Legacy of Slavery and Indentured Labour

Linking the Past with the FutureConference on Slavery, Indentured Labour, Migration,

Diaspora and Identity Formation.June 18th – 23th, 2018 , Paramaribo, Suriname

Org. by IGSR, Faculty of Humanities, IMWO, in collaboration with National Archives Suriname , NAKS, Federasi fu Afrikan

Srananman CUS, NSHI and VHJI.

Javanese and Indian Diaspora in Suriname: A Study of Cultural Identity and Complementarities

Gautam Kumar Jha, Asst Professor, Jawaharlal Nehru University

Abstract

It’s an intriguing perspective to study the two diasporas from two different countries having deep cultural commonality and forming a confluence in a third country and co-existing peacefully. Suriname, a country having two major ethnic groups from India and Indonesia comprising 40 per cent of the total population exhibits a platform for the socio-political study where people from different religious and ethnic background ie Islam, Hindu, Christianity and Javanism gives a challenging phenomenon to study their peaceful co-existence, particularly when there is a continuous effort to pronounce self-identity.

The paper will delve into the study of the reflection of Indian and Indonesian (substantially Javanism”) cultural identity and its reflection in the present making of the diaspora in Suriname amid the growing Pan-Islamic influence among middle class Javanese populace and quest for the new identity and response from the other ethnic groups and the government for the same. The paper will also depict vivid picture of adaptation of Indic culture by Indonesian archipelago which later migrated with Javanse to Suriname.

Keywords: Javanism, Hinduism, Ethnicity, Pan Islamic Influence and self-identity

Introduction

The written evidence shows that under Indian dynasties like Palava, Gupta Pala and Chola starting from 2nd century till 12th century, much part of Southeast Asia came under the direct influence of Indian Culture which ruled over the basic social traits of the people in the form of culture, law and governance. Indonesia was one the countries which got influenced with Indic culture deeply due to direct trade route through Malacca Striates. 1

1 Prakash Om, “The Trading World of India and Southeast Asia in the Early Modern Period [article]”, Fait partie d'un numéro thématique : L'horizon nousantarien. Mélanges en hommage à Denys

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During colonial period in Indonesia, the year 1890 witnessed a small migration around 33,000 people from Java to Suriname in the form of indentured workforce. This migration mostly from Central Java and the regions near Batavia, Semarang and Surabaya was mainly meant for the agricultural sectors. 2 This little migration turned to be around 14 per cent of Suriname’s current population.

At the end of 13th century Islam through Gujarati Muslim traders followed by Arabs started pervading into the Indonesian archipelago spreading from Sumatra and then to Java.3 Islam crept through the Archipelago by very peaceful means as there is hardly any tangible evidence of any Sultan coming to any part of this archipelago and invading it on the tip of the sword.

Indonesia witnessed colonial invasion starting from 16th century onwards. The colonial masters were Portuguese, Dutch and Japanese. Dutch turned to be the main colonizer as it stayed for almost three and half centuries impacting deeply on its present socio-cultural outlook of the country.

Indo-Surinamese groups is the largest ethnic group in Suriname making it 27.4 per cent altogether making the entire population of Indic-influenced culture around 41.4 per cent of entire populations. This makes the two ethnic groups become a dominant force in the nation making process in the country.

India-Indonesia Cultural Connections

Historical facts, existing common folklores and the social ethos speak volumes on the shared culture of Greater Bharat fraternity. The two great epics, namely Ramayana and Mahabharata, and related mythological texts, emphasizing the moral duty (Dharma) of mankind which became major sources for their ethical and non-ethical pursuits at both individual and collective levels. This civilizational heritage present in these countries in the form of temples and stupas seeks social harmony and peace the world over and calls for the unity of all peoples. As evident from the chronological evidences, the entire region of Southeast Asia was under an Indic cultural umbrella starting around 200 BC until around the 15th century and during this period Hinduism, Buddhism virtually ruled the local system of governance, and later period even Islam made their way from the western coast of India to the Malay peninsula. The ancient trade system of India had well-established trade, cultural and political relations with Southeast Asian kingdoms in Burma, Thailand, Indonesia, Malay Peninsula, Cambodia and Vietnam.

