Refusing to Just Mourn, ‘Punakawan’ Joins Fight Against COVID-19

Name: Refusing to Just Mourn, ‘Punakawan’ Joins Fight Against COVID-19
Uploaded: 2020-05-19T05:12:05Z
Duration: 20 min 32 s
Description: Amid the Covid-19 epidemic, Semar, Petruk and Gareng were unwilling to just mourn and wanted to join the fight against the epidemic together.

Amid the Covid-19 epidemic, Semar, Petruk and Gareng were unwilling to just mourn and wanted to join the fight against the epidemic together.

ABDULLAH FIKRI ASHRI

· 7 minutes read

Semar, Petruk and Gareng finally left their cosmic dwellings and descended on Cirebon, West Java. They were not about to perform on the stage. Amid the Covid-19 epidemic, they were unwilling to just mourn and wanted to join the fight against the epidemic together.

Under the hot sun on Tuesday (12/05/2020), the punakawan (the comical character in Javanese puppet show) walked along Jl Kangraksan, Cirebon municipality. The character of Semar was played by Agus Badut, 61; Ijot, 57, played Gareng and Ikhwan, 48, played Petruk.

Not only did they wear costumes but the artists also had their faces made up, from their lips to eyes, to resembling the punakawan. Agus, for example, had his stomach covered with a pillow to make him appear fat just like Semar. The difference was, they were wearing face masks and gloves, complying with Covid-19 health protocols. Descending on the earth amid the epidemic, they realized they had to follow the right procedure.

Please, close the shop.

Walking for about 1 kilometer, they came to the city to share information about the enforcement of large-scale social restrictions (PSBB), such as the obligation for shop owners to close their shops if their business was not related to pharmacy or staple foods on 6-19 May 2020.

"Please, close the shop. Otherwise, we will get hit by Satpol PP [public order police]," said Petruk to a shop owner who sells construction materials.

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The shop owner and the employees smiled. They never see the puppet characters, who originally serve as the advisers, entertainers and teachers for the knight puppets in the show, got hit by the Satpol PP officers, the enforcer of regional regulations. The shop was closed immediately. There was neither debate nor repressive measures.

The punakawan walked in the front, followed by some Satpol PP officers. The officers also explained the PSBB rules through a loudspeaker that was put on a car. They also played a song "Kota Cirebon" popularized by Diana Sastra, a famous singer of the local music tarling (guitar-flute).

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"If the Satpol PP officers walk in the front, the residents are feeling worried. Their uniforms bring [chilling] effect. If people see us first, they will laugh. Ha ha ha," Semar said. Eventually, the shop owners voluntarily closed their shop one by one to comply with the PSBB rules.

Indeed, there were one or two shop owners that refused to close their shops and eventually they received a warning letter from the officers. However, almost all businesspeople welcomed the punakawan. There danced and got photographed together. Even, the punakawan also distributed face masks to the residents. So they did not just appeal to people to wear masks, but also gave the solution.

Not infrequently they also cracked jokes. For example, Semar raised a question about whether the eyewear shop should be closed or open. "[It should open] otherwise people will hit something because they don’t wear glasses," Petruk replied while acting as if he was about to hit an electricity pole on the sidewalk.

Evy, 50, a construction material shop owner, appreciated the PSBB familiarization method. At first she wanted to protest against it, just like other vendors at a wholesale market in Cirebon as shown in a viral video on social media. "But after seeing them [punakawan], I don\'t get angry," said Evy, who stated she did not know that construction material shops are prohibited from operating during PSBB. She hoped the new coronavirus that causes Covid-19 could be overcome soon so that her shop can open again. After all, her four employees also need income to make a living.

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"Even if it is allowed to open now, the customers are extremely limited. People prioritize buying staple foods compared to purchasing construction materials. My turnover just dropped more than 50 percent. In fact, in one day, there was not a single buyer. It’s like we are unemployed," she said.

Cirebon Communication and Statistics Agency public communication head Ida Kurniasih said that the punakawan would get involved in the PSBB campaigns until 19 May in a more humane way. "We choose punakawan because this is local wisdom. They are still loyal amidst the hardship. During crisis like the epidemic now, let\'s befriend [with the punakawan]," she said.

Sadness behind smiles

Although often smiling, the fate of the three punakawan was apparently uncertain. The Covid-19 epidemic has taken their stage. Ikhwan, for example, had to lose 30 potential job orders after the government imposed the social restrictions, banning the public from creating crowds. Because of the policy, there was no job order for him to play as a clown, magician or storyteller at ceremonies.

That is why, when the Cirebon Information and Statistics Agency head Ma\'ruf Nuryasa called him to play as the punakawan for the PSBB campaign, Ikhwan immediately bought a batik cloth for his costume. He then asked Agus and Ijot to join and play the character of Semar and Gareng. Unfortunately, he did not find the right person for the Bagong character.

For Agus Badut, who lost 27 potential job orders, the call from Ikhwan was like an oasis in the middle of the desert. The father of 5 children and grandfather of 1 grandchild has been more than a month without income. In fact, from every show on stage as a clown or magician previously, he could earn Rp 250,000 to more than Rp 1 million.

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Making money becoming a clown since 1975, he said this epidemic was the hardest time for him. He is proud to play the character of Semar. According to him, like Semar, people must be patient and wiser during time of crisis like now. "We do not expect a high amount of honorarium. Therefore, we do not set tariffs. This is not a business. I am thankful to be able to earn money for eat. I hope I can pay off my debt at food stall," said Agus, who claimed to have performed in a show in front of President Suharto.

This hard time was also experienced by almost all people. Thus, repressive actions against shop owners who violated the PSBB policy were not wise. He said if the violation by the shop owners was met with strict measure, it would only trigger violence. "So, just like stone, the way to erode it should be using drops of water continuously. The people must be reminded with smiles. This is the way of art," he said.

Likewise, the method to fight the Covid-19 epidemic, it cannot be conducted hastily. It must be conducted patiently and wisely, just like Semar always does, and we must not create enemies, just like Petruk, and we keep witty to cheer each other up in the middle of distress, just like Gareng. Instead of blaming each other and taking the instant way to terminate Covid-19 without reliable data.

"I\'m not tired of going around because I like this job. Moreover, I am still too young as I am toothless," Ijot joked, smiling and showing his lack of teeth due to old age.

Cirebon-Indramayu cultural observer Sulistijo said, in wayang tradition in areas on Java’s north coast (pantura), the presence of Semar\' is believed to be able to prevent disaster, such as pest attacks in farming. "Semar understands what is happening on earth so that he knows how to end the pagebluk [plague]," he said.

I\'m not tired of going around because I like this job.

That is why Semar is also known as a true teacher and advisor to make someone remains in good behavior and deed. His face is often seen looking up, signifies the importance of remembering the Almighty up above.

Because of the importance of Semar\'s presence, if someone, let alone a leader, ignore it, disaster like pagebluk will come over. Lest the plague of Covid-19 is not over yet because we are impatient, unwise, blaming each other and are unwilling to listen to the advices from experts about this epidemic.

Editor:

Syahnan Rangkuti

quarantine covid-19 pandemic covid-19 pandemic work from home physical distancing covid-19 outbreak social restrictions large-scale social restrictions punakawan javanese puppet