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span class="caption" style="width: 398px;">JP/Ganug Nugroho AdiRonggojati Sugiyatno is one of only a few people with multifaceted knowledge of Javanese culture, ranging from Javanese literature, traditional dress and weapons to life principles and Javanese philosophy.

“Learning about Javanese culture means learning how to give meaning to life,” said Sugiyatno. He explained that the word Jawa (Java) came from the word jo, implying a way of life, and wo, signifying an origin or guide. Jawa (pronounced jowo) therefore denotes a guide to life.

“Living in a Javanese way or njawani is not restricted to the Javanese alone. I’m not an expert in Javanese culture but I’m learning to be a Javanese,” said the man who once served as a spiritual adviser to the Surakarta Sultan Paku Buwono XII.

Sugiyatno referred to the philosophy of Asta Brata (eight concepts) in Javanese society as one of the codes to achieve an ideal life. But, he condensed the concepts taken from the Cupu Manik Asta Gina — a book of rules for gods in the Hindu epics for shadow puppet shows — into five: pusaka (weapon), kukila (bird), wisma (abode), turangga (horse) and garwa (spouse).

“Many people mistake the five for their physical forms while they were originally meant as allegories, resulting in the pursuit of property without going deeper into their hidden message,” noted the member of the Cultural Strategy Team of Solo.

He indicated that pusaka should not be understood merely as kris and spears, because the word essentially implies reputation. “Preserve the good name of your forebears and yourself, because it becomes your weapon to earn a living and a fortune. You’ll get nothing once your reputation is ruined,” said Sugiyatno at his home in Begalon in Laweyan, Solo.

Wisma, according to Sugiyatno, represents the character of a house, which provides shelter and preserves everything, so that men should be able to arrange and manage everything in life with a mature mind and wisdom.

“Kukila such as turtledoves have a beautiful voice. Men should thus be able to speak in refined language so as to give a pleasant impression and bring peace to other people like turtledoves do,” he said.

Meaning a horse or vehicle, turangga symbolizes the physical body, on which the soul rides to control the vehicle from running wild. “Garwa as a spouse, often called the other half of the soul, creates balance in the human mind, feeling and action, so that a married individual should be wiser,” he said.

Born in Solo on March 20, 1951, Sugiyatno was brought up in a traditional Javanese family. His father, Suratman, was a famous blangkon (sewn cloth headgear) craftsman, carrying on the family’s business through generations. His great grandfather, Kartodinomo, used to make blangkon for Surakata Sultan Paku Buwono X.

“I’ve learned a lot of Javanese culture from my grandpa, Joyo Sumarto, who was engaged in kris, batik, and traditional costume making as well as teaching literature [Javanese verses and poetry singing]. As a primary school student, he frequently took me to the Surakarta palace where he taught royal family members and employees,” he recalled.

But after junior high, Sugiyatno decided to study shipping and sailed across the world for 11 years (1971 - 1982). Returning home, he traveled all over Java to learn more about batik, kris, Javanese literature and other cultural aspects by apprenticing with experts in various parts of the island.

Among his literary instructors were Harjonagoro (Go Tek Swan), KPA Yosodipuro, wayang kancil (small leather puppet) player Ki Lejar Subroto, puppet master Ki Hadi Sugito and Mbah Marijan. Sugiyatno also learned to write the Javanese script at the Javanese weekly magazine Penjebar Semangat and the Javanese printing house of Tan Kun Sui. “Mastering the Javanese alphabet causes us know more about Java,” he said.

All that perseverance was not in vain. One day, the Surakarta city administration asked him to write the Javanese characters of all the names of streets, public agencies and buildings in Solo.

He agreed, but declined any payment for the hundreds of Javanese letters he carefully inscribed. Now, the characters he penned can be found on all Solo’s street corners.

“There are many ways to preserve a family’s reputation. That was one of them. As the Javanese say, jeneng [a good name] is always followed by jenang [a blessing],” said Sugiyatno, who is also well versed in Javanese dress and its significance.

Apart from writing Javanese characters, Sugiyatno has also transliterated hundreds of old literary works and historic documents from Javanese into the Roman alphabet, including the Serat Centhini, a literary masterpiece and encyclopedia of Javanese culture.

“The Serat Centhini was written between 1814 and 1823 by three great literary men of the Surakarta Palace under the reign of Paku Buwono V, Ranggasutrasna, Yasadipura II [Ranggawarsita I] and Sastradipura. It’s one of the world’s endangered literary works, which prompted me to undertake the transliteration,” said Sugiyatno, who often speaks at Javanese culture seminars.

The other works he has transliterated are books on Tosan Aji (Traditional Weapons), Adat Istiadat Jawa (Javanese Custom), 200 Tahun Kepindahan Kraton Surakarta dari Kartasura (200th anniversary of the Move of Surakarta Palace from Kartasura), and Perjanjian Giyanti (the Giyanti Agreement). Along with an Indonesianist and researcher of ancient Javanese manuscripts, Nancy Florida, Sugiyatno also documented a number of papers, mostly over 200 years old, on microfilm while doing transliteration.

Sugiyatno and several lovers of Javanese culture have set up Padeprokan Gedong, a house where they can relax and engage in informal discussions of Javanese literature, culture and philosophy. National figures and artists have met there, including Setyawan Djodi, Sawong Jabo, Gus Dur, Gus Mus, Eep Saifuloh, Rendra and Paku Buwono XII.

Also a kris crafter, the man runs a traditional Javanese dress shop, Suratman, inherited from his family. Sugiyatno said the shop was founded by his great grandfather in 1921. In 1942, the shop was occupied by Japanese soldiers and only in 1971 did his father rebuild.

At the shop, Sugiyatno explains the philosophy of Javanese traditional dress as a reflection of beauty to his customers and helps them find the best outfits to match their needs.

“Most people think expensive clothes will always be the best, but in fact getting dressed has to do with our feelings,” said Sugiyatno, who received the title Ronggojati directly from Paku Buwono XII.