Ki Purbo Asmoro
The 100 Top Influences in Ki Purbo Asmoro’s Professional Life by Kitsie Emerson, January 2009
Usually when asked by reporters and researchers who his “idols” are, or who has influenced his style the most, Purbo Asmoro shakes his head somewhat in frustration and says one of the following (and I’m paraphrasing answers I have heard):
“I couldn’t even begin to say—there are so many,” or “I take away something from absolutely everyone and everything I come in contact with,” or “No dhalang should be asked to identify an idol—we all build our style from a wide myriad of influences.” I’ve never heard him willing to follow those qualifying statements with “however…..” and a subsequent list of a few important forces in his life. He simply never seemed to even like the implications of the question.
But one day, I decided to press him on this. I asked him to list the “everyone and everything”, even if the list ended up being 20-30 items long. Well suddenly he seemed to enjoy the challenge, and in one sitting he was able to instantly and without hesitation identify seventy-six artists who have strongly influenced his work. A few hours later he contacted me with twenty more, and then finally four more. In the space of one day he had supplied a list of 100 influences. At times, another name would come up and he would immediatelty weed out one—he was interested in the idea of being able to prioritize the list to a nice and neat 100. The list is still being worked on, to this day.
I list the 100 here, first simply as a list. (He requested I not list them in the order he remembered them, but rather in order of approximate senority.) Then I itemize the segment of Ki Purbo's life in which these influences were important. I have not yet had an opportunity to go over this list in detail and in person with Ki Purbo Asmoro, so there still may be some errors in placement, which will be corrected the next time I meet with him in mid January.
In the future, I hope to develop a more detailed list of exactly how each of these people influenced Ki Purbo Asmoro.
1. Padmacarita
2. Sutrisno
3. Darsamartana
4. Suratna Gunawiharjo
5. Darman Gandadarsono
6. Nartasabda
7. Gandamargana
8. Gandakamiyana
9. Samsudin Proboharjana
10. Suratna, PDMN
11. Suyatna, PDMN
12. Darsana, PDMN
13. Gendhon Humardani
14. Gandasaraya
15. Pringgasatata
16. Sangkana Ciptawardaya
17. Gandawijaya (Ganda “Maktal”)
18. Gandabuwana
19. Naryacarito
20. Gandatukasno
21. Slamet Sutikna
22. Kesdik
23. Pringga
24. Sri Kamto
25. Subantar
26. Poniran
27. Minarno
28. Painem
29. Dhamiri Soemarno
30. Jarno
31. Jali
32. Joko Mokoton
33. Puspacarito
34. Kasno
35. Mujaka Raharja
36. Hadisugita
37. Suharni
38. Tristuti Suryasaputra
39. Panut Dharmoko
40. Timbul
41. Warsino Gunasukasno
42. Sutino Hardokocarito
43. Toto Atmaja
44. Sayoko
45. Sutarko
46. Hadi Sutikna
47. Manteb Soedarsono
48. Anom Soeroto
49. Sri Joko Raharjo
50. Suyati
51. Gusti Benawa
52. Sukron
53. Asep Sunaryo
54. Gino, Banyumas
55. Gita, Banyumas
56. Nartasindu
57. Manta, Sragen
58. Soleman
59. Baskui
60. Narna
61. Mulyanta
62. Murdi
63. Kardi
64. Pak Sudir
65. Pak Harjunadi
66. Gati
67. Gita, Yogya
68. Soemanta, STSI
69. Bambang Soewarna
70. R. Supanggah
71. Darko, STSI
72. Bambang Murtiyasa
73. Subono
74. Dèdèk
75. Ratna
76. Supadmi
77. Sutarno
78. Ganda Wardaya
79. Sridadi
80. Gaib
81. Joko Santosa
82. Entus Susmono
83. Mulyana,
84. Wajiran, Pengging
85. Joko “edan”
86. Parman
87. Sofyan
88. Yusuf Agil
89. Pujana
90. Agus Krisbiyantara
91. Surana “Petruk”
92. Ranta “Gudel”
93. Kirun
94. Bagya
95. Marwata
96. Yati “Pèsèk”
97. Gareng “Topan”
98. Endro Warsena, tukang sablon
99. Agus, dhukun
100. PEPADI
Itemized approximately according to various stages of Ki Purbo Asmoro’s professional development:
Influences pre-Konser, Dersana, Pacitan
Dhamiri Soemarno (his father, a dalang)
Painem (his grandmother, a dalang)
Konser (1977-1982)
Gandamargana (PA lived with this well-respected dhalang’s family in Kartasura, 1st sem of Konser)
Suratna Gunawiharjo (author of naskah used in pedhalangan at Konser at the time)
Gandasaraya (R. Supanggah’s father, and a teacher at Konser)
Poniran (instructor)
Subantar (instructor, wayang gedhog)
Sri Kamto (instructor)
Minarno (karawitan instructor)
Sasono