Earliest Indian contacts with Indonesia were established centuries before the Christian era. Suvarnabhumi (Sumatra) is mentioned in the Jatakas, in the Hindu epics as well as in Mahavamsa. However, there is no sequential documentation or facts available for the same. Indian traders who mainly traded with Indonesia for spices, sandalwood, pearls and

Lombard (Volume I) p. 34, https://www.persee.fr/doc/arch_0044-8613_1998_num_56_1_3477

2 http://www.caribbeannewsnow.com/topstory-Suriname-ethnic-Javanese-seek-to-expand-economic-ties-with-the-'Bahasa-Motherland'-30602.html3 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islam_in_Indonesia

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rudrakshas (Elaeocarpus ganitrus) were instrumental in establishing links between the two states.4

For Indonesians “Barat’ turned to be “synonym of the “west” as they can’t pronounce “Bharat” the original name of India easily. Indonesia is derived from the word nesos as referred in many texts as Indian Islands. Yawadvipa and Dvipantara are referred in Sanskrit writings about Java. There are other various known references about Indonesian islands in Indian epics such as Ramayana, Mahabharata, and Raghuvansham which offers tangible evidences that Indonesia like other southeast Asian countries was part of greater Bharata (Brihad Bharat)5 The impact of Hinduism and Buddhism, both the religions which migrated from India still projected through the largest Buddhist temple of Borobudur, and the Prambanan Hindu temple both are located in Java from where during the colonial period the migration to Suriname took place. Java is considered to be one of the most fertile lands of the earth where majority of the population of the entire archipelago is constituted. The fertile land of Java provided prosperity and cultural excellence which found its centerstage in Yogyakarta, the central Java. Kakawin Ramayana, and Mahabharata exhibited in human and other puppets, which later became symbol of Javanese and Indonesian identity. 6 Kakawin Ramayana, whose first half of the text is very similar to the original Ramayana but the second half is different which included the local gods including the Semar and other characters of punokawans (jesters) which is widely used in the Wayang Kulit and other forms of puppetry in Java. 7

Indonesia is known to the world not only for its multi religious ethos but its unique cultural legacy which is being nurtured by its people barring from all faiths and beliefs. Indic elements which have substantially influenced social system of Indonesia during the ancient times, is still reflected in scores of rituals in Sumatra, Java, Bali, Sulawesi and other islands in the form of Ramayana and Mahabharata and other Indic folklores are carried out on the archipelago.

There are evidences to show that starting from 3500 BC till 500 BC there was active trade between the two countries, and Balinese were buying large amount of Indian pottery.8 It is also clear that during the later phase the traders who mostly made their travel through sea, brought Hindu priests with them and slowly intermingled with the locals who accepted the same without any resistance. There are also instances of Indian traders having married to the locals thus helping in the spread of Hinduism. It is evident that Indian kingship and the contemporary governing system attracted the local rulers who adopted it to acquire greater power by citing that the king’s status was at par with the God. Hindu religion and culture were accepted throughout Java, Bali and Sumatra, and so were Buddhism, and finally Islam

4 There is strong reference of this unique assimilation of cultural transition in the Sanskrit inscriptions 4 th

century AD. (J. S. Lansing1, A.J. Redd2, T. M. Karafet2, J. Watkins3, I. W. Ardika4, S. P. K. Surata8, J. S. Schoenfelder5, M. Campbell3, A. M. Merriwether6 and M. F. Hammer1 An Indian Trader in Bali ?, Volume :78 Number 300, Page 287-293) It’s evident that Indian kingship and the contemporary state administration system were very attractive and appealing to the kings of Southeast Asia and probably these two epics Ramayana and Mahabharata became a strong medium for its permeation.

5 http://hindi.webdunia.com/sanatan-dharma-history/akhand-bharat-115122200039_7.html6 Coedès, George (1968). Walter F. Vella, ed. The Indianized States of Southeast Asia. trans.Susan Brown Cowing. University of Hawaii Press. P.13-247 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kakawin_Ramayana8 http://www.slansing.org/uploads/4/3/4/1/43417789/antiquity20indian20trader20article.pdf

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which entered Indonesia through its eastern part Sumatra. All these three religions i.e. Hinduism, Buddhism, and Islam came to Indonesia from India. The impact is so pervasive that entire Indonesia, for example: Java, Bali, Sumatra, Kalimantan etc. exhibit traits not differing from the mainland India. India is not only the source of spiritualism for Hindus and Buddhists of Indonesia but also Muslims see India as somehow part of the Indian cultural fraternity.

