Semar is a character in Javanese mythology who frequently appears in wayang shadow plays. He is one of the punokawan (clowns), but is in fact divine and very wise. He is the dhanyang (guardian spirit) of Java,[1] and is regarded by some as the most sacred figure of the wayang set.[2] He is said to be the god Sang Hyang Ismaya in human form.[3][4]
The name Semar is said to derive from the Javanese word samar ("dim, obscure, mysterious").[3] He is often referred to with the honorific, "Kyai Lurah Semar" ("the venerable chief").[3]
Mask of Semar for traditional Javanese theater performance.
In depictions, Semar appears with a flat nose, a protruding lower jaw, a tired eye, and bulging rear, belly, and chest. He wears a checkered hipcloth, symbolizing sacredness. Like the other panakawan, the wayang kulit puppet does not have the elaborate openwork and ornamentation characteristic of the heroes[2] In wayang wong, Semar always leans forward, one hand palm up on his back and the other extended partly forward, moving up and down, with an extended forefinger.[5]
By tradition Semar has three sons, the other punakawans in the wayang: Gareng, Petruk, and Bagong (Bagong does not appear in Surakarta-style wayang).[6] In some wayangs, he has a brother Togog (or Hyang Antaga), who is the servant-clown of a demonic hero.[7]
OriginEdit
A decorative kris with a figure of Semar as the handle
As Semar is one of the few characters in wayang stories not from Indian mythology, his origin is obscure. One hypothesis is that he and his sons are old indigenous deities who became cursed and demoted to servants with the importation of the kshatriya heroes of the Indian epics.[8][9] Semar also resembles the vidusaka clown figure of Indian Sanskrit drama.[10]
The first known appearance of Semar is during the Majapahit era. In 1358 in relief of Sudamala in Candi TIgamangi, and in Candi Sukuh dated 1439. The relief was copied from a wayang story from the period, where Semar was first known to be appeared.[11]
StoriesEdit
In one version of the Babad Tanah Jawi (the Javanese creation myth), Semar cultivated a small rice field near Mount Merbabu for ten thousand years before there were any men. His descendants, the spirits of the island, came into conflict with people as they cleared fields and populated the island. A powerful priest, unable to deviate from his king's orders to continue cultivating the island, provided Semar with a role that will allow his children and grandchildren to stay. Semar's role was to be a spiritual advisor and magical supporter of the royalty, and those of his descendants who also protect the humans of Java can remain there.[1]
One genealogy of Semar is that he is the eldest descendant of God, and elder brother to Batara Guru, king of the other gods; however, Semar became a man.[12] Another genealogy says that he is the son of Adam and Eve. His brother Nabi ("prophet") Sis gave birth to various prophets, such as Jesus and Muhammad, from whom the various Western peoples are descended, while Semar ("Sayang Sis") gave birth to the Hindus and the Javanese.[12] In either case Semar, in his awkward, ugly human form, represents at the same time god and clown, the most spiritually refined and outwardly rough.[12]
Semar and his sons first appear in the second part of the plays (pathet sanga),[13] as the servants and counselors of whoever the hero of the wayang play is.[14] In wayang plots Semar is never mistaken, and is deceptively powerful. He is the only character who dares to protest to the gods, including Batara Guru (Shiva) and Batari Durga, and even compel them to act or desist.[7]
He often represents the realistic view of the world in contrast to the idealistic. His role as servant is to cheer up those in despair and blunt the pride of the triumphant. Clifford Geertz compared his role vis-à-vis Arjuna to that of Prince Hal with his father in Shakespeare's Henry IV, and his role as critic of the play's worldview and antidote to pride as similar to Falstaff.[15]
It has also been suggested that Semar is a symbol of the peasantry, not otherwise incorporated in the palace hierarchies; that in some more popular forms of the drama, he and the other clowns dominate the royal heroes supports this idea.[15][16]
Other representationsEdit
Semar also appears on some ceremonial weapons, the pusaka of some important families. In this role he represents an ancestral figure.[17]
There is a low rectangular candi on the Dieng Plateau known as Candi Semar, perhaps originally a treasury,[18] but it is generally assumed by scholars that its name was given to the temple centuries after its erection.[19]
^Jeune Scott-Kemball, Javanese Shadow Puppets: The Raffles Collection in the British Museum, Trustees of the British Museum, 1970, 18.
