Jogja City

Seventy-nine-year old Marijan, his hair gray and face full of wrinkles, now has poor vision.

However, the old man who lives in remote Kinahrejo hamlet, Pakem, Sleman, on the slopes of Mt. Merapi, is really knowledgeable about the volcano.

Usually addressed as Mbah Marijan, he is a familiar figure to Merapi observers, researchers and hikers. He has been assigned as caretaker of Mt. Merapi since 1965.

As a royal servant at Yogyakarta Palace, Marijan, who has been given the honorific title RNg Ki Surakso Hargo, is believed to have a supernatural ability to understand the volcano.

Since the safety status of Merapi was declared to be just one level below that of top alert, Marijan has had many visitors. These include staff from Sleman regency administration, envoys from Yogyakarta Palace and local people.

Reporters now visit him every day for interviews or simply to learn from him the latest developments at Merapi, which is believed to be one of the world’s most active volcanoes.

As the volcanic activity intensifies, people are wondering when it will erupt. Locals living in Magelang and Boyolali, areas close to the volcano, have been evacuated. However, according to Mbah Marijan, activities currently at Mount Merapi have yet to constitute a real danger to people living on the southern slopes of the mountain (in the direction of Yogyakarta).

“Merapi is quiet and we remain peaceful here. If there is an eruption, it may go in the direction of the Blongkeng, Krasak or Sendowo rivers, all toward Magelang, Central Java.

“Oh, sorry, I’ve already said too much. I’m just a simple person. Please don’t take my words too seriously,” said Marijan, when The Jakarta Post paid a visit to his house.

Marijan may give you the impression that these are just empty words. He does not use any special equipment or technology when making his forecast. However, he is believed to have a strong “third eye” that allows him to see through Mt. Merapi.

Whether or not it was just a coincidence, after Marijan had spoken the Magelang natural disasters management team hurriedly evacuated people living in Dukun district.

The special instruments installed at the Merapi Kaliurang observation station show that there are fissures at two locations. One is in the northwest (toward Magelang), the other in the east (toward Klaten and Boyolali).

“It is only natural for Merapi to erupt. Even a human being needs to defecate when he is full, otherwise he will get sick. A mountain behaves likewise,” said Marijan, a father of five.

The eruption of Merapi is not only part of a natural cycle but is perceived to have been brought about by the loss of natural harmony. “Many ignorant people climb the mountain. Even the regent allows hiking to take place. Naturally, the eruption will occur in the direction of Magelang,” Marijan said.

Rampant sand quarrying already takes place on the slopes of Merapi. Every day, innumerable trucks carry sand from the area, particularly that part of the mountain located in Magelang, thereby causing serious environmental damage.

As the volcano’s caretaker bestowed with supernatural ability, Marijan is believed to receive divine knowledge about when Merapi will erupt.

In the eruption that occurred in 1994 and claimed 66 lives in Turgo, Sleman, Marijan had a premonition. At 3 a.m., in a dream, he was met by three people. Two wore the royal servants’ costume of Yogyakarta Palace while the third was his own father.

“Tomorrow, share your money with the community,” he was told. The next morning, the eruption occurred.

Marijan, however, advised his fellow villagers not to flee to safety although the eruption occurred right over Kinahrejo village.

“I could see clearly a hot gas cloud over my house. It was blackish-red. The villagers ran for safety and I advised them not to panic. Suddenly, a strong wind blew and the cloud moved toward Turgo,” he said, reminiscing.

Marijan gained his supernatural ability to understand Merapi from his father, who was also the caretaker of the mountain. “When I was small, my dad took me to Ki Wonorejo to take part in a Merapi labuhan (sacrificial offering) rite. Besides, I also fasted and chanted in praise of Allah regularly.

“I often wonder why I have been asked to continue my dad’s work, as I’m just an ignorant villager,” he said.

According to Javanese spiritual belief, Yogyakarta Palace possesses supernatural power because it is located between the Laut Kidul (South Sea) and Merapi. The Palace, led by Sultan Hamengkubuwono X, is the regulator.

Therefore, the caretaker of Mt. Merapi must be a royal servant of Yogyakarta Palace. Currently, Marijan is a royal servant in the rank of a bekel (hamlet head) earning Rp 7,500 a month.

“When I was first appointed I earned Rp 100 a month; then it was raised to Rp 1,000 a month. Now it is Rp 7,500 a month,” he said.

For Merapi hikers, Mbah Marijan’s home is on the first leg of their journey. “Actually, I have never asked climbers to visit my place. However, most of them drop in anyway before proceeding to the top.

“If they opt to take the route past my place, there are some rules to observe: They may not litter anywhere or take alcoholic drinks with them.”

At Marijan’s residence, which is cool, calm and simple, there is a special room where the equipment for the labuhan rite of Yogyakarta Palace is kept. However, hikers may also leave some of their belongings there while they climb to the summit.

Marijan has five children. Two live in Jakarta. One lives somewhere on Jl. Kaliurang (which leads to Mt. Merapi from Yogyakarta) while two others live in Kinahrejo. He hopes that the two children who live in Kinahrejo will some day continue his work.

Is it necessary for locals to be evacuated as volcanic activities at Merapi intensify? Even the sultan has called for the evacuation of people living within a radius of five kilometers from the summit of Merapi.

Mbah Marijan believes the evacuation is a good step in view of the dangers, should a major eruption occur. “Well, that’s OK. However, I believe that people on the Yogyakarta side have yet to agree to be evacuated,” he said.

He is right. They argue that they have yet to see signals that indicate that the volcano will erupt. Besides, they are also concerned for their dairy cows, a major source of income.

“Well, if people heed my words, let us all, whether in Bantul, Klaten, Magelang or anywhere else, pray to God the Almighty that He will spare us from disaster and will restore the natural equilibrium,” he said.

The Jakarta Post