru to give him cupu manik. After

cupu manik was opened, a beautiful princess was

appeared from it. Bathara Guru was about to marry

the princess. The princess agreed to marry him with

one condition that had to be fulfilled by him. She

wanted a traditional instrument (gamelan) that could

sound itself. Then, Bathara Guru asked for Sangyang

Pungkur's advice in order to realize the princess's

request. Sangyang Pungkur suggested Bathara Guru

to ask for a help to his son, Bathara Kala who was

famous for being very powerful. Then, Bathara Kala

was summoned and asked to look for a gamelan that

could sound itself. Bathara Kala was willing to do it

as long as he was recognized as the child of Bathara

Guru. After that, he went to do his father’s command.

Bathara Guru approached the princess. The princess

was forced to be his wife. The princess did not want

to, but she continued to be forced. Then, the princess

ran away, but Bathara Guru could chase her. After

being caught, the princess was killed. Her body was

put into the cupu manic again.

The princess's corpse had been in the cupu manik

for three days. When the cup was opened, the princess

disappeared and there were a thousand grasses in it.

Then, Bathara Guru sent Narada down to the world to

the place of King Sandhang Kamulan. The king was

asked to send his very handsome son named

Gendhing Panukir to plant the grass. The grass that

was planted by Gendhing Panukir, grew into rice

plants.

Meanwhile, Bathara Kala was looking for a

gamelan that could sound itself. He met his brother,

Sangyang Vishnu. Vishnu said that Kala's business

would not succeed because it was not easy to obtain.

At Vishnu's place, Kala saw Goddess Aseri. Kala

wanted to marry her, but Goddess Aseri was not

willing. He transformed into a dreadlock giant. Kala

approached her. Then, Goddess Aseri escaped. Kala

chased after her. Dewi Aseri ran to Sandhang

Kamulan. She hid in the rice plants. Kala was looking

for her, but Goddess Aseri disappeared and only the

smell remained. Kala kept looking for her. He

changed his form into a pig. The rice was broken, but

Goddess Aseri could not be found either. Bathara

Kala then transformed himself into a very frightening

giant. He continued to look for where Goddess Aseri

was.

Then, it was told that Gendhing Panukir saw the

rice had all been damaged. Soon, he saw a terrible

giant. The giant was asked about the destruction of

the rice. Then, Bathara Kala confessed that he was

looking for Goddess Aseri who was hiding in the rice

plant. He transformed himself into a pig and searched

the rice plants so that the rice became damaged, but

Bathara kala was unable to find her.

At that time, Vishnu met Bathara Guru and told

him that Kala was not looking for gamelan but he

chased Goddess Aseri. The rice planted by Gendhing

Pangukir as the command of Bathara Guru was even

damaged. Hearing Vishnu's report, Bathara Guru was

angry. Narada was told to bring Kala before him. Kala

was scolded for not carrying out the task of searching

for gamelan and had damaged rice plants. Kala

regretted his actions. Then, he asked about the food

he had to eat. Bathara Guru told him that the foods

were Pandawa. Kala asked about who was called

Pandawa. Bathara Guru explained that Pandawa are:

1) nganting namely people who have no siblings; 2)

pangantin namely two siblings, male and female; 3)

sandhang apit pancuran, namely three siblings, the

firstborn male, then female, and the youngest male;

4) pancuran apangapit sandhang namely three

siblings, the eldest one was female, then male, and the

youngest one was also female; 5) pandawa tungkak,

namely one female or one male among four to twenty

siblings; 6) pandawa macan was a person who only

has one child; 7) pandawa marcu are people who

damage the furnace; 8) pandawa sagara asat, which

is a person who is crushed by a barn; 9) people who

leave in the middle of the night; 10) people who are

dying. Then, Kala asked about who would

accompany him to Marcapada. Bathara Guru replied

that those who would be his servants were as many as

forty. Then, they departed.