The innumerable cultural traits of Indonesians starting from child birth till death not only involve the family but entire societies, villages and towns. The Indonesian community system which truly embodies the theory of gotong-royong,i kejawen or kebatinanii; the strong undercurrents and a key of cultural economic self- sustenance on the village and semi-urban areas bind the entire nation into a common identity and this common identity view is something which is different from Pan-Islamic ethos owing to that fact 88.2 per cent of the Indonesians are Muslims. Not only that, they take pride in associating themselves with Mahabharata and Ramayana, as an integral part of their daily lives.

Java: a Centerstage for Diversity

There are mainly four cultural regions in Java namely Kejawen or Javanese heartland, the northern coastal region of Java, the Sunda area of the West Java, and the easternmost part is known as Blambangan. Kejawen, kebatinan or Agama Java or Javanese religion is Java’s most dominant and vibrant culture and most of the aristocracies of Indonesia arise from here. They believe in more syncretic nature of Hindu-Buddhist and Animistic beliefs. Indonesia’s top army, business and political elite adhere to kebatinan and they refrain from associating themselves from orthodox school as adhered by the Santris who are considered to be devout Muslims generally belong to middle, and lower class of Java.

Another symbol of Javanese identity is the practice of Gotong -Royong; working with village folks and belief in cosmic entities as supernatural power. Togetherness and mutual practices is the essence of Gotong Royong which includes practices like: donating foods, labor, money, time, aiding parent who have newly delivered baby, preparing wedding ceremonies, building neighbor houses and helping a family who has just witnessed any loss.9

Kejawen, is based upon karma philosophy which entails the ultimate cause of natural calamity or anything negative is the result of negative human act. How to maintain social harmony is the true philosophy of Kejawen. This philosophy is very close to Indian social philosophy of panchayat system; mutual cooperation which works at the village level parallel to the Indonesian Gotong Royong system.

Suriname is considered to be the centerstage of culture of South America primarily because of its two of the diasporas originating from two great civilizations i.e. Indian and Indonesians. Their escapades from their native countries were not caused by natural poverty instead sudden political changes in their own country for a period of time which made them poor.

Post arrival of British there was breakdown of established economic system of India primarily because of imposition of revenue and property taxes which broke the traditional system of economy of India. 10

9 https://shareok.org/bitstream/handle/11244/22718/2015-03-14_Candland_Christopher_SMV-Conference-Presentation.pdf?sequence=2&isAllowed=y10 https://business.mapsofindia.com/india-economy/history.html

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In the words of Shashi Tharoor, a parliamentarian and a great scholar says:

It is time that it be converted to serve as a reminder of what was done to India by the British, who conquered one of the richest countries in the world (27 per cent of global gross domestic product in 1700) and reduced it to, after over two centuries of looting and exploitation, one of the poorest, most diseased and most illiterate countries on Earth by the time they left in 1947,” he wrote in an Al Jazeera column. 11

Therefore, northeast Indians who migrated were not overseas traveler by habit, they were entrenched into poverty and got exploited to such an extent that they were not left with any other option but to move out from the borders of their villages or districts. Similarly, when Dutch came to Indonesia, there was hardly any evidence of poverty-stricken regions in Java and Sumatra. In fact, Dutch came to exploit Indonesia of its cash crops and minerals which is still Indonesia’s economic strength at the present time. 12 Thus, both the Indian and Indonesian diaspora’s arrival in Suriname was emanated from the circumstantial situation caused by the indiscriminate economic exploitation at the hands of their colonizers.

Alfred Russel Wallace travelled for eight years in what is now known as Indonesia.

