2nd International Conference on History Education 2018

MOVING SAMINISM AND FORMING IT LOCAL INTEREST OF SAMIN'S INDIGENOUS PEOPLE

Sudarmi, Eldi Mulyana University of Education [email protected] [email protected]

Abstract Samin is a cultural phenomenon that is full of meaning and message. The teachings of Saminism are rooted in Javanese philosophy and culture. This teaching emphasizes the importance of good, honest behavior, does not hurt others, obeys worship, always introspective, wise (Jatmiko) in wanting and making decisions and responsiveness and quickly overcoming natural disasters. The teachings of Samin then metamorphosed into a social movement that opposed the policies of the Dutch East Indies government, namely as a form of nonviolent moral movement to fight against the Dutch colonial government. The form of resistance of the Saminism movement towards the government produced a characteristic for the Samin community that distinguished it from the surrounding community. The life of followers of Samin Surosentiko that are different from most people, in general, causes them to withdraw from the general social community. The withdrawal of Samin followers from society in general eventually gave birth to groups of people who have their own culture, language, tradition, and religion. This phenomenon then gave birth to the local wisdom of the Samin Indigenous People based on the values of Saminism teaching. Keywords: Samin, Saminism, Local Wisdom Introduction Klopo Dhuwur. His teachings emphasize the The Samin community, with its various importance of good, honest behavior, not hurt- traditions and cultures, is one of the indigenous ing others, obeying worship, always being in- communities found in Central Province. trospective, wise (willing) in wanting and mak- Samin people can be found in the northern ing decisions and responsiveness, and quickly coastal region of East to around overcoming natural disasters. This teaching Teak forests in the North, Central and South later metamorphosed into a social movement Kendeng Mountains. They live around the teak that opposed the Dutch East Indies government forest or the edge of the village that is far from policy. Samin Surosentiko managed to inflame the community in general. Samin is a commu- the spirit of resistance to the Netherlands in nity group that adheres to the teachings of other forms outside of violence. The teachings Saminism. of Samin Surosentiko received a good re- Samin is considered a blurred portrait of sponse, and immediately attracted many people society because this community is synonymous from other villages around Klopo Dhuwur. with ignorance, backwardness, insubordina- They are joined together to rise against the ar- tion, atheism, disobedience, and non-coopera- bitrariness of the Dutch Colonial Government. tion. This view appears from the background of Resistance is carried out not physically but in the birth of this community, which began with the form of opposition to all regulations and a process of defiance of the Dutch colonial obligations that must be carried out by the peo- government carried out by its founder, Samin ple towards the Netherlands or the government, Surosentiko. The teachings of Saminism for example by not paying taxes. Carrying on by emerged as a reaction to the Dutch Colonial his opposing attitude, they then made their or- government, which was arbitrary towards in- der, customs, and habits. digenous people. Initially, Samin Surosentiko On the next trip, the Samin followers only spread kebatinan teachings rooted in Java- then began to withdraw from public life in his nese philosophy and culture in his birthplace village, refusing to contribute to the village-