Goddess Uma felt sorry for her son. He begged

Bathara Guru to forgive their son. Bathara Guru was

angry at the request. Uma was told to follow her son

to Marcapada. On Friday midnight, Bathara Guru

took her by riding the Andini oxen. They arrived at

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Kala's place. He was bursting out laughing because

his parents were now classified as his food. They

were people who left at midday. Bathara Guru was

surprised. He tried to avoid by making puzzles to buy

time. Kala was told to guess. The puzzle read teri

tutup sat lucani, esat karsanani, para rasul catur

kunthul. Bathara Guru asked the meaning of iku. Kala

answered that iku was ika tail, meant one. Bathara

Guru asked who had a tail. Kala answered that the tail

belonged to the vehicle of Bathara Guru. Then,

Bathara Guru gave one more question about the

meaning of sat luca. Bathara Kala answered that sat

means six, while luca means eye. Then, Bathara Guru

asked whose eyes were six. He answered, those were

Bathara Guru and Goddess Uma’s eyes. The next

question was the meaning of sat karna. Kala

answered that sat was six and karna meant ear. The

next, Bathara Guru asked whose ears were six. Kala

answered, the six ears belonged to Bathara Guru,

Goddess Uma, and the ox. Bathara Guru asked again,

what the apostle meant. Kala answered that the

apostle meant penis. The father asked whose penis it

was. Kala answered that it was Bathara Guru's penis.

The next question asked by Bathara Guru was the

meaning of catur kunthul. The son answered that

catur meant four, while kunthul meant one. The father

gave one more question, who the four testicles were.

Kala answered, those were Bathara Guru and the ox’s

testicles. Finally, Bathara Guru praised the

intelligence of his son because he had succeeded in

answering the puzzle. Kala then asked his parents to

be killed as his food. The father replied that it was

dusk, meaning they were no longer included in the

middle of the day. Kala was angry because he felt that

he had been tricked by his father. Kala's anger was

appeased by his father, saying that it was common for

parents to be smarter than their children.

Goddess Uma also asked to Bathara Guru about

her food. He said that her food was the same as her

son, Kala. Uma was also told to come to the person

who was going to give birth and blow her head so that

the baby was born quickly.

One day, Kala was chasing after nguntang-

nganting. Nguntang-nganting was hiding in the

peltung of the grass seeker children. Kala asked them.

The children answered that they did not know. Kala

swore that the grass-seeker children whose peltung

facing upward would be his food. Tanganting

continued to run. Kala chased after him. When Kala's

feet caught in a pumpkin tree, she swore that the

person who planted pumpkin would be his food.

Tanganting ran into a house without tungantungi (?).

He managed to escape from Kala's pursuit. Kala also

swore that someone who owned a house without

tangantungi will be his food. Kala's followers told

him that Tanganting entered the kitchen. Kala saw a

rice boiler above the stove. He checked the rice boiler.

Tanganting was not there. Then, Kala swore that the

person who did not cover the bolier while cooking,

they would become his food. Tanganting continued

to run. Tangantng met a woman whose house was on

the roadside and was picking water spinach. He

begged to be allowed to hide. Kala arrived at that

place. The woman was asked about Tanganting. She

answered that she did not know. Then, Tanganting

escaped from the pursuit of Kala immediately. Kala

swore that someone whose house was on the roadside

and planted the water spinach would be his food.

Tanganting found bamboo that was not made of

paper. He then hid inside the bamboo. Kala arrived at

that place. Tanganting could escape again. The same

as the previous one, Kala swore again to anyone who

cut bamboo without a book would be his food.

Bathara Guru heard Kala's behavior. After that, he

asked Narada to go down to marcapada to bring the

puppeteer mask along with the gamelan to save the

people from danger. The four gods, Yang Indra, Yang

Kamajaya, Yang Anggana, and the lame god were

sent down to marcapada carrying the gamelan and the

mask puppeteer. Yang Indera became the puppeteer

and others as accompanists. They were considered by

King Darmawangsa day and night as a protector from

all forms of misfortune.

