ethnobotany of the javanese incense

4
1990] NOTES Fig.1. Glochidion calocarpum of the Andaman-Nicobar islands. 413 oblong or occasionally obovate-oblong, (6.5)10-25 em long, (3)5-11.5 em broad, asymmetric at base, entire at margins, acuminate to subacuminate or obtuse to rounded at apex, thinly coriaceous to chartaceous; lateral nerves 6-10 pairs; petioles 5-8 mm long. 11iflorescencesaxillary, sessile. Staminate flowers: pedicels 8-10 rnm long; tepals 3 + 3, oblong to ovate or obovate, 2-3 mm long, 1-2 mm broad; anthers (5)6, connate into an oblong mass, 1-1.3 mm long. Carpel/ate flowers: pedicels 3-8 mrn long; tepals 3 + 3; ovary subglobose, 1-1.5 mm diam., 5-610culed; style conical, 1.7-4 mm long, the apical lobes undivided. Capsules depressed, 13-16 mm diam., prominently 5-6 lobed with the lobes rounded or again somewhat bilobulate, brown when dry; fruiting pedicels 7-12 mm long. Flowering and fruiting: Jan.-Dec. Distribution: North Andamans (Narcondam Is., Barren Is.), Middle Andaman Is., South Andaman Is., Car Nicobar Is., Katchal Is., Kamorta Is., Great Nicobar Is. Ecology: growing in the coastal forests, mixed forests, scrub forests and inland evergreen forests on rocky or clayey soil up to about 50 m altitude; on roadsides on Car Nicobar. Distinguished from the closely related G. subsessile Balakr. and T. Chakrab. of South Andaman Island by the larger leaves, the pedicelled carpellate flowers, the conical style, the undivided apical stylar lobes, and the longer fruiting pedicels. - T. Chakrabarty, Botanical Survey of India, Central National Herbarium, How- rah 711 103, India. -M. K. Vasudeva Rao, Botanical Survey of India, Port Blair 744 102, Andaman Islands, India. Ethnobotany of the Javanese Incense.-Indonesian culture includes many tra- ditional ceremonies and ancient rites dutifully performed in daily life. In these ceremonies people, especially the Javanese, often use incense as one important sacred component; The continuous use of incense is probably due to the fact that it has been considered to have a special meaning for the people, because largely of their beliefthat incense can be used as a vehicle to connect their spirits to those of their ancestors as well as to their God.

Upload: harini

Post on 25-Jan-2017

219 views

Category:

Documents


3 download

TRANSCRIPT

Page 1: Ethnobotany of the Javanese incense

1990] NOTES

Fig.1. Glochidion calocarpum of the Andaman-Nicobar islands.

413

oblong or occasionally obovate-oblong, (6.5)10-25 em long, (3)5-11.5 em broad, asymmetric at base,entire at margins, acuminate to subacuminate or obtuse to rounded at apex, thinly coriaceous tochartaceous; lateral nerves 6-10 pairs; petioles 5-8 mm long. 11iflorescencesaxillary, sessile. Staminateflowers: pedicels 8-10 rnm long; tepals 3 + 3, oblong to ovate or obovate, 2-3 mm long, 1-2 mmbroad; anthers (5)6, connate into an oblong mass, 1-1.3 mm long. Carpel/ate flowers: pedicels 3-8mrn long; tepals 3 + 3; ovary subglobose, 1-1.5 mm diam., 5-610culed; style conical, 1.7-4 mm long,the apical lobes undivided. Capsules depressed, 13-16 mm diam., prominently 5-6 lobed with thelobes rounded or again somewhat bilobulate, brown when dry; fruiting pedicels 7-12 mm long.

Flowering and fruiting: Jan.-Dec.Distribution: North Andamans (Narcondam Is., Barren Is.), Middle Andaman Is., South Andaman

Is., Car Nicobar Is., Katchal Is., Kamorta Is., Great Nicobar Is.Ecology: growing in the coastal forests, mixed forests, scrub forests and inland evergreen forests on

rocky or clayey soil up to about 50 m altitude; on roadsides on Car Nicobar.Distinguished from the closely related G. subsessile Balakr. and T. Chakrab. of South Andaman

Island by the larger leaves, the pedicelled carpellate flowers, the conical style, the undivided apicalstylar lobes, and the longer fruiting pedicels.

- T. Chakrabarty, Botanical Survey ofIndia, Central National Herbarium, How­rah 711 103, India.-M. K. Vasudeva Rao, Botanical Survey ofIndia, Port Blair 744 102, AndamanIslands, India.

Ethnobotany of the Javanese Incense.-Indonesian culture includes many tra­ditional ceremonies and ancient rites dutifully performed in daily life. In theseceremonies people, especially the Javanese, often use incense as one importantsacred component; The continuous use of incense is probably due to the fact thatit has been considered to have a special meaning for the people, because largelyoftheir beliefthat incense can be used as a vehicle to connect their spirits to thoseof their ancestors as well as to their God.

