Guntur Purwito Aji: The Spirit of the Keraton Warrior for Indonesia

 

Guntur Purwito Aji joined the Bregada (warrior corps) Patangpuluh in 2022. H 

currently serves as a jajar waos or spear-bearer in the corps. The warrior tradition of the palace is not new to him; his grandfather was also a member of the Bregada Patangpuluh. Inspired by his grandfather, Guntur decided to dedicate himself to the palace guard corps.

“I wanted to become a warrior since I was a child, seeing my grandfather go to the palace in his traditional warrior attire and cap. He looked so proud and strong, and it made me want to join too. Alhamdulillah, now I’m part of Bregada Patangpuluh.”

Guntur continued his grandfather’s service after his grandfather became physically unable to serve. In addition to his grandfather, several of his ancestors also served as Abdi Dalem (palace servants).

Another motivation for Guntur to join as a warrior was his desire to expand his social circle and preserve cultural heritage. Born in 1998, he believes that the duty to sustain culture should be shouldered by the youth. His willingness to serve in the palace has full support from his parents.

### From the Palace for Indonesia

Bregada Patangpuluh is one of ten palace defense corps that still exist today, now functioning as cultural preservation elements. The corps has a banner called Cakragora, a black square flag with a red six-pointed star. Cakra refers to a circular weapon, and gora means brave or fearsome.

Besides carrying a keris, the corps comprises units armed with rifles and spears. The song Gendhing Bulu-Bulu is played when the corps marches quickly (lampah mares), and Gendhing Gendera is played when they march slowly (lampah macak).

Currently, Bregada Patangpuluh has about 50 members divided into seven components: panji parentah (commander), ungel-ungelan (music corps), jajar senjata (rifle-armed warriors), panji kedua, sersan dwajara (flag bearer sergeant), sersan senjata, sersan waos, and jajar waos (spear-armed warriors).

As a jajar waos, Guntur marches following the commander’s commands, such as mandhe hastra (holding the spear upright) and maniyung hastra (lowering the spear in a ready position).

As a member of the corps, Guntur fulfills various duties such as participating in training, regular patrols, and special drills before major palace ceremonies. Before Garebeg, for instance, Guntur and his fellow warriors undergo initial and final rehearsals.

Additionally, he competes in inter-warrior competitions to hone his skills. “I participated in a group and individual pencak silat competition at Kagungan Dalem Bangsal Kamandungan about a month ago (March).” Besides pencak silat, he also competes in traditional archery (jemparingan).

Guntur enjoys physical activities like jogging and volleyball, maintaining excellent physical condition. Thus, he passed the selection for the Ministry of Defense’s Reserve Component (Komcad) program. This program aims to bolster the main defense force, the TNI, by preparing national resources for deployment in emergencies.

Eleven palace warriors under 35 from various corps were selected for this program after a series of tests similar to those for TNI candidates, including physical, health, psychological tests, and final selection. Guntur was the only one from Bregada Patangpuluh to pass. He underwent three months of military training in Surabaya, Malang, and Bandung.

They received training in shooting, survival, combat techniques, and lessons in law and national insight. “Discipline is particularly important there,” he said. As a palace representative, Guntur feels proud. “Some of our fellow reserve members even registered to join the corps.”

### Protecting the Environment

Guntur works at the PIALAM (Urban Wastewater and Drinking Water Infrastructure Management) Office of the Public Works and Energy and Mineral Resources Department of DIY, based in Sewon, Bantul.

Since 2017, he has been tasked with maintaining and repairing the sewage network in Yogyakarta City, Bantul Regency, and Sleman. Whenever there is a report of clogged or damaged drains, he and his team respond promptly.

“When it rains, I often patrol major roads like Jalan Parangtritis and Jalan Kaliurang to monitor where sewage overflows. I check each drainage point in Yogyakarta.”

According to Guntur, his duties at PIALAM and the palace run smoothly without conflict. His working hours at PIALAM are from morning until 4 PM, while most palace duties are in the evening or at night.

Early in his career, he decided to pursue higher education. He enrolled in the Civil Engineering program at Universitas Tjokroaminoto and graduated in his fifth year, while already serving as a palace warrior.

In his spare time and on weekends, he helps his parents with farming and chicken raising. He is also active in the youth organization in his village and serves as its chairman.

### Deepening Javanese Culture

Guntur admits to learning a lot since joining the palace warrior corps, from practical skills like wearing traditional clothes, marching, Javanese language, and etiquette to moral lessons like maintaining proper conduct and respecting others.

The young man, who dreams of becoming an entrepreneur, hopes that young people will continue to preserve culture. “In Yogyakarta, there are many cultural products. Especially in certain areas, the arts can be revived.”

Source: Karaton Jogjakarta