I have lived with communities of savages ... who have no laws or law courts, but the public opinion of the village freely expressed. Each man scrupulously respects the rights of his fellow, and any infraction of those rights rarely or never takes place. (Wallace, The Malay Archipelago 1869: 548-549) Though there was not huge shortage of employment 13

Thus, having such vibrant social system and interdependency particularly in the rural areas, it was hard for the common men to decide to migrate abroad and therefore, the cause of Javanese migration to Suriname must have been caused due to temporary economic problem during the colonial period, and that was the reason almost 25 per cent of entire Javanese diaspora returned back to their homeland in 1952 even after spending such a long years.14 As the life of the economically marginalized section in Java is not so difficult as compared to Indian one because they are free from caste and creed, but only dividing factor is that the economic level. The small level business has been traditions of the Javanese low income people, like opening warung and selling food on the cart, becoming hawkers selling sate, tea-coffee or cigarettes. This is also being seen in Suriname where after the emancipation from the indenture-ship they moved to urban areas and selling foods in warung or as vendors have become a common phenomenon.

11 https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/india-35-million-deaths-britain-shashi-tharoor-british-empire-a7627041.html12 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economic_history_of_Indonesia13 Ibid14 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Javanese_Surinamese

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The very co-incidence of the migration of northeast Indians and Javanese to Suriname resembles like two rivers are meeting at a confluence. The composite culture emanated from both the diasporas altogether has given a birth to a unique culture. Both the regions; in India and Suriname have strong base of thousands of years of their civilizations and have been developed through inculcating numerous local wisdoms i.e. oral literatures, folklores, traditional and spiritual medicines, and folksongs etc, which give unique identity to the present day of their lives particularly when the urbanization and its luring consumerism fragment the social system of the people who migrate to the urban areas. The Bhojpuri region has great mythological significance, it’s said that Vishwamitra, the guru of Shri Rama was from this region.15

Since the majority of the people who migrated from India are Bhojpuri speaking population from western Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh and a bit of the Nepal border, Chhota Nagpur, however, scattered in all over India. 16 As explained in the book, “Kahe Gaile Bides (Why did you go overseas?), 17 which gives a vivid account on migration of northeast Indians to Suriname and later to the Netherlands, has recognized the regions; Saharsa, Purnia and Araria, from where the migration of laborers also took place.

Among these regions, Araria is my native place where people from different castes including Muslims reside. In the early 1980s, as a child I still have great memories of Bhojpuri speaking families in my neighbourhood. Majority of them were employed in the different ranks of Bihar police. Bhojpuri language always attracted us as it was more social then the Bengali folks. We kept exchanging our daily foods, particularly cooked vegetables, chutney, litti and thekuas. We had a Kaki (aunt) from immediate neighbourhood singing Bhojpuri spiritual songs particularly on Tuesday.

The north-eastern region of India is having deep spiritual adherence due to Sita, the main female protagonist character of Ramayana was born in the region of Mithila. Gautam Buddha was born in Lumbini, the present day Nepal having Maithili and Bhojpuri as second and third largest number of speakers. He is believed to be lived in the eastern part of ancient India during 6th and 4th centuries BC.18 Mahavir the twenty-fourth Tirthankara (ford-maker) of Jainism  was born in the early part of the 6th century BC into a royal family in Bihar. He later taught throughout other regions of eastern India such as Magadha and Kosala.19 This making the entire region of having vibrant and pious, the region was never considered as poor as witnessed during the colonial period.

15 https://www.udyogmitrabihar.in/docs/dp/bhojpur.pdf16 George A. Grierson. 1903. Indo-Aryan Family: Eastern Group: Specimens of the Bihārī and Oṛiyā languages. (Linguistic Survey of India, V(II).) In George A. Grierson (ed.) Linguistic Survey of India 5: Calcutta: Office of the Superintendent of Government Printing.17 Majumdar Mousumi, (ed) Kahe Gaile Bides: Why did you go overseas? with contributions by Badri Narayan Tiwari and Nivedita Singh (India), Narinder Mohkamsing, Elizabeth den Boer, Sahiensha Ramdas and Marits Hassankhan (Suriname) and Chitra Gajadin (the Netherlands), Mango Books [in association with KIT Publishers], Spot Creative Services, Allahabad, 2010. P. 6018 https://royalmt.com.np/blog/the-many-languages-of-nepal/19 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gautama_Buddha

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Figure 1 Prambanan Temple Complex in East Java

Javanese CultureOral tradition of Java is as old as it is found in the adjacent regions i.e. Burma, Malaysia, Thailand, Laos, and India. However, the mode of orations or performances are different from the mainland India where there have been continuous peripheral changes particularly in the story of Ramleela and Mahabharata unlike the oral traditions of these Southeast Asian countries.20