209 2nd International Conference on History Education 2018 granary and refusing to graze livestock with and 139 km from the city of Semarang. Klopo other livestock. So, at that time, the Samin Dhuwur topography is in the form of lowland community was identified as a society that to hills. Most of the land is in the form of teak wanted to free itself from the great ties of tra- forest, this is because the location of the village dition controlled by the ruling elite, namely the of Klopo Dhuwur is in the karst area, besides colonial government. The efforts of the Samin that the land is also used for farming rice fields community to withdraw from public life were and fields. The Samin Indigenous Community one form of their rejection of the Dutch occupa- occupies the area of Dhuwur Klopo Village, tion. Dutch colonialism which took a very long Banjarejo District, , Central time increasingly dissolved the values and tra- Java Province. By Blora District Government, ditions of the people and made the Indonesian this Klopo Dhuwur Village was designated as people forced to swallow what was adopted by the Customary Village of Samin. Klopo the colonial as its ruler. Therefore, the Samin Dhuwur village has an area of approximately Community strives to maintain and preserve its 687.5 ha. Administratively, Klopo Dhuwur values even though it must be isolated from out- Village is bordered by Gedongsari Village in side life. the north, state forest in the south, Sumber Carrying on by his attitude, then the fol- Agung Village in the west and Blora City Dis- lowers of Samin Surosentiko made their order trict in the east. This village is at an altitude of of life that was different from society in gen- 75m above sea level. The distance of the vil- eral. They then formed an indigenous commu- lage from the central government of Blora City nity known as Wong Samin or Sedulur Sikep. is about 9 km, and 139 km from the city of Life in this community by adhering to the Semarang. Klopo Dhuwur topography is in the teachings of Samin Surosentiko. The values form of lowland to hills. Most of the land is in contained in the teachings of Saminism that are the form of teak forest, this is because the loca- believed by this group then transform into a tion of the village of Klopo Dhuwur is in the characteristic that distinguishes it from society karst area, besides that the land is also used for in general. Gradually the way of life, culture, farming rice fields and fields. values, norms, and customs that developed in Once you hear the word Samin, the ma- this community finally transformed into a form jority of people will think negatively. Samin in of local wisdom of the Samin Indigenous peo- the view of many people is described as a per- ple. Local wisdom that should be preserved son who is strange, opposing, disobedient, and because it is full of good values, although there stupid, does not keep up with the times, isolates are some that conflict with religious norms and himself and closes himself in their community. the government. With the background of these Outsiders have thought of them as an innocent conditions, the authors are interested in bring- group, like to steal, refuse to pay taxes, do not ing up the theme "Saminism Movement and the want patrols, do not want to pay for tickets, and Establishment of Samin Indigenous People's become material for jokes. Being stupid Local Wisdom". (mbodoni) is also a characteristic of the Samin. Negative views about the Samin Society arose Saminism Movements History from the attitude of the Dutch Colonial govern- The Samin Indigenous Community oc- ment towards Samin Surosentiko, the pioneer cupies the area of Dhuwur Klopo Village, Ban- of the teachings of Saminism. According to the jarejo District, Blora Regency, Central Java Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) re- Province. By Blora District Government, this searcher Sutamat Arybowo (2009), some Klopo Dhuwur Village was designated as the Dutch colonial records mention that Kyai Customary Village of Samin. Klopo Dhuwur Samin Surosentiko as a dissident, rebel, always village has an area of approximately 687.5 ha. opposed the government. Kover (1976, p. 250) Administratively, Klopo Dhuwur Village is tells us that in the beginning the Samin move- bordered by Gedongsari Village in the north, ment was aimed at restoring access and use of state forest in the south, Sumber Agung Village forests and another public land; elimination of in the west and Blora City District in the east. taxes and employment; the cancellation of all This village is at an altitude of 75m above sea types of new village regulations introduced by level. The distance of the village from the cen- the Dutch colonial government together with- tral government of Blora City is about 9 km,