Tanganting who ran away from Kala's pursuit

arrived at the Darmawangsa kingdom where the

puppet mask was performed. He asked for help.

Darmawangsa asked Tanganting to join the

accompanists to beat kenong. Kala arrived at the place

and asked about Tanganting. He was told to check the

place of the gamelan musicians. Suddenly, he wanted

to beat. He begged to be allowed to beat the gamelan.

He was allowed on condition that he would give up

his own bedhung (machete). Kala agreed, then he

joined to play gamelan until finally feeling hungry. It

was told that there was a child watching the

performance near the gamelan. Kala wanted to kill

him but did not have his bedhung. His mother also

said there was no point in wanting to eat the child

because Kala did not have bedhung anymore. Then,

the child was released by Kala. The child immediately

ran away.

Afterwards, Kala met the king asking for his

bedhung back. King Darmawangsa submitted a

condition. Kala was asked to testify that whoever hold

the mask puppet show would be free from the group

he ate or free from pandawa. Kala promised not to eat

those who hold the mask puppet show. In addition,

there are other requirements for them who hold the

The Mamaca Text with a Pandawa Story for Rokat Pandhaba

407

mask puppet show. They have to prepare dandang

(rice boiler), frying pans, fireplace stoves, spoons,

and plates. Pandawa (who will be protected from

danger) is given special clothes. Other equipments are

tumpeng ingkung ayam (a cone shaped rice with

chicken as side dishes around it), thousand kinds of

flowers, one thousand kinds of fruits, tubers (sweet

potatoes, jicama, etc.), one thousand keteng of gold

coins, one bunch of bananas, pillows, and mats. Near

the puppeteer, there are offerings such as betel leaf,

areca nut, a bunch of siwalan fruit, pucang, coconut

sugar, rice, chicken, lawe, caluk, hoe, paddy, dugel

jung, ketupat, lepet, chicken egg, seven or nine kinds

of fragrance, seven kinds of fragrant flowers, whip,

rope, comb, serit, glass, fragrant powder of various

kinds of flowers, white pomegranate flowers, jugs,

forty four candhings.

Darmawangsa asked Kala to swear. Kala swore

that he would not break his promise. If the promise is

broken, he will be cursed by the Most Holy and find

bad luck from the prophets and angels. If the people

who belongs to Pandawa do not consider the story of

the puppeteer mask, they will get the wrath of the

Most Holy and will not get the blessing of the

Prophet. Rokat is a medicine. The medicine for

people who are sad is to read al-quran. The people

who belongs to Pandawa considered the story of

Kala. Darmawangsa asked Kala not to destroy

everything that grows on this earth. This action is a

big sin.

Kala asked to be told about the kinds of parents to

Darmawangsa. Darmawangsa said that there were

three kinds of parents, namely essential, elderly

person, and animal. Essential parents are parents who

teach truth and goodness. Elderly parents are parents

who do not repeat what they teach. Animal people are

parents who like to eat anything. They like eating all

day long.

Kala asked who called kyai. Darmawangsa

replied that those who are called kyai are those who

like to remain silent at home teaching all the

knowledge of virtue (wisdom). There is another thing

called makkahi, which is someone who likes to teach

his knowledge by going to places that will give him

rewards. Kala asks about pillars of faith.

Darmawangsa answered that there are six pillars of

faith: 1) believe in God; 2) believe in God's angels; 3)

believe in the books of God; 4) believe in the apostle

of God; 5) believe in the Day of Judgment; 6) believe

in God's destiny. Kala asked about the meaning of

Islam. Darmawangsa replied that Islam is according

to all the commands of Allah and the Prophet. Kala

asked about the meaning of religion. Darmawangsa

answered that there are four meanings of religion,

namely faith, taukhid, makrifat, and lughat.

Kala asked about the meaning of science.