In Indonesia, the tales of the Ramayana and Mahabharata appear in ballet performances, masked danced drama, and Wayang shadow puppetry and these performances are not just ritualistic functions but it’s an integral part of their social customs despite the adherence to Islam by the majority of the population. There are numerous Ramayana shows taking place every day in the villages and towns in Indonesia than India. It’s worth to be noted that even today when there are numerous modes of entertainment available electronically; both audio and visual forms the theatre performances of Ramayana and Mahabharata still make a substantial portion of mass entertainment in Indonesia.

Commonality of Folklores

Like general phenomenon of folklores, Indonesia also has long tradition of oral traditions mainly related to the life history of kings, glories of mythical heroes, peoples those who have built great Hindu and Budhist temples i.e. Prambanan and Borobudur in Java, and warriors mainly from 9th century and onwards. The majority of oral traditions of Indonesia are from Ramayana and Mahabharata tales.

In Maithili and Bhojpuri culture the folklores are often used in different rituals, similarly in Indonesia oral traditions are associated from childbirth till the death ceremony. Apart from Ramayana and Mahabharata there are other oral traditions; i.e. pantun (a Malay oral form of expression which also prevalent in Indonesia), tembang (a Javanese poetry especially the Kawi language is traditionally recited in verse form. The standard forms are divided into three types, sekar ageng, sekar madya, and tembang macapat. Tembang traditions follow strict rules of poetic construction and pattern which is very influential in gamelan), children

20 (http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/tj/summary/v055/55.3diamond.html, Consulted at 12:33 Hrs, 12 May 2018)

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chanting, Javanese and Sumatran dance drama and puppet or shadows shows of traditional legendry.

In Indonesia, the tales of the Ramayana appear reflected in ballet performances, masked danced drama, and Wayang shadow puppetry. Ramayana is not just an epic to be read in Indonesia, in fact it’s part of their societies barring their adherence to Islam. I think there are numerous Ramayana shows taking place every day in the villages and town in Indonesia than any other parts of the world. There are various forms and modes through which they exhibit the Ramayana. There are various kinds of ballet ranging from 2 hours show to whole night performance. As mentioned, its deep rooted in their societies, in their values system, behaviour they have also adopted similar to the main characters’ name of Ramayana i.e. Rama, Sita, Lakshmana, Hanuman, etc. For Indonesians characters of Ramayana are pious and sacred and they also keep their children’s names on the characters of Ramayana and Mahabharata. Since the main stories and the tertiary stories are so long they suit them for the fulltime entertainment to play Ramayana on the stage.

Javanese values and Islamic Identity in Suriname

Though ‘wayang’ the puppetry is popular in almost all parts of Indonesia except Sumatra, however, wayang is almost a synonym of Javanese identity.

Wayang also known as Wajang, the word has been derived from a verb bayang (membayang); a space that is not subject to light because of shielded objects, ruang yg tidak kena sinar krn terlindung benda.21 The other meaning of baying is (membayangkan) to imagine. There is no clear evidence of Wayang prevalent in ancient Indonesia.

Wayang has been thriving in the archipelago for almost 10 centuries emanating from the royal courts of Java and Bali and slowly it crept through the other islands making it a homogeneous and integral part of Indonesian culture. It has kept itself changing through the time and has been very efficiently localized in other islands with local music and ensemble. On the question of its origin, significantly most of the researches converge on the theory that this unique art form has been introduced from India even though there are few stories performed belong to pre-Hindu or pre Indianization of Java period. Though it has lost its popularity in the mainland it was nurtured and matured in Indonesia, making it one of the most identifiable objects from which one can relate the intellectual pursuit of Javanese and Indonesian society at large. The reason may be primarily attributed to the long and diverse stories of Ramayana and Mahabharata and the dalang can make use of any part or chapter according to their convenience of equipment, resource, ambience, and personal ability. Focusing the conflicts, love, and wars encompassing human lifecycle, the dalang choose the right chapter or part from these two epics (wiracerita).