August 28, 2023
semar, mexican, navy, semar, character, javanese, mythology, frequently, appears, wayang, shadow, plays, punokawan, clowns, fact, divine, very, wise, dhanyang, guardian, spirit, java, regarded, some, most, sacred, figure, wayang, said, sang, hyang, ismaya, hum. For the Mexican Navy see SEMAR Semar is a character in Javanese mythology who frequently appears in wayang shadow plays He is one of the punokawan clowns but is in fact divine and very wise He is the dhanyang guardian spirit of Java 1 and is regarded by some as the most sacred figure of the wayang set 2 He is said to be the god Sang Hyang Ismaya in human form 3 4 SemarA Wayang representing SemarGroupingLegendary creatureSub groupingUndeadCountryIndonesiaRegionJavaThe name Semar is said to derive from the Javanese word samar dim obscure mysterious 3 He is often referred to with the honorific Kyai Lurah Semar the venerable chief 3 Contents 1 Description 2 Origin 3 Stories 4 Use in wayang 5 Other representations 6 See also 7 References 7 1 NotesDescription Edit Mask of Semar for traditional Javanese theater performance In depictions Semar appears with a flat nose a protruding lower jaw a tired eye and bulging rear belly and chest He wears a checkered hipcloth symbolizing sacredness Like the other panakawan the wayang kulit puppet does not have the elaborate openwork and ornamentation characteristic of the heroes 2 In wayang wong Semar always leans forward one hand palm up on his back and the other extended partly forward moving up and down with an extended forefinger 5 By tradition Semar has three sons the other punakawans in the wayang Gareng Petruk and Bagong Bagong does not appear in Surakarta style wayang 6 In some wayangs he has a brother Togog or Hyang Antaga who is the servant clown of a demonic hero 7 Origin Edit A decorative kris with a figure of Semar as the handleAs Semar is one of the few characters in wayang stories not from Indian mythology his origin is obscure One hypothesis is that he and his sons are old indigenous deities who became cursed and demoted to servants with the importation of the kshatriya heroes of the Indian epics 8 9 Semar also resembles the vidusaka clown figure of Indian Sanskrit drama 10 The first known appearance of Semar is during the Majapahit era In 1358 in relief of Sudamala in Candi TIgamangi and in Candi Sukuh dated 1439 The relief was copied from a wayang story from the period where Semar was first known to be appeared 11 Stories EditIn one version of the Babad Tanah Jawi the Javanese creation myth Semar cultivated a small rice field near Mount Merbabu for ten thousand years before there were any men His descendants the spirits of the island came into conflict with people as they cleared fields and populated the island A powerful priest unable to deviate from his king s orders to continue cultivating the island provided Semar with a role that will allow his children and grandchildren to stay Semar s role was to be a spiritual advisor and magical supporter of the royalty and those of his descendants who also protect the humans of Java can remain there 1 One genealogy of Semar is that he is the eldest descendant of God and elder brother to Batara Guru king of the other gods however Semar became a man 12 Another genealogy says that he is the son of Adam and Eve His brother Nabi prophet Sis gave birth to various prophets such as Jesus and Muhammad from whom the various Western peoples are descended while Semar Sayang Sis gave birth to the Hindus and the Javanese 12 In either case Semar in his awkward ugly human form represents at the same time god and clown the most spiritually refined and outwardly rough 12 Use in wayang Edit Sundanese wayang adaptation of Semar Wayang Kulit puppet of SemarSemar and his sons first appear in the second part of the plays pathet sanga 13 as the servants and counselors of whoever the hero of the wayang play is 14 In wayang plots Semar is never mistaken and is deceptively powerful He is the only character who dares to protest to the gods including Batara Guru Shiva and Batari Durga and even compel them to act or desist 7 He often represents the realistic view of the world in contrast to the idealistic His role as servant is to cheer up those in despair and blunt the pride of the triumphant Clifford Geertz compared his role vis a vis Arjuna to that of Prince Hal with his father in Shakespeare s Henry IV and his role as critic of the play s worldview and antidote to pride as similar to Falstaff 15 It has also been suggested that Semar is a symbol of the peasantry not otherwise incorporated in the palace hierarchies that in some more popular forms of the drama he and the other clowns dominate the royal heroes supports this idea 15 16 Other representations EditSemar also appears on some ceremonial weapons the pusaka of some important families In this role he represents an ancestral figure 17 There is a low rectangular candi on the Dieng Plateau known as Candi Semar perhaps originally a treasury 18 but it is generally assumed by scholars that its name was given to the temple centuries after its erection 19 In Balinese mythology the counterpart of Semar is Twalen 20 See also Edit Indonesia portalMythology of Indonesia KejawenReferences EditBrandon James R On Thrones of Gold Three Javanese Shadow Plays Cambridge Harvard UP 1970 Geertz Clifford The Religion of Java Glencoe IL The Free Press 1960 Holt Claire Art in Indonesia Continuities and Change Ithaca Cornell UP 1967 Khoon Choy Lee A fragile nation the Indonesian crisis World Scientific 1999 Yousof Ghulam Sarwar Dictionary of Traditional South East Asian Theatre Kuala Lumpur Oxford 1994 Notes Edit a b Geertz 23 a b Holt 144 a b c Budihardja Grepen uit de Wajang Djawa II 1922 22 23 cited in Holt 145 Brandon 13 Holt 160 Brandon 24 a b Holt 145 J Kats Wie is Semar Djawa III 1923 55 cited in Holt 145 Brandon 18 Brandon 3 4 Khoon 106 a b c Geertz 276 Brandon 79 Frits A Wagner Indonesia The Art of an Island Group New York Crown Publishers 1959 130 a b Geertz 277 H O Petroek als Vorst Djawa III 1922 169 172 cited in Holt 145 Wagner 162 Ananda K Coomaraswamy History of Indian and Indonesian Art New York Dover 1985 202 Holt 53 Jeune Scott Kemball Javanese Shadow Puppets The Raffles Collection in the British Museum Trustees of the British Museum 1970 18 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Semar amp oldid 1165283983, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
