"Kota Tua", as people call it. It is named for an old Jakarta area where old, beautiful, yet sturdy buildings were constructed. These old buildings, now are functioned as museums. One of them is the museum that I visited to find the object for this task, Museum Fatahillah. In that museum, there is a silent witness of the struggle of human survival, that is the museum's collection of "traditional Javanese kitchen tools". This simple collection of museums that I will try to lift as the theme of this simple writing about my visit to the museum.
KITCHEN EQUIPMENT IN HUMAN CIVILIZATION
The objects are arranged quite neatly in the corner of a room near a window. Apparatus for cooking appears to mediocrity, as do some other things that are there. Maybe because we already used to seeing similar things in our daily lives. But surely stands to reason, why it became one of the museum collection.
We know that human made a tool with an aim to overcome the problems they faces. Man-made tools eventually becomes an important element and a witness to identify patterns of human life that uses it. Similarly, the existence of these tools in the museum. It is intended as a means or medium which specifically provides an illustration to us of the essential elements of human civilization in order to meet the basic need of life. That is the human effort to transform the raw materials obtained from nature into products that benefit themselves, their families, or community where he resides. In this case the product are food or dish that can be served everyday. The tools used in the production process is called kitchen appliances, because the location of these tools in the kitchen.
Activities using these equipment takes place repeatedly and passed down from one generation to the next generation. So that it becomes part of the tradition of a particular community group. Kitchen utensils are the most basic part of the "production process" conducted by each family in each environment. Almost every house have it. The type and variety of the tools maybe adapted to the needs of each family. In traditional societies with one another, there could be a similarity in terms of kitchen equipment. Perhaps because of the production process is almost the same. For example, the process of cooking the rice, they generally use almost the same shape.
At the time I first saw the kitchen appliances are on display there, my memory went back on the experience following the Observation Trip (abbreviated TO) when I was in class X. Because I saw a stove, kettle, pitcher, cormorant, jars, siwur, irus, and others there. Same with the equipment I met in Kampung Pasir Muncang in Purwakarta - West Java, at the time I lived in the villagers house for 5 days following the TO activities in 2009. Although the kitchen appliances on the display in the museum were came from Central Java, it turns out there are many similarities or even common with kitchen utensils used by the traditional societies of West Java. Indeed, among the Javanese and Sundanese their culture have a lot of similarities, because they are geographically contiguous. Also there are not much different circumstances in their environment, so that the materials used to manufacture various life tools are the same, including for the manufacture of kitchen appliances. Namely by utilizing natural ingredients that are easy to obtain from its natural surroundings.
There are some kitchen appliances are made of baked clay, also called pottery or earthenware, as pots (crock), Pengaron (like a wok), etc. Some are made from coconut shell part of the puree and given a bamboo handle, let siwur(scoop), irus (ladle), Sutil (serok). Some are made with leather materials such as bamboo Tampah, basket, baskets, and so on. As for equipment such as heated on the stove and kettle or steamer pot, made of copper and other alloys.
Manufacturing technology tools such as very simple and is traditionally passed downfrom one generation to the next generation to this day. So that we can still find it onmost of our traditional communities in Indonesia, especially in the countryside. But along with the progress of human civilization such as the kitchen equipment is starting to be abandoned and replaced with more modern kitchen appliances.
KITCHEN EQUIPMENT IN THE KINGDOM OF HINDU, BUDDHIST AND ISLAMIC
In the excavation of historical sites of former Hindu, Buddhist, and Islamic kingdoms, in Central Java and East Java, many evidence of human life civilizations in those days were founded. Among them are historical objects (artifacts) such as krewengor fragments of pottery / pottery. From a more in-depth studies by archaeological experts (archaeologists), note that kreweng or fragments of pottery is partially derived from any part or fractional various medium or device for cooking and some are from other home appliances as well as the fractional tile or walls of the building at the time it was used. From the results of a successful reset performed by the archaeologists, it turns out some kitchen appliances - pottery - which existed at that time, have a likeness or similar pottery in museum collections.
Kitchen appliances would not only be used for household purposes, but also used for larger purposes. Traditionally it still can be seen especially in the villages when mutual aid is being carried out, followed by all inhabitants. Then an public kitchens were also held o support such activities. Any large-scale activities can only be done properly if adequate logistical support are available. As a support for activity in normal and peaceful, and have an important role in special operations including the state of war. Logistics are derived from common kitchen directly related to the biological needs of the most fundamental human needs are met to eat and drink that meets the health requirements. That's where the biggest role of kitchen equipment as the main means of production process.
History had recorded how the importance of logistics as defined above in the strategy of war. An interesting example is when the kingdom of Mataram attacked Dutch-controlled Batavia. In 1628, Sultan Agung of Mataram, king of Mataram islamic kingdom, based in Yogyakarta, deployed two bergodo (Brigade level) of its navy to attack Batavia. Led by Tumenggung Baureksa and Tumenggung agul-agul Sura, and assisted by Tumenggung Mandureja and Tumenggung Upasanta. Large-scale attack was carried out after the leaders of Mataram troops Kyai Rangga (Tumenggung Tegal) failed to took over Banten in April 1628. For the purposes of war, Tumenggung Baureksa was carrying 50 boat equipped with war supplies of rice, paddy, coconut, sugar and various needs of everyday life. However, because the mileage is pretty far away and the travel times were long, then this attack could be thwarted by the Dutch. In various historical sources mentioned that they might lose in arms, but even more ironic is the fact that they defeat to Dutch were caused by shortage of logistics needed to maintain the stamina of the troops. June 20, 1629 Mataram tried once again to expel the Dutch from Batavia. Mataram deploy infantry troops led by Kyai Juminah Duke, Duke Purbaya Kyai and Kyai Puger Duke who also assisted by Tumenggung Singaranu, Raden Aria Wiranatapada, Tumenggung Madison and Kyai Sumenep, to invade Batavia. Learned from mistakes in the first battle, Mataram then prepared logistics for the troops in a mature and well system before the offensive movement carried. Along the route to Batavia courtier has been sent in advance for providing logistical supply troops. History recorded the logistics supply of the troops were surrounding the area of Mataram Tegal, Cirebon, Indramayu, Karawang and Jakarta (base camp in Jakarta are in the area Babelan). The story of the Mataram battle is proving pivotal role played by logistics in a war.
To support the needs of the kitchen equipment and tableware made of clay or earthenware, then the path traveled by Mataram forces became the places of pottery industry. As we can still see today, among them are the area of South Jatiwangi, Cirebon, and the surrounding villages Krawang, West Java.
SUCH EQUIPMENT TODAY
There are many different reasons why some traditional kitchen equipment are still used today. Some of them were used as an addition to a more modern kitchenappliances. Some people are using it as a unique and interesting items to be used as an exotic decoration. Traditional kitchen utensils and tableware can be found at some restaurant with traditional nuisance. Some types of traditional kitchene quipment is still used or developed until now. One of these tools is the furnace.
Furnaces are devices that have similar functionality to the stove, which is a source of heat when cooking process are conducted. In addition to the forms, stoves and furnaces also have differences in terms of fuel used. Stoves using LPG or kerosene as fuel, while furnaces using firewood. Now, the furnace is still used in rural areas, perhaps because the furnace is the legacy of their ancestors, could also be due to the low cost of manufacture, or because of the ease of looking for firewood in rural areas. In addition there are several restaurants in the country or place of manufacture of a typical food in urban areas still exist that use the furnace. Their reasoning is because the furnace can maintain a more delicious flavor than the use of the stove, there is also desirable because the food can only be made using a stove.
Muhammad Adi Nugroho
XII IPA 1
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