Gunungan: The Javanese cosmic mountain

Type Thesis

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Summary

The Gunungan/Kayon (mountain-like thing) is the Javanese cultural symbol of the cosmic mountain which is the Javanese universe. It is an archetypal symbol of being which emerged at the beginning of time. Among the Javanese there are various things which symbolize the Archetype. A natural mountain or volcano called Gunung may symbolize this Archetype and so do man-made things such as a cooked rice mountain or a mound, and carved wood, or leather puppet, or even a simple triangle painting on wood or cloth. This dissertation is about a complex symbol called the Gunungan and/or Kayon which is the focus of all Javanese rites of passage and intensification. The rites of passage according to Van Gennep (1960) are initiations to promote one to a new status due to his/her natural and/or social development as determined in this case by the Javanese culture. Whereas rites of intensification are rituals which are held due to the recurrences of certain events such as seasonal harvests. In Javanese culture all of these rituals are based on myths which serve as modes of social, cultural, and spiritual communication. These communicative intentions are transmitted through symbols manifested as gestures, prayers, songs, plays, offerings etc. In Java, the most important symbol is the Gunungan.