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Noto Sudarmo Saying it with flowers
A work of passion: Mbah Noto makes some kembar mayang arrangements
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A work of passion: Mbah Noto makes some kembar mayang arrangements. JP/Simon Sudarman
With wrinkled hands, Noto Sudarmo carefully arranged flowers and leaves. As the bouquet approached completion, he stepped back, looked at his work and fixed it with a tender touch.
He smiled, satisfied.
“That’s how kembar mayang [twin bouquets] for wedding ceremonies are made,” Mbah (grandfather) Noto says.
The 73-year-old farm worker from Niten village in Bantul regency, Yogyakarta, has been making kembar mayang for most of his life.
“It’s actually simple but many young people are not willing to learn the skill so it’s hard to find successors,” says the man who started decorating weddings with flowers in 1952.
Mbah Noto developed his skills in making kembar mayang after many residents asked for his help in producing animal-shaped toys from coconut leaves.
One day, local Muslim leaders asked him to help arrange kembar mayang bouquets as decoration for wedding parties.
“At first, I was only observing while learning. Later on, after gaining the skills, I enjoyed making the bouquets,” says the father of eight.
From then on, couples planning their weddings entrusted Mbah Noto to make the kembar mayang bouquets.
“It makes me feel happy as my life can be useful to others. I used to make wedding garlands with the help of religious leaders, but since they’ve passed away, I’ve done the job myself,” he says.
Kembar mayang makers normally expect no cash rewards but traditionnally receive many gifts in return for their work.
In his line of work, Mbah Noto has received different gifts as an expression of gratitude.
“As a kembar mayang maker, I’ve received heaps of batik, sarong and caps,” he laughed while proudly displaying the presents at his home.
The changing lifestyle and way of thinking in society, however, has increased his usual rewards. As well as food and clothing presented at the end of ceremonies, he is now getting a fair amount of cash.
“But I never expect too much or ask for it,” says Mbah Noto with a hearty laugh, revealing wrinkles on his cheeks.
Usually, when he receives an order to make the bouquet, he will immediately search for the required materials, such as different leaves and flowers as well as coconut leaves and banana stems.
Traveling by bike, he finds collecting materials for the bouquet more time-consuming than the process of arranging the flowers.
As a Javanese, he follows long-standing rules that there should be 21 kinds of leaves and various flowers that must not be bought to create the bouquet. And the flowers must be gathered especially from graveyards.
“People will surely allow me to have their flowers. They believe that in return for whatever flowers they give me to create kembar mayang, they will enjoy the fragrance and beauty of life,” says Mbah Noto, who has started to grow flower plants, roses in particular, in his own yard, in response to frequent orders.
He says that kembar mayang symbolizes noble advice for the couple as they enter their new life together. In this case, he will always start the creation process with a prayer and fasting.
“I pray for a smooth event without any disruption. I pray for the couple’s happy family life, good fortune and faithfulness until death.”
The flowers and leaves also symbolize messages, expectations and prayers for the couple to lead a harmonious, lasting and valuable family life favorable to everybody else.
“A coconut means the couple should learn from the lesson imparted by a coconut tree, with every part of it being beneficial for everybody.”
After more than half a century, Mbah Noto has yet to tire of his job.
Despite his age, he often arranges the bouquets until late at night alone on the eve of wedding parties, completing a pair of bouquets within four hours.
“It’s important to be serious, persevering, patient, and sincere, and to expect nothing in return. Being impatient and insincere only leads to failure,” he advises.
“It’s my regret, however, that kembar mayang values are diminishing.”