210 2nd International Conference on History Education 2018 the birth of ethical, political policies. The begin- Samin's teachings then developed into a moral ning of the conflict between Samin Surosentiko movement without violence as a form of re- and his followers with the Dutch Colonial gov- sistance to the Dutch colonial government. ernment according to Benda and Castle (1969, In 1905 when the movement carried out p. 211) began in 1905 when Samin and his fol- by the Samin Society under the leadership of lowers withdrew from the general life of his Surosentiko was increasingly heating up and village — refusing to donate the village began to spread in the surrounding area, the granary, refusing to give taxes and refusing to Dutch government then took action to repress put their cattle or buffalo in public cages with it by arresting the leaders of the Samin move- other residents who were not Samin. Tax status ment to exile them then. In 1907, Samin changes from the obligation to be voluntary, Surosentiko and eight of his followers were ar- even Samin alone stops paying taxes as a rested by Assistant Wedana Randublatung, whole, "About 1905 this started to change: the Raden Pranolo. The arrest of Kyai Samin itself Saminists began to withdraw from common was only 40 days after he was appointed by his village life, refusing to contribute to rice banks followers as the Queen of Justice (fair king) or to keep their animals with the common herds. with the title Prabu Suryongalam. Samin They are paid taxes, making it known, how- Surosentiko and eight of his followers were ever, that they are not recognized as obligatory, then arrested and then burned the limestone, but merely as voluntary contributions. Samin, then taken to Rembang after finally being he had stopped paying taxes, but he told his fol- dumped in , West . Since then, lower's hart". Samin Surosentiko never set foot in Java until Initially, Samin Surosentiko only he finally died in 1914. spread kebatinan teachings rooted in Javanese Apart from all things that are negative philosophy and culture in his birthplace Klopo and inherent in the person of Samin, in reality, Dhuwur. His teachings emphasize the im- the Samin Society is known as a person who is portance of good, honest behavior, not hurting innocent, simple, upholds honesty, is there a others, obeying worship, and always being in- hard worker and conscientious. They are a trospective, wise (willing) in wanting and mak- group of people who want to be free and un- ing decisions and responsiveness and quickly willing to be bound or pressured by the govern- overcoming natural disasters. This teaching is ment or anyone. Samin people talk and associ- taught to the people around Samin ate with anyone and consider it as "sedulur" Surosentiko's residence. However, this teach- (brother). They are farmers and hard workers ing was later accepted and followed by the who can work with anyone but do not interact wider community and spread to the surrounding much with people outside their community. villages. Suripan (1996, p. 14) states that at that The Samin community tried to fulfill all their time the Dutch colonial government had not own needs, including in matters of clothing, so been interested in Samin's teachings, because that they could be free from the textile crisis the teachings were still considered kebatinan during the Japanese occupation. This fact is by teachings or new religions that did not disturb the writings of Benda and Castles (1969, p. security. In the course of Samin's teachings, 218), as follows: this metamorphosed into a social movement that opposed the Dutch East Indies government “The Saminists were described as inof- policy. According to Sholeh and Anis Ba'asyin fensive and scrupulously honest; they (2014, pp. 20-21) after the colonial government sought to be free from all bonds and began to stipulate new regulations which were would not take orders from anyone. increasingly detrimental to the people, such as They addressed everyone democrati- houtvesterijen status in 1897 which restricted cally as sedulur ("brother"). They were people's access to the forest, and prohibited industrious as farmers, cooperating taking wood from within Forest. Then also the well with one another, but not exchang- Etische Politiek in 1901, which turned out that ing much with outsiders; weavers of the programs were nothing but for the interests their cloth, they had survived the textile of the colonial nation and finally made the peo- shortage of the Japanese occupation ple around Samin's residence increasingly in- better than others”. terested in following Samin's teachings.

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The life of followers of Samin Although people's views on members of Surosentiko that are different from most peo- the Samin indigenous community are generally ple, in general, causes them to withdraw from negative, the Samin teachings are still main- the general social community. Aside from be- tained by members of this community and are ing a form of protest to the Dutch colonial gov- part of the uniqueness of the community. They ernment for their arbitrary actions at that time, continue to maintain the values of Samin's they also wanted to carry out the teachings of teachings and make them as guidelines for life Saminism that they believed in. They chose to and guidance for behaving towards other com- live in the Teak forest around the Kendeng munities. Ethical basic principles for the peo- Mountains, Blora, Central Java. The Samin ple of Samin in the form of taboos for not being Surosentiko followers then formed an indige- drunk (making slander), bed linen; (greedy), nous Samin community whose life was tar- panasten (easily offended or hated others), geted at Samin's teaching values. These Samin dawen (indicted without proof), cool (jeal- teaching values are the background for the birth ousy/envy, desire to own goods owned by of the local wisdom of the Samin indigenous someone else), nyiyo marang is ashamed or community around the Kendeng Mountains in acts contemptuously towards fellow residents, Central Java. and beats rickety iku dulure, waton menungso tour gelem in nd sedulur or may not waste other Method people even though the disability because the By the problems and objectives of writ- origin of man is brother and want to be made ing, this paper was written using a qualitative brother, and say tacky (obscene, disrespectful, approach with a case study method and analy- etc.). sis from Max Weber, namely Verstehen. Verstehen is an approach method that seeks to 1) Life of Philosophy understand and understand the underlying The life philosophy of the Samin com- meanings and surround social and historical munity generally comes from the teachings of events or phenomena. Case study, according to Samin Surosentiko. The core teachings of Yin (2012, p.1) is an empirical inquiry that in- Samin Surosentiko are generally related to the vestigates phenomena in real-life contexts, the values of human life. The teachings of boundaries between phenomena and contexts Saminism were compiled in work entitled Serat do not appear explicitly, and multi-source evi- Jamus Kalimosodo. dence is utilized. The author uses the case study The principles of life that are also held method and the Verstehen approach because by the Samin community are: ethnic Samin is part of the Javanese tribe that a. Not attending school; has uniqueness and differences with Javanese b. Not wearing a cap like a Muslim, but using in general. To support problem- solving in this "head iket", as was the custom of the Java- paper, it is supported by secondary data derived nese in ancient times; from the results of previous research, which is c. No polygamy; equipped with textbook and internet sources. d. Do not wear trousers and only wear knee- length pants; Results and Discussion e. Instill character like instilling honesty; The life of the Samin Indigenous People f. Rejection of capitalism. is almost the same as the in general. They are very simple and depend on 2) Social Relations nature. Economic life is done by cultivating In terms of kinship, the Samin commu- land in teak forests in the area around nity has similarities with the Javanese kinship Randublatung, Blora Regency. Life needs are in general. It's just that they do not know the filled with farming and raising livestock. The relationship of blood or generation up after agricultural and livestock products are then ex- grandparents. Social relations with other com- changed for their daily needs. The Samin com- munity members are well interwoven. This is munity does not recognize trade. Because in because they adhere to the philosophy of life of the view of Samin's teachings in trade there the yen imbued lara, just njiwitwong, just mean will be many lies found. marang sepadha, the people choose kudu-

