The Martial Art of Debus, It's No Trick It's Magic !!!

Banten is one of the provinces in Indonesia and also the name of ethnic origin contained in the province. Some people argue that people of Banten is also the Sundanese , because culture is cultivated by them are generally the same as the Sundanese.

 

In a linguistic example, Banten people use the language they called "Sunda-Banten", ie language which shows some differences compared with other Sundanese language, particularly in the intonation.
 
Regardless of the similarities and differences in cultural issues that cultivated by the Sundanese and Banten, Banten is a tribes that located in Banten province .As other ethnic communities in Indonesia, Banten people also have different kinds of traditional arts. One of them who later became a label of Banten society that call DEBUS. That is, if someone hears the word "DEBUS", so what they remind is Banten in Indonesia or Indonesia.

The arts of Power is referred has to do with tarikat Rifaiah carried by Nurrudin Ar-Raniry to Aceh in the 16th century. The followers of this religious organization while it is in a state of epiphany (an infinite joy because "face to face" with God), often strike with various sharp objects into their bodies.

Filosofi yang mereka gunakan adalah " lau haula walla Quwata ilabillahil 'aliyyil adhim " atau tiada daya upaya melainkan karena Allah semata.

The philosophy they use is "lau haula Walla Quwata ilabillahil 'aliyyil Adhim" no power and act but but from God . So, if God permits, then the knifes, machetes, swords or bullets would not have hurt them.
In Banten at the beginning this martial art used to developed of teachings Islam. However, in the Dutch colonial period and at the time of Sultan Agung Tirtayasa, this art is used to evoke the spirit of warriors and people of Banten to fight the Dutch.
Today, by the times, this martial arts serves as an entertainment only.

Debus Players

The players DEbus consists of a sheik (leader of the game), some people pezikir, players, and drummers. 1-2 weeks before the show usually Debus Palyers will implement abstinence-specific restrictions to be saved when doing the show, namely:
(1) No Alcohol,
(2) No Gambling,
(3) No Stealing
(4) No Make love with her wife or other woman

Venue and Equipment of the Game

Debus is usually done in the yard at the time of the holding of other events that involve many people. Equipment used in the game are:

(1) Debus with a rod
(2) Machete use to slice the body Debus player,
(3) knife to slice the player's body,
(4) bulbs that will be chewed or eaten (the same such as jaran kepang game in Central and East Java)
(5) pan used to fry an egg on the head of the player,
(6) coconut;
(7) kerosene and others.

The Games

Debus game generally begins with echoes several traditional songs (as the opening song or "Gembung").After it, then continued with the reading or recitation and is not macapat containing praises to Allah SWT and Prophet Muhammad .

The goal is to play savely in Debus. After the recitation and macapat completed, then followed by a martial arts game that was exhibited by one or two players without using a sharp weapon.

The next activity in a Debus game in the form of a variety of attractions, such as: puncture the stomach by using the whistle; peeling coconuts and break through by breakng into player's head; cut coconuts and burn it on the head; fry eggs and crackers on the head; slashed body with a sharp weapon like a machete and a knife; burn the body with kerosene or a walk in the embers of the fire; eating and chewing glass bulb; climb the ladder of the steps are the eyes of machete-sharp machete with bare feet, and flush the body with sulfur acid (H2SO4).

In addition, the attraction of stabbing stomach by using a whistle, a player holding the whistle, then the pointed tip attached to the belly of the other players.After that, other players will hold a wooden bat called a mace and hit the base of the whistle again and again.


When Accident happen, then the sheikh will heal by rubbing the injured body part is accompanied by reading spells, so they wound can be healed in instantly.


Then, when the attraction of cutting the body with a sharp weapon such as machetes and knives, the weapons players will be thrust into several parts of his body such as: neck, abdomen, hands, arms, and thighs.

The Debus player need to pray for him immune from sharp weapons. One example of the spell is: " Haram kau sentuh kulitku, haram kau minum darahku, haram kau makan dagingku, urat kawang, tulang wesi, kulit baja, aku keluar dari rahim ibunda. Aku mengucapkan kalimat la ilaha illahu "

whish mean moreless...
"Forbidden you touch my skin , Forbidden you drink my blood, you're forbidden to eat flesh, muscle of copper, bone of iron, skin of steel, I come out from the womb of the mother. I say words no god but Allah".

And, when the attractions of eating from broken bulb, what they spewing later is not broken glass that they eat but bat that alive !!!

The martial art of Debus Banten conducted by the society, if examined in depth, then in it contains the values ​​that can be used as a reference in a common life and the provision of life in the future. These values ​​include teamwork, hard work, and religious faith. In this case someone who wants to play Debus must be practiced continuously while running the terms and abstinence in specific restrictions for so they got the perfect ability.

Sources: www.kpsnusantara.com
Ministry of Education and Culture of Indonesia.

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