Substantially based on the theory of drama by the Natyashastra in India, wayang characters are taken from the two epics are gods, goddesses, demons, holy men, evil spirits, kings, warriors, clowns, monsters, ghosts, giants and fantastic animals. Among many the important characters include Rama, Sita, Ravana (Rahavana), Kumbhakarna, Anoman. Mahabharata include Pendawa kings, Judistira has white blood unlike hotblood Bima. Arjuna is most handsome having many wives. 22

21 http://kamus.sabda.org/kamus/wayang/22 The story is based upon two kingdoms; Kediri and Jeggala, Prince Panji from Kediri is engaged with Princess of Jenggala; Chandra Kirana to be married later. These two kingdoms were at war for a longer period, so this

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The word Semar is samar in Javanese language, which implies mysticism, postulating deep practices of mysticism in Javanese and Balinese culture. He is considered to be the guardian spirit or Dhanyang of Java who is very wise and gives daring right advice to the people. He is also one of the Gods called Sang Hyang Ismaya in the human form .23 He is referred as the most honorific “Kyai Lurah Semar” close to be translated as mystic spiritual head. Or the venerable chief. 24

Semar is soul of Javanese philosophical identity or Javanism. Its character is based upon its physical shape and referred as ‘he’, but understood as hermaphrodite. Having a single lock of hair, protruding breast and round bottom, can easily be used by the dalang for different circumstances. He would make him smoke, and chase the children out with big smelly farts. Semar has many postulating stories that makes his status at par with the god and is in human form. He is ugly and the most downtrodden representing the common people. His heart is big and pious.

As Balinese depicts Semar as:

Di dalam cerita pewayangan, Semar adalah putra Sang Hyang Wisesa, ia diberi anugerah mustika manik astagina, yang mempunyai 8 daya, yaitu:

(In the puppetry, Semar is the son of Sang Hyang Wisesa, he is given the gift of mustika manik astagina, which has 8 power, namely)

   tidak pernah lapar (never felt hungry)   tidak pernah mengantuk ((never felt sleepy)    tidak pernah jatuh cinta (never fallen in love)   tidak pernah bersedih (never been sad)   tidak pernah merasa capek (never felt tired)   tidak pernah menderita sakit (neverl fell ill)   tidak pernah kepanasan (never felt hot)   tidak pernah kedinginan (never felt cold)

kedelapan daya tersebut diikat pada rambut yang ada di ubun-ubun atau kuncung. Semar atau Ismaya, diberi beberapa gelar yaitu; Batara Semar, Batara Ismaya, Batara Iswara, Batara Samara, Sanghyang Jagad Wungku, Sanghyang Jatiwasesa, Sanghyang Suryakanta. Ia diperintahkan untuk menguasai alam Sunyaruri, atau alam kosong, tidak diperkenankan menguasai manusia di alam dunia. 25

arrangement was made to bring together these two kingdoms. However, during one of the travel to jungle for learning from wise brahmins in ashramas, the prince falls in love with a local girl named Dewi Anggraeni and the he brings her to the Royal Palace, angering the king of Kediri and also his own court at Janggala. The royal troops of Janggala brings Anggraeni to jungle meant to separate the prince, but Anggraeni knowing that her sacrifice would meant to be unification of the two kingdoms, she kills herself. Knowing the news the prince is in hysterical state and becomes very violent and insane. Knowing this, Chandrakirana disguising herself as a male goes to the prince. She manages to calm him down with her caring nature. There are other few different stories and plots of Panji used by different dalangs.)

23 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semar24 https://www.maskedart.com/products/semar25 http://njowo.wikia.com/wiki/Semar

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(eighth power is tied to the hair on the crown or kuncung. Semar or Ismaya, given several titles; Batara Semar, Batara Ismaya, Batara Iswara, Batara Samara, Sanghyang Jagad Wungku, Sanghyang Jatiwasesa, Sanghyang Suryakanta. He was commanded to rule the Sunyaruri realm, or the empty cosmos, not allowed to seize man in the world)

He wears a checkered cloth generally in black and white; the way statutes or sacred trees are wrapped in clothes in Bali. In Javanese society deities are not as beautiful or handsome as they are represented in India. In Javanese mythology, deities manifest themselves as ugly or otherwise unprepossessing humans, and so Semar is a short, fat and unproportioned figure. He is also a servant and God.

