Inge Schubart
Keris and tiger stories
In the second year of my work in Indonesia, I had a very varied life. Incidents, even outside the medical framework, are daily occurrences. Especially the conversations with Soepardjo, Renesse and Ishak gave me a good insight into the conditions of the country and also in the mentality of the population.
Ltn Renee, it seemed to me that the Asian magic and mysticism was totally forfeited by him I heard the strangest stories about Malay daggers. He once showed me his keris collection, which he had placed in a self-made shelf on an inner wall of his house. Each dagger tucked in a separate slot.
"Where can I get a keris, Renee?" I asked covetous, "I would like to have a real keris., you have so many, you can not sell me one, one of which can easily be separated?"
Vigorously and with raised eyebrows, he shook his head. "An Keris can not acquire, Doc, that's impossible A keris, jang bisa berdiri (one who can stand) is only the way to the people for whom it is specifically . This can not want that happening without our help. "
He made a long pause before he continued: "Look this," he gestured to a dagger whose pommel was artfully decorated with semi-precious stones, "I gave him earlier times a Dutch friend with, in the belief that the keris would be for appointed him. One night I woke up with a noise Rushing on., the keris was like a flaming comet flew into the room, without destroying something. course, I immediately realized that the keris was not intended for my friend. "
While I Renesse reported this fantastic story, I turned to him and went back to the shelf. Incredulous smile I said, "Dear Renesse, it is impossible that a dagger from Holland to Sumatra flying alone through the air, I can not believe that you must have only dreamed of."
Startled, I jumped when suddenly behind me with a loud crash the shelf from the wall broke.
Renesse indulgent smile: "Since you have the answer for a keris anything is possible."
I refused to accept what we had experienced as magical.
"Random, Renee, for me anyway this is pure coincidence. For other traditions and feelings are, but my European mentality is Paranormal simply not understandable, and therefore I look for natural causes."
"For me, this way of thinking quite strange," he said. "I firmly believe in the magical powers of a keris., But these powers relate only to the owners, they are not transferable. Keris Each has its special ability, it is created by the thoughts of the manufacturer in his work, which always happens in complete seclusion . A keris can protect against threats from natural disasters, diseases or from evil people, or it can protect children from harm. "
"Major Soepardjo said that anyone Keris is a unique masterpiece of craftsmanship. It surprises me very much that you can forge the curved blade of a dagger so accurate that they can stand on tip and pommel."
My conversations with Soepardjo revolved more around cultural and historical issues. It always amazed me that such a clever and subtle man as the Major was so strongly tied to mysticism. His character has given me more than the mystery of Renesse, which I thought was a fanciful dreamer.
One evening, shortly after the incident with the comet-dagger brought me a simple Renesse made out keris.
"It is not intended for you," he said. "This keris is your brother, it goes bad professionally., But as soon as he considers this keris in hand, he will reach dizzy heights in his field., But his life can not protect the keris."
"What makes you my brother?" I asked, puzzled. "We have still never talked about him. I have two brothers, but obviously you mean the older of the two, for he has professional difficulties."
"Not I, but the keris knew your brother tjukupla (which is enough)."
I had to think of Rachman Mashur, he also had pronounced this tjukupla with a special emphasis.
For the career of my brother Maximilian Renesse keris was right, despite all the skepticism. Max has actually accomplished extraordinary professional success. After his sudden death, I got the dagger back from my sister in law, I have never been able to bring him to a halt. But my own keris, the later my patient Djafri brought me something that could actually be the first time.
Djafri Tjurup had left many months ago, without having to pay his medical fees. This occurred frequently, and I forgot Djafri. He visited me and reminded of his guilt, which he now could not repay, but he had brought me a keris to compensate. I remember Renesse statement that a keris alone finds its way to a man for whom it is intended. Suspiciously, I looked at the non-surrender hope. The carved knob had no unusual appearance, he looked rather unimpressive, but the blade was swinging completed.
Djafri insisted:... "It belongs to you, he wanted to be you, so I had to get this keris will henceforth enable to assess the people around you it will be when it comes to your well-meaning people, but with unreliable, dubious characters you will never be able to bring the keris to a halt. keris The always tells the truth. "
Hesitantly, I tried to put the dagger in balance, which immediately effortlessly as playing succeed. The ghostly powers of my keris I have already tried curious on special occasions, although I have never believed in his powers. But strangely, my keris knew the truth.
My former chief physician Dr. Katner wrote me to our old Europe, the old continent dark, do not forget it would finally and finally our spiritual home.
How can one forget Europe? Where we grew up, where we have enjoyed our education. We have been influenced by the Western culture, which has left its mark on us. The Asian culture is subject to their own laws, and it shapes and influences the Europeans, who lives and works in the country and is forced to adapt to foreign conditions. It is living a different kind, with which we must deal. One can still so reluctant and even the incredulous shake your head, it is not possible to escape the Asian influence. Especially not if you want to participate in community life, and that is essential for a doctor. With the acclimatization gradually creates a familiarity with the local population, which in turn also used to the stranger. The confrontation with an alien culture forced to adapt to them, and that can only be achieved through constant effort and a continuing learning process.