Darmawangasa replies that the knowledge is in the

form of nur dzat af'al. Kala said that he knew

everything taught by King Darmawangsa. The king

requested Kala not to eat people who belonged to the

Pandawa group because Kala had been a Moslem.

Kala agreed to the request of the king, but Kala asked

them to still consider the story about him. Anyone

who does not want to be considered or does not get

along with the Pandawa, cursed will not get a

blessing, will not live long, and will not get prosperity

and happiness in the world and the hereafter.

4 CONCLUSIONS

4.1 The Mamaca Tradition in the

Setting of the Present Madurese

Community

Based on the reading of the Layang Pandhaba text

above, it can be concluded that the text acts as a

certifier that the performance of the mask dance for a

Madurese is very important. This performance can

eliminate someone's pandhaba. A person who was

originally classified as a pandhaba will be free when

he performs mask dance performance or at least listen

to the story of Pandhaba.

The mamaca tradition is an ideological site in

which various ideologies meet and experience a

dialectical process until the balance is achieved in

harmony manifested in ethics and performance

aesthetics. The Mamaca oral tradition known in

Madura appears to have a connection with the

macapat tradition that lived and developed on the

island of Java (mainly Central Java) since the time of

Mataram kingdom period. The existence of the

Mamaca Tradition is closely related to the social life

of the supporting community. This tradition was born

as a means of fulfilling the needs of the people in the

place where the tradition grew and developed.

Madurese people are known as people who have a

very strong religious (Islamic) tradition. The presence

of the Mamaca oral tradition confirms the

characteristics of the Madurese community because

Mamaca performances are derived from didactic

texts and morality influenced by Islamic culture.

The mamaca tradition that lives in the Madurese

community acts as a ritual media. This is related to

the implementation of the mamaca tradition in the

rituals of rokat pandhaba, marriage, circumcision,

and when commemorating Islamic holidays (Rifai,

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408

2018). The existence of mamaca is something that

must be presented in the procession of the

implementation of all types of rokat purification

ceremony. The Madurese consider that if the reading

of the song is not presented into the procession of all

types of rokat, then the implementation of the rokat

is said to be invalid.

Rokat purification ceremony is a part of Madurese

life that cannot be ignored until now. The religious

values adopted by the majority of the population are

not an obstacle for them. Rokat becomes a place for

someone or society to lean when they are in trouble.

Rokat is deemed appropriate to hang certain

expectations. Rokat is also considered capable of

releasing someone or group from snares that will

threaten him (Dana, 2018). Thus, the Rokat continues

to be pursued so that it can continue. Madurese

assume that if the mamaca tradition is not carried out,

the rokat that are carried out are not valid. Therefore,

it can be understood that as a form of oral tradition,

Mamaca shows its dynamic nature in order to be able

to set a position itself in the social context and

development of its owner's community.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Thank you to the Directorate of Research and

Community Service (DRPM), Ministry of Research,

Technology, and Higher Education, Republic of

Indonesia who provided the research grant for

Applied Research that allowed this research to take

place. In addition, special thanks to the informants,

Haji Sastra and Haji Suparno who helped this

research.

REFERENCES

Dana, IW; Kusmayati, AMH; Prasetya, HB. 2017.

Development of Mamaca in Pamekasan Madura as

Strengthening Harmony in Social Life. Research

Report. Jakarta: DRPM

Kusmayati, AMH; Sayuti, S. (2014). The Existence of

Mamaca Oral Literature in Pamekasan Madura

Regency. Litera, 13 (1), 182 - 190

Rifai, Faizur. (2019). The Oral Literature Tradition of

Mamaca in Pamekasan. GETER, 1 (1), 39-45

Rahayu, EW; Nugroho, W; Kusmayati, AMH. (2018)

Rokat Pandhaba as a Cultural Performance of the

Madurese Community in Sumenep Regency. GETER, 1

(1), 9-22

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