In his book “religion of Java” Cliford Geertz depicts semar as,

“Semar is said to be the eldest descendant of “He that is One” (i.e. God), elder brother to Batara Guru (Shiva in India). Batara Guru became king of the other gods—Wisnu, Brahma, Kala—who followed him. but Semar became a man—a fat, awkward, ugly-looking man, full of rough talk, coming stupidities, and hilarious confusions. AT least, this is the pure version; but syncretism, the need to account for new actualities, and the vagaries of oral tradition sometimes shift things a little.”26

The onus also falls on the dalang as by depicting Semar as the most powerful entity in a wayang, he himself becomes very powerful winning hearts and respects of the common people. He never brings punokawans in the beginning of the show. He lets people waiting impatiently till the first episode ends and then he would make them appear in the second episode accompanying music on pathet sangga which is linked to the Punokawan giving prelude to their arrival.

1. Semar (Ki LurahSemar) ----Has three Companions are his adopted sons given to him as voatries by their parents.

2. Petruk3. Gareng4. Bagong

Petruk and Gareng

Petruk's origin goes back as a noble raksasa known as Bambang Pecruk Penyyukilan. He is a humerous and loves joking but he is also a great warrior. One day he leaves his home to test his strength only to challenge another warrior Bambang Sukakadi, he challenges him to fight. During their fight, both of them gets

tired injuring each other however, their fight was stopped by Semar. Semar asks them

26 Geertz Clifford, “Religion of Java”, University of Chicago Press, London, 1976, p.276

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become his pupil. Thus Bambang Pecruk Penyyukilan becomes Petruk and Bambang Sukakadi becomes Gareng. Gareng can express well and whatever he says can totally be wrong. He is powerful and a was elected to a kng in the name of Dewi Sumbadra. He can only be defeated by Petruk.

BagongBagong is the youngest son of Semar and is said that when Semar was brought to the earth the god gave him an accompany and told him this his shadow will become his friend. However, when he descends on earth his shadow turns to be a human and becomes Bagong. Having childish behaviour, he is fatty, big belly and very assertive but pretending to be stupid.

Togog and Mbilung

Togog dan Mbilung dalam dunia wayang digambarkan selalu mengikuti raja yang berwatak jahat atau satria yang hanya mengutamakan harta. Togog dan Mbilung adalah dua orang bersaudara. Togog sebagai kakak dan Mbilung adalah adiknya27

These two brothers are with the antagonistic characters and they accompany as the advisors of the villain but the villains most of the

time ignore them, and cool down their anger by either beating them hard or shouting at them. Togog is round belly, bald, wide eyes with wide but bit hanging lips. He is also revered as God attributed to power and he is said to be immune to the death. They both are considered to be kings of evil characters but they are not necessarily the evil persons. 28

During the early 20th century Indonesians based on Islam as forming associations to organize the common man against the Dutch. They started forming groups and associations based on Islam. An Islamic Trade Union which was founded in 1905 by Hji Samanhudi a dealer in Batik. The organization later changed its shape to Sarekat Dagang Islam under the Dutch East Indies, and this was the first time when a rebellion movement against the Dutch started. Therefore, all the Javanese who moved to Suriname and other places found Islamic values as very protective identity and therefore, they concentrated more on the Islamic values than the other Javanese values associated to their lives. However, with great efforts by the famous dalang  Ponco Sadidjo, and his son Pak Sapto Sopawiro of Suriname, the wayang culture is alive in Suriname and the same can be carried forward given the patronage to this great cultural identity of Java29.

Conclusion

27 https://wayang.wordpress.com/2010/07/18/togog-mbilung-dan-pasukan-bhayangkara/28 Ibid29 https://www.caribbean-beat.com

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Javanese diaspora which forms the third largest ethnic group in Suriname is bestowed with culturally vibrant background and this has made them more tolerant than any other Muslim community in the world. It has partially been influenced by the Pan-Islamic movement which is very natural process as the flow of preaching by Jammah Tabligi and penetration of Tabligi Jammat to the soil of Suriname and its membership of Organization of the Islamic Conference which has made the Surinamese Muslims more attached to the Pan-Islamic movements across the globe and super conscious towards their Pan-Islamic identity, which may push for radicalizing the Surinamese Muslim youth in near future. Incidence such as claimed by the media that the nuclear terrorist Adnan Shukrijumah had lived in Suriname at one point of time, further supports the possibility.30

The northeast Indian diaspora have almost been mingled with Javanese diaspora particularly in common culinary items and foods and using of kencur (Kaempferia galangal), temu lawak, kecep manis, daun salam, (bay leaf), sereh (lemon grass) other exotic spices. Similarly, Javanese have also been acquainted in using Indian spices like coriander powder, turmeric which have become almost common spices.