In the ambulance to Ishak arguing with a patient whom I had just created a zinc paste bandage.
"What's the matter now going on?" I asked impatiently, because I could not follow the debate conducted in vernacular.
"The guy is lying!" claimed Ishak applied and tapped his fingers on the registered residence of the patient in the ambulance book. "In this Kampung no more people."
"? Why is that the man must know best, where he is at home," I suggested, but Ishak resisted decided on, "Wait, Doctor, I must tell you, the people of this Kampung earlier times have a. Tiger killed. every night And then the tiger came, they have avenged himself. "
"What do you mean Ishak How can retaliate Tiger, that's absurd."
"No, that's exactly right., The Tigers have night dragged the sleeping from their huts, some were lying mangled, others have disappeared without trace, it really was like the villagers grabbed the horror they have everything and left and have moved away. If you do not believe me, then we can go there once, really, this is an abandoned desa (small town), there lives no man. "
Our patient confirmed Ishaks statements: "It is true what the manteri (nurse) says the people in Kampung were evil, one and all Allah knows that I am pure of heart, so I did not have to leave my hometown A tiger kills only... those who are not pure in heart. "
Comment, I took these typical Indonesian interpretation note, however, gave the Ishak faith. He wore the controversial Kampung treatment in a book.
On one of my trips I took a sick day the detour and visited the lone surviving patients, the heart was pure. Ishak with him and I roamed the extinct tiger village. In the abandoned huts the doors were open, home appliance and Tikar lay on the ground, here and there, a lie serene cookware or even a tea kettle, which surprised me, because it is precisely these objects are vital to the poor orang desa (rural residents). Ishak gave me a meaningful look, which should give me to understand well how apparently fled the former inhabitants had to leave their homes. Although startled me the sight of this deserted settlement, but the revenge of the big cats but I did not take at face value.
It was rare that we met on our jungle trips loner. Some simply asked memintah ikut (Please bring your own), others silently raised his hand. Of course, I stopped every time.
Ishak responded in his own way: "You never know, if you help a tiger people."
I looked at him in surprise: "Tiger People How do you mean?" His other explanations amazed me even more.
"This dumb who only lift the hand," he said seriously, "Ghosts of tigers in human form. At some bend in the road are to rise from you and dissolve into nothing, but at a certain primeval place they will return to Tigers, who then in DISTRESSED help people out of gratitude that people have brought to their destination. "
As always with such stories as Ishak smiled. Once he said he was sorry that he could not really bring me close to the secrets of his country. My realistic assessment made it impossible for me to recognize the truth of his stories. Still, if I had again dropped one of the silent, unobtrusive figures somewhere where there were no human settlements in the area, I looked in the rearview mirror to see if they resolved themselves. But this dumb always remained rooted to the spot, until I lost it after a bend in the road out of sight.
Through the mysterious accident of a patient one day I was reminded of the Tiger people. Earlier than usual, we had finished the consultation. The sun was already low in the gray, overcast sky west, it had stopped raining. I chatted for a while with Sumiati and Ishak, as our manteri Anwar phone reported an accident, about ten kilometers away.
We took the Chevrolet ambulance and took Anwar Wenoto and Cornelius with. Move the manteris described the accident between Kepala Tjurup and waterfalls, there was a man fell into a ravine. Where did they get this exact location description was not out of them.
The ambulance we were standing on the track and walked up to the hill. The rescue attempt seemed to fail to insurmountable difficulties. We could not estimate the depth of the Erdspaltes, the gorge was impossible to see through dense undergrowth. Judging by the screams of the victim, this had to be pretty far away from us. Now embraced and pitch-black night and a downpour drenched us in a few seconds. At first it was only Anwar slowly rappel into the gorge, he had to laboriously his way through the shrubbery, we were able to follow through his flashlight from above. We shouted our instructions in depth, while the cries of Downed were always silent and finally fell silent. Anwar could not find the wounded, probably was our rope is not long enough. From the way fro the headlights of the ambulance conjured bizarre silhouettes in the darkness. In the impenetrable darkness beneath us trembled Anwar's flashlight, but his gasps we heard only the familiar sounds of the jungle. Together we pulled on the rope to Anwar to make the climb. The ground under the maze was muddy and slippery in the rain.
"Praise be to Allah!" Anwar panted breathlessly as he had solid ground under my feet again. "Since we can not do anything in the dark, the man is certainly dead"
"Terkutuk, gagal betul (Damn, totally failed)," Ishak said.