212 2nd International Conference on History Education 2018 mbalekna, wong kangu must be over. This ex- To cope with pest attacks on agricul- pression also means don't like to hurt other peo- tural crops, the community uses a subtle ple if you do not want to be hurt by others. That method, namely by providing food by what is humans are the same, and there is no difference. needed. Because insects also need food for With this philosophy, they always do well to their survival, they do not kill these pests but others, maintain relationships with relatives, instead feed them with offerings. Because in and do not hurt others. Nor does it take what is the view of people Samin animals damage not his right and return if it is not his. The prin- plants because “butuh urip lan butuh mangan” ciple of a harmonious and harmonious life is (life needs food). what causes the family relationship between the Samin communities to be well interwoven. 5) Spatial The Samin community recognizes the 3) Home Architecture environmental units around their settlements Like other communities, Samin people based on their form and function. An under- also need a house as their place of residence. standing of the shape and function of land units The Samin community calls home as a place to is realized in various activities carried out in stay because that is where all the family mem- their daily lives. The Samin community unit bers live and where to store their food. In the consists of yards, fields, fields, rivers, swamps, view of the Samin community, mondokan is a and forests. "school" that is a place to convey good teach- The yard is the most important land in ings and norms of life. Therefore, the existence the daily activities of the Samin community be- of formal schools is not mandatory for the cause in the yard there is a house or residence, Samin community. which is the main space in carrying out daily Samin traditional house has several activities. Whereas forest land is not far from characteristics and uniqueness, namely: their settlement, which is around 1-2 km. The a. The house is simple, made of wood, roofed Samin community considers that the presence with tiles, and the walls are made of wood, of forests in the future is very important, and and some are made of bamboo (gedhek); hopes that forest conditions can be better so b. The base of the Samin traditional house is that the adequacy and availability of water for grounded; their agricultural activities is maintained. c. Inside the house is also stored cattle food Samin's community forestry practices can be from straw; seen in everyday life. They are accustomed to d. All house properties are still very simple. taking firewood, wood tools for making and re- e. pairing houses, pasturing cows and livestock, 4) Environment making them upland fields to be planted with The views of the Samin community on crops, all of which are done in forest areas. For- the environment are very positive. The Samin ests become common property, and anyone can community uses the environment by consider- use them as long as they have not been opened ing the principle of harmony, balance, and har- or converted into agricultural land. Because mony. The Samin community has carried out forests that have been processed into agricul- the practice of managing the environment for tural land can only be inherited and cannot be generations. They divide and manage various sold. environmental units around them based on their function to sustain life. For samin sawah people 6) Art is the only land that can be managed inten- In the Samin community, a performance sively. Rice fields according to people are like art called Tayup developed. Tayup Dance is a husband and wife. The word 'rice field' means popular dance for the Samin community. This wife, while male is 'rice field owner'. Work as dance is usually performed in pairs by men and a farmer is a form of 'interaction' between women accompanied by Javanese gamelan and ‘sawah’ and ‘owner sawah’ between wife and songs sung by Waranggono, whose poetry is husband. Therefore, they consider being a conditional on advice and teachings. The fe- farmer is a noble job, it must be lived with all male dancers in the tayub show are often called his soul. tledhek, taledhek, or ledhek.

