A Very Special Invitation

A VERY SPECIAL INVITATION

            I have a cousin who works as a narrator of traditional Javanese theater.  His name is Sukarjo.  He lives in the outskirt of Yogyakarta, the center of Javanese culture.  He is a graduate of Habiranda,   a school for narrator of Javanese theater or wayang kulit in Javanese language.  He used to work for the state-owned  railway company but as he retired he works fully as a narrator.  He is also the chairman of association of traditional artist in his district.  This art is still very popular among the Javanese community.  On certain occasions like birth, circumsicion, wedding, anniversary or even graduation from college people perform the theater.  Good narrators are well paid.  So are good musicians and singers.  So many people can make their living by joining clubs of wayang kulit or musicians and dancers.  Some narrators may play two or three times a week.  The best ones will get up to 100 million IDR (about $ 10,000) per night for the whole team, including musicians, singers and technicians.  Usually they play for about eight hours, start at nine and finish at five the next morning.

            When I come home I always come to see my cousin.  The topic of our conversations, besides family and politics, is Javanese culture.  More specifically about Javanese theater.  I am his fan.  When I was a kid I used to watch him play.  Now I live far from him so it is impossible for me to watch his performance again.  But when we meet I always ask many questions and he patiently explain to me.  Once I asked him about his experience of communicating with the invisible world since I often heard rumors that some narrators have specific ability to communicate with invisible beings.  This is what he told me some years ago.

            One day to men came to see him.  One of them was very handsome and polite.  He spoke very politely in Javanese language.  This language is the local language, not only dialect, of the Javanese people.  It is different from and more complicated than Indonesian language, the national language.  He said that he represented the chief of a neighboring district  who wanted to perform the theater.  He said that everything will be provided by the host and that someone will meet them later.  Sukarjo was a little surprised when he said that someone will pick them up but he will come on foot.  Sukarjo tried to understand because he said he lives nearby so there is no need to worry.

            Sukarjo then contacted his team of musicians and singers.  On the d day his team came in the afternoon.  As usual before leaving he gave brief  informations and instructions to them.  He told them that they would perform in a nearby place.

‘We will perform in a neighboring village, but I don’t know the place.  Someone will pick us up somewhere.  So we just go on foot.  Since I don’t know them well I must tell you that we must be very careful.  I suggest you not to eat their food and not to drink their beverages.  Take some bottles of mineral water and some snacks.’ 

            Sukarjo then gave them some bottles of mineral water and snakcs.  Minutes later they left on foot.  Shortly after that they got to a lonely small road.  It was dark.  Suddenly somone greeted them.

‘Good evening, Mr Sukarjo I suppose ?’

‘Yes, I am Sukarjo’

‘I am expecting you.  I will guide you to Mr Lurah’s house.  Please follow me’

            Several minutes later they got to a luxurious house.  Everybody was surprised because they never know the house although they lived nearby.  Mr Lurah gave them a warm welcome.  The stage was great.  Before nine they were ready on the stage.  Then at nine o’clock they started their performance.  The musicians played first then the narrator followed.  That night they played a fragment of the famous Indian epic of Mahabarata.  During the show the host served many kinds of food and drinks to Sukarjo’s team.  But Sukarjo did not even touch them.  His team members ate and drank a lot.  They were on their peak performance so the show was a success.  Everybody was happy and satisfied.  The show ended at five in the morning. 

            The host then met them and gave them something.  They were all shocked when he gave them turmeric instead of money.  Although some people were disappointed, they received it without complaint.   Then the host said.

‘Thank you very much for the great show.  We are all very satisfied.  Someone will guide you home before sunrise.  Just follow him.  But please don’t look back and don’t speak impolitely’.

            Then the guy who took them there came.  He said the same thing.  As they walked home, a musicians who was disappointed with the payment expressed his feeling.  He looked back and said:

‘That man is very stingy.  This is not normal.  People always paid us with money.   We performed for the whole night and he gave us only with one turmeric.  I will never come here again’.

            Just as he finished saying his words, suddenly he found himself in the river.  All his friends were safe in the river bank.  The guy who guided them suddenly disappeared. When he was safe then Sukarjo said.

‘Look at your turmeric!’

            They were all surprised when they saw that their turmeric had turned into gold!

‘How can it changed into gold? Someone asked.

‘No, it did not changed into gold.  But it looked like turmeric in the other world.  everything looked different there.  What looked like delicious food are not human food.  That’s why I told you not to eat and drink.  I know you ignore my warning’.

            They realized that  they had performed in another world.  Perhaps it was not far from Sukarjo’s house but in was in different dimension.