In the early morning hours of the following day Ishak went with some helpers again to the scene. To their great surprise, they found the wanted at the top of the steep slope and transport him to the hospital immediately. The description of the patient was indeed amazing, or better said, incredible. The patient was totally unable to walk because of his complicated leg fracture, the clothes hung in tatters around his battered body. He told us exactly to the last detail, the course of our predicament lingenen bailout. He had fainted and woke up again when a tiger grabbed him and dragged up the steep slope. For us there was no reason not to believe the patient. But it really was now the same person, we had heard their cries for help? The impassable ravine I had seen, but not the man who was here before me. Medically it was clear that this man could have never been able to climb up on their own and without the help of the steep hand. He was in a cast for weeks on the men's ward and was treated by medical personnel auffälig courteous. It was assumed that he had to be pure in heart.
"You can see that there are tiger people!" Ishaks as saying.
What could I say to that? A shrug, a helpless smile. I was once again covered with inconsistencies.
On Sunday I visited Renesse, who, as was to be expected, my patient history recorded as a normal occurrence.
Renesse, a native of Indo-Dutch from Medan in North Sumatra, served since the war in the Indonesian army, where he rose to the lieutenant, but was unable to run because of his ancestry, though now naturalized. In his early years he had tried to settle down in the Netherlands, but the longing for driving him back to the jungles of Sumatra. With the Mini, a Sumatranerin, he lived for many years, but was not married to her, as I had told Soenjono Ltn.
"Do you feel out my muscles, doc, hard as steel, strong as a bear," he boasted swelled with pride.
In the wide area Renesse was known as an intrepid hunter, also Rachman Mashur he had accompanied. Renesse was called somewhere when a maneater (ogre called the Tigers can beat no more booty and why people apply) to mischief, but he also hunted wild boars and bears. Every handcuffed me his exciting hunting experiences, and I also heard strange details:
"Sometimes we cut from a hunted tiger from the whiskers, we burn incense and ground to a fine powder. A deadly poison, you know, if you mix it into the food an unpleasant fellow citizen. Unstoppable infirmity that leads to safety-death is the consequence. An antidote does not exist. After the death of this poison is not detectable in the body. "
"Scary," I said, "one can not convict the murderer."
"So it is, but one must also employ it skillfully. If I brought a maneater to the track, "he drew from murder," I cut immediately collarbone out, that's the tiger just a small little fork without bony anchorage, but must go quickly, otherwise the bone evaporates, the magishe forces inherent. "
Renesse was imbued with magical ideas that were clearly reflected in his stories.
"Do you feel me, Doc," he bared unabashedly his thigh and felt over a circular, flat elevation, "which is a copper plate, a dukun (village healer) has put it on my skin, muttering spells and blown over it. Mind you I have nothing, the plate was suddenly slipped under my skin. With that thing in there I can not die. But when my hour has come, then have mini fanning with a particular fern leaf over this place, then it is invisible soft from my body and I can find my eternal peace. "
I carefully touched the ominous swelling, considered consistency and movability, but a skin scar I could not tell.
"It feels like a thin, hard disk on," I said, amazed, "but I can not believe that it has fallen by magic under the skin."
"And yet it is so," replied Renesse unshakable. "The spell affects, he protects me, and that's proven. During the Japanese occupation I have beaten an insolent Japs. Then these guys have me beaten almost to death and hanged me three days to the poor from a gibbet, without food and drink, including a blazing sun and at night with cold sensitive. I felt nothing. On the fourth day they cut me to bury my dead body. But a Dutch doctor has taken me, and after two weeks I've been working again as if nothing had happened. "
In the manner as Renesse reported his experiences, his absolute belief in the omnipotence of God was evident, were merged in the Western and Asian views into a single unit. His mystical ideas and his faith or superstition, were ultimately an expression of his religious feeling.
For dinner had mini, prepared an excellent cook, roast wild boar. They were Catholic and Renesse. Muslims do not eat pork, I only occasionally got my Chinese patients.
"So far I have killed thirty-seven tigers," continued Renesse in his stories, "but it had always been sick animals or maneater."
"Rachman Mashur" I interjected, "said you could only kill a tiger, when its time has come. I find it hard to accept that statement. "
"A healthy Tiger is not running a front the gun. Tigers are smart, they can think of. These are Tatsächen, whether you believe it or not. For example, when a tiger wants to penetrate a heavily fortified gate with kambings, then he systematically tears plank on plank from the casing until it has won place to jump in and back out with the loot. It's like a tiger is able to estimate. "
He paused and winked at Mini: "Do you remember, back when you were there? This was so, Doc, I had tied a tiger killed on the radiator of the jeep, then I shot a wild boar and even a bear. On the return trip had to sit on the miniature bears. "
Mini recalled, laughing: "Sudah Banjak gatal (it has very itchy)." She had to get a skin rash caused by allergic bear hair.
In parting, presented me with Renesse with roaring laughter is a tiger's claw: ".. An amulet for unbelievers! You will experience it, how much it can cause! "
Siang Heng has also taken me this claw in gold. Whenever I wore it on a chain, I wondered if they could have actually effected anything. I had once given away, because I wanted to give a man something special from me. But I Renesse Tigerkralle reclaimed so uncomfortable I was, too. I had realized that my gesture was not understood.
