About Reyog Ponorogo Part 10

The word Reog stems from the word ROG. ROG is the same as REG. ROG is also the same as YOG.

ROG may become erog, herog, rog-rog asem (to rock a tamarind tree).

REG may become horeg, reg-regan.

YOG may become hoyog, oyog, and so on.

 All have the same meaning of “shake” or “quake”.

The examples in sentences are as follows:

1.   Wit kembang Srigadhing mau dierog bocah-bocah.

      The Srigadhing flower tree was shaken by the children (so that the flowers fall down).

2.   Omah sing dhoyong kae saiki wis dihoyog.

      The tilting house has now been reset upright (by reinforcing it with wooden supports and shifting it upright little by little).

3.   Yen ana montor liwat lemahe bisa horeg.

      When there is an automobile passes by the earth shakes.

      Considering the origin of the word REYOG itself, it is presumed that the birth of reyog art was when there was an unrest (shaking) situation in Ponorogo. Now it is necessary to investigate when Ponorogo underwent such a situation. Most likely reyog was deliberately invented with the purpose of coping with the situation. According to the history of Ponorogo (the Babad Ponorogo book written by R. Rasad, published in 1938), it is mentioned that indeed Ponorogo had once undergone such a situation.

      The story tells that in Kutu Village (in Jetis District, Ponorogo) there lived a master who was wellknown in the entire village and as far a field as distant areas, for his various abilities. Ki Ageng Suryongalam was his name. Ordinary people call him Ki Ageng Kutu. In accord of his position as a master, as well as a demang (village chief) he always wore his attires of grandeur of:

1.    Black coat of “sogok upil” type.

2.    A “destar” with “mondholan” (a headdress with an egg-like fold at the back side).

3.    Long black trousers.

4.    A big belt, and

5.    A “bebet” (long cloth) which was folded up that the trousers and the “usus-usus” (long white waist cord) were visible.

      The set of grandeur attires were the clothes of warok also, and was worn occasionally. Ki Ageng Kutu had a sizeable number of students. Mysticism was well learnt. As previously mentioned, when someone learnt or possessed a knowledge of mysticism women were the abstinence. Therefore these men had young boys to be kept and taken care of like their wives. It was the custom that a boy was kept by a group of men. In Ponorogo, the boy was called gemblakan.

      There were many groups of men in society. These people had homosexuality practices. The impact was that there were a lot of fights and disputes among these groups of people, which basically were caused by these lovely young boys. The fights involved spiritual knowledge of mysticism. The spread of mysticism brought forth ignorance to a lot of men to get married. The situation brought impact to an unrest situation which could lead to destruction. This was said by Raden Katong when he failed to conquer Ki Ageng Kutu on his first attack.

      The above description is supported by the following explanation:

The word REYOG is not different from the word RIYEG or REYOD. Riyeg or reyod means ‘damaged/ destroyed’. The example are in the following sentences:

1.   Sedhan sing nabrak wit asem iku dadi riyeg babar pisan.

      The sedan car which hit the tamarind tree is completely destroyed.

2.   Kranjange wis reyod, ojo dinggo wadhah suket maneh.

      The basket is damaged, don’t use it for grass container anymore.

Thus, the word reyog indicates the presence of destruction or unrest in society of Ponorogo then. The situation could bring forth a name or a call, which later on was given to a folk art born in a moment of such situation, which is Reyog Ponorogo