Page 2: Ethnobotany of the Javanese incense

414 ECONOMIC BOTANY [VOL. 44

Generally, Javanese incense consists ofingredients from several kinds ofplants.Incense was formerly made mainly of finely pounded wood of Aquilaria malac­censis Lam. and Gonystilus miquelianus T. & B. (1).

In recent years there has been a decline in the use of incense, because modernpeople generally do not pay much attention to traditional manners and customs.My article attempts to record the present state-of-the-art of incense by trying toelucidate the botanical aspects of several species now used as raw material formaking incense, their ethnobotanical significance, and their future prospects.

Many kinds of incense sold in the markets of Bogor (West Java), Yogyakartaand Surakarta (Central Java), and Malang and Surabaya (East Java) were collected,observed, and analyzed. Voucher specimens were deposited in the HerbariumBogoriense, Bogor, Indonesia (BO).

Information about the technique used for making incense was collected byinterviewing a number of resource persons and observing the process in the field.Raw materials and their respective plant species were collected and identified bycomparing them with the reference herbarium material kept in the HerbariumBogoriense. Observations on how the local people use incense in traditional cer­emonies were also made.

Types ofincense. From the results offield observations it is evident that, basedon the form or appearance, Javanese incense can be classified into four types.

Conical form. This type is called "gunungan" (mountain), referring to its small,solid, conical, volcano-like shape. The old Javanese people use this greyish orblackish brown form in some oftheir rice ritual ceremonies, e.g., in the "selamatantumpengan," in which good fortune of the household is expected as the outcomeof the offering.

Powder form. This type takes the form ofyellow, brown, or black powder. TheSundanese of West Java called this form "setanggi"; the Javanese in Central andEast Java called it "ratus." Actually although similar in appearance, "setanggi"and "ratus" have slight differences, especially in color and size ofthe grain, "ratus"being coarser. "Setanggi" or "ratus" is used during prayers to honor ancestors,e.g., in the "rnidodareni" ceremonies (one of the ceremonies before a weddingday). The powder form may also be used as an airfreshener or mosquito repellent.This type of incense was also used as a perfume in linen cupboards (4).

Amorphous form. This type ofincense, "kernenyan" takes the form ofcrumblesand is mainly obtained from the latex ofStyrax benzoin. High-quality "kemenyan"is white, but poor quality is black. It is used in ritual ceremonies related to death.

Raw form. This type of incense is made up by mixing dried leaves, twigs, fruit,and peels. The mixture retains the original form of the raw material.

Plant and other materials used in incense. From the result of raw materialidentification, it is noted that there are 14 species ofplant used in incense making:sandalwood (Santalum album L.), aloewood (Gonystilus bancanus (Miq.) Kurz),"meranti" (Shorea leprosula Miq.), teak (Tectona grandis L.f.), "sintok" (Cin­namomum sintoc Bl.), "pulasari" (Alyxia reinwardtii Bl.), cinnamon (Cinnamo­mum burmanii Nees ex Bl.), "dilem" (Pogostemon hortensis Back. ex Adelb.),vetiver (Vetiveria zizanioides (L.) Nash in Small), coconut (Cocos nucifera L.),"duku" (Lansium domesticum Corr.), edelweiss (Anaphalis javanica (Reinw. exBl.) Schult. ex Boerl.), "kernenyan" (Styrax benzoin Dryand.), and "sekau" (Aqui­laria beccariana van Tiegh.).

Page 3: Ethnobotany of the Javanese incense

1990] NOTES 415

Depending on the species, the plant parts used are barks C·sintok," "pulasari,"and cinnamon), sawdust (sandalwood, teak, and "rneranti"), wood (aloewood and"sekau"), leaves and branches (edelweiss and "dilem"), roots (vetiver), peels("duku"), coconut shell, and latex or sap C·kemenyan"). Barks, woods, roots, andcoconut shells are used in finely powdered form. Since sawdust is already fine,this material can be used directly. In using stems or branches of "dilem," thedried plant parts are cut into small pieces or chopped into coarse powder. Peelof "duku" is thoroughly sundried first because it is used by burning to producesmoke.

The latex from Styrax benzoin can be obtained by tapping trees about 7 yr old.After approximately 8 d, the latex starts to coagulate. The process from latex tothe finished usable "kemenyan" may last about 1-2 mo.

Besides plant materials, it is also noted that perfumes are also used as rawmaterial of incense. The perfume used are usually extracted from flowers, leaves,stems, barks, and roots of several plants such as sandalwood, jasmine, fragrantgrasses, and "kenanga" (Cananga odorata Baill.). Moreover, saltpetre is employedas a chemical ingredient to make the finished products more combustible.

Making ofincense. Doughs for incense are of two basic kinds, that for fragrantincense, and that for unfragrant incense.