Reference:

Chakravarti, Mahadev. (1994). The Concept of Rudra Siva through the Ages, Delhi. The book has given a scanty mythical literature of old Sanskrit texts about the permeation concept of Shiva cult in the region of Southeast Asia and Indonesia but not the factual input. Hazra, Kanai Lal. (2007) “Indonesia: Political History and Hindu and Buddhist Culturla Influences, Vol 1and Vol 2 Decent Books, New Delhi

Geertz, Cliford (1971) “Religion of Java, University of Chicago Press”, Chicago and London

Herman C. Kemp, (2004) “Oral Tradition of Southeast Asia” (bibliography), Yayasan, Obor, Indonesia, ISBN 979-461-483-1

Ketut Donder, “The Essence of Animal Sacrifice in Balinese Hindu Rituals: Discourse around Theological, Philosophical, Mythological, Ritual and Scientific Phenomena, International Journal Of Multidisciplinary Educational Research, ISSN: 2277-7881, Volume 1, Issue 4, Sept 2012.

Jha, Gautam Kumar. (2014) “Common Oral Tradition in Indonesian Ramayana and Mahabharata”, Studies in Literature and Translation edited by Sushat K Mishra and Awadesh K Mishra, Lakshi Publishers & Distributors, New Delhi, http://www.amazon.in/Studies-Literature-Translation-Sushant-Mishra/dp/9382120440

Jha, Gautam Kumar and Kuswadi Son. (2015 ) “India-Indonesia Bilateral Ties: An Introspection” (ed) by Suryodaya Books, New Delhi:

30 https://jamestown.org/program/the-threat-of-islamic-radicalism-in-suriname/

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Jha, Gautam Kumar. (2012) Pan-Islam and Indonesia (Indonesian Islam Through the Ages Lambert Academic Publishing GmbH& Co. Kg, Germany

Mookerji, Radhakumud (1912). Indian Shipping: A history of the sea-borne trade and maritime activity of the Indians from the earliest times. Longmans, Green and Co., Bombay.

Majumdar Mousumi, (ed) Kahe Gaile Bides: Why did you go overseas? with contributions by Badri Narayan Tiwari and Nivedita Singh (India), Narinder Mohkamsing, Elizabeth den Boer, Sahiensha Ramdas and Marits Hassankhan (Suriname) and Chitra Gajadin (the Netherlands), Mango Books [in association with KIT]

Nair, M.P.S. (1990) “India-Indonesia Cultural Relations in Historical Perspective” (ed) Essay on Indian History and Culture (Felicitation Volume in Honour of Professor B. Sheik Ali): Edited by H.V Sreenivasa Murthy, B. Surendra Rao, Kesavan Veluthat, S.A. Bari. Mittal Publication, New Delhi

International Journal of Multidisciplinary Educational Research, ISSN: 2277-7881, Volume 1, Issue 4, Sept 2012”

Jha, Gautam Kumar. (2009) Published “ Indian Diaspora in Indonesia, (Diaspora Studies, Print ISSN 0973-9572, Online ISSN 0976-3457, RNI Reg. No.: DELENG/2007/21890,) Vol. 2, Issue 2

Jan Hendrik and Wisnu Wardano, (2013) “Tri Hita Karana: The Spirit of Bali” Kepustakaan Popular Gramedia, (KPG) Bali

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i Gotong Royong is an Indonesian term which means to work together or to cooperate in order to get the desirable result. https://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gotong_royongii Kebatinan or Kejawen is a Javanese religious tradition, which is mix of animistic, Buddhist, Hindu and Islamic elements, especially Sufi, beliefs and practices. Yyo. M. "Agama Asli--Aliran Kebatinan Jawa (Kejawen) Pangestu"