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Another art that is also preserved by the done with the intention of "the money that Samin community is the Tengul Puppet. the Lord has not yet existed". Wayang Tengul is a typical Blora puppet art in- b. Family Institution. In this institution, there is cluding 3-dimensional Samin accompanied by a customary marriage. In terms of marriage, pelog or slendro gamelan. This puppet is made the Samin community is endogamy, which is of buffalo skin. There is no special story in the to marry the members of their group. The Tengul Puppet show, the story revolves around principle of adoption is monogamy. This is the era of Majapahit, Pancawala, BrataLaras, because, in principle, the Samin community etc. prohibits polygamy. The Samin community holds the principle of "one wife for eternity" 7) Institution as the foundation of marriage is an agree- In the life of our society, there are sev- ment between a man and a woman. eral institutions that bind their lives, such as re- c. Economic Institution. Samin's livelihoods ligious institutions, family institutions, legal are from the agricultural sector. They open institutions, educational institutions, and eco- agricultural land in the middle of the forest nomic institutions. to be planted with paddy and palawija. The a. Religious Institutions. For Samin people, re- Samin community also maintains cattle-like ligion is a view of life and must be followed. cattle, which they use to help hijack the rice The Samin community does not embrace any fields, besides that the goats, chickens, and of the official religions in Indonesia. Samin other animals are also well maintained by Surosentiko provides the teachings of Shiva- the Samin community. Buddhism as a syncretism between Hindus d. Educational Institution. The Samin commu- and Buddhists. However, on the course of the nity considers that education is less im- teaching is influenced by Islamic teachings portant. The level of illiteracy and illiteracy derived from the teachings of Syeh Siti Jenar of the Samin community is very high. This brought by his student, Ki Ageng Pengging. is because they hold the principle of Samin's The religion of the Samin community is the teachings which say that the Samin commu- religion of Adam. Like any other religious nity cannot attend school. religion, Samin also teaches good things, es- e. Legal Institution. Legal institutions in the pecially about humanity. It is seen in the Samin community are less likely to func- expression of the Samin people who say tion, this is because of the reluctance of the Religion is a weapon, Adam said, man is a people to trust the government so that what- man of war, which means that religion is a ever their government has denied, the weapon or a living. Through religion, the Samin people who hold their religious Samin people believe that everything is gov- teachings firmly, the cultivation of the hon- erned and the rule can be used as living about est attitude of the meat makes the people do other human beings. The life span covers not deviate. things that can or cannot be done. In society, there is no religious leader, all built and be- Conclusion lieved by each individual, or governed by the Samin is a community group that ad- community itself. The teaching of Samin is a heres to the teachings of Saminism. Samin peo- movement of meditation and the exertion of ple can be found in the northern coast region of inner strength to combat desires. So far, there East Central Java to around Teak forests in the has never been any conflict in the Samin North, Central and South Kendeng Mountains. community because its citizens uphold the The followers of Samin Surosentiko withdrew sense of tolerance and never quarrel. The from the lives of the people in general in order Samin community also performs prayers, to maintain and preserve the cultural values and only the prayers performed are not the same teachings of Samin, which he believed. They as other religious people. Followers of gather to form a community in a region that ul- Samin perform prayers in meditation for 2 or timately produces its own culture, traditions, 3 minutes facing east. Meditation is done 4 and customs based on the teachings of times a day, i.e. morning at 06.00, when the Saminism. This phenomenon then gave birth to sun rises; at midnight sun culmination; at the local wisdom of the Samin Indigenous Peo- 18:00 sunset; and at midnight. Meditation is ple based on the values of Saminism teachings.

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Local wisdom which is a form of values of the life of the Samin community that is believed to this day. Local wisdom that touches all sides of the life of the Samin Indigenous people.

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