Basic dough for fragrant incense. The powdered form of the raw material suchas sandalwood, "sekau" wood, or slices of vetiver root are mixed. In a separatebowl a little water is added to "sintok" powder and stirred until it forms a paste.Little by little the powdered wood mixture is added to the paste and further stirreduntil it becomes well blended. The saltpetre and perfume are then incorporatedinto the dough. In making the "gunungan" type of incense, the basic dough ispacked into a wood or metal "gunungan" mold. After drying, the incense isremoved from the mold and is ready to be packed for use. In making "setanggi"or "ratus," the basic dough is sundried until it becomes hard; it is then poundedinto powder. The size of the particles determines whether the finished productwill become "ratus" (coarse powder, acceptable to the Javanese of central andeastern Java) or "setanggi" (very fine powder, preferred by the Sundanese ofwesternJava). During my study I noted that every home industry has a special, well­guarded formula for its specific product, so that to the basic dough may be added"dilem," "pulasari," and cinnamon.

Basic dough for unfragrant incense. Old coconut shells are dried and poundedto a coarse powder. This powder is mixed with "meranti" or teak sawdust, "sin­tok" powder, and water to form an adhesive paste. Sugarcane waste or dried peelis often added (3). Perfume is not used in this process, and the further steps dependon the type of incense made, which is quite similar to the preparation of fragrantincense.

Ritual uses. There is no clear information about the exact time when incensecame into use. Hinduism, Buddhism, and the followers ofConfucius all use incensein their ritual ceremonies. Several Moslem groups in Java also use incense forcertain purposes, indicating that Hinduism and Buddhism have had a big influenceon the Moslem religion adopted by Javanese people in the past. These peoplebelieve that if incense is burnt at the same time as prayers are said, the smokeand the fragrant smell gives an air of dignity and respect to the environment. The

Page 4: Ethnobotany of the Javanese incense

416 ECONOMIC BOTANY [VOL. 44

Javanese Hindus and Moslems burn incense on Thursday nights because theybelieve this day to be holy (4).

The powder incense of "kemenyan" is burnt in the "pedupaan," a specialcontainer made from metal or clay. Incense burning was also practised withoutany religious significance but only to produce a pleasant atmosphere, e.g., in theuse of "ratus" for drying the hair of brides in the traditional Javanese weddingceremony, especially the "midodareni" ceremony (3). The Balinese burn driedleaves and twigs of edelweiss during religious ceremonies (2); the purpose of thisactivity is unknown, but the smoke produced strongly indicates its relationshipto incense burning.

I am grateful to Dr. Mien A. Rifai of Herbarium Bogoriense of Research Development Centre forBiology-LIPI, for assistance.

Literature Cited. (1) Boorsma, W. G. 1912. Reukwerk. Teysmania 23:308-329; (2) Hambali, G. G.1975. Peningkatan penelitian dan pengembangan prasarana peningkatan biologi. Laporan TekniklLernbaga Biologi Nasional-LIPI, Bogor; (3) Heyne, K. 1927. De nuttige planten van NederlandsIndie. 3rd ed. Vol. 1, 2. 'sGravenhage/Bandung; (4) Jasper, J. E., and Mas Pirngadie. 1916. Deinlandsche kuntnijverheid in Nederlandsch Indie. Vol. 4, 5. 'sGravenhage.

-Harini Sangat-Roemantyo, Research and Development Centre for Biology­LIPI, Jl. Juanda 18, Bogor, Indonesia.

Ethnobotanical Notes of Jose M. Cruxent from the Franco-Venezuelan Expe­dition to the Headwaters of the Orinoco River, 1951-1952.-Nearly 40 yr havepassed since the Franco-Venezuelan Expedition to the sources of the OrinocoRiver. This international, multidisciplinary venture generated five books (1, 2, 3,4, 5) and countless natural history specimens. Until recently, the majority of thebotanical specimens remained unstudied and stored in the fumigation room ofThe New York Botanical Garden (NY). In 1984 the senior author rediscoveredboxes containing just over 1000 collections made by Leon Croizat, principalbotanist for the expedition, and just over 300 collections made by archeologistJose Maria Cruxent. The Croizat collections are the subject of a paper by Holstand Todzia (6); the senior author is preparing a systematic account of the Cruxentmaterial. Most of the Croizat and Cruxent collections are ofwidespread, riverinetaxa, but they are significant nonetheless because they are from a remote andinfrequently visited area. Additionally, several new species have been describedand various new occurrence records for the Venezuelan Guayana have been notedfrom this material.

Only toward the end of the expedition, after Croizat became ill and had to tumback, did Cruxent begin to collect botanical specimens; his principal responsibilityhad been archeology. All of Cruxent's collections were made over a period of 18da (29 Dec 1951-15 Jan 1952) along the Rio Orinoco from its confluence withthe Rio Ugueto (2"08'N, 63°49'W) to Salto Bobadilla (2°B'N, 64"09'W) at anelevation of 340-450 m. Although he does not remember making the collections(letter from Cruxent to the senior author, 25 Sep 1984), the handwriting on thefield notes is unmistakably that of Cruxent. His botanical number series went to344, but only 321 specimens were found at NY. A study ofthis material revealedthat these 321 specimens represented 159 species. Of these, Cruxent recordedethnobotanical data on fully one-third (53 species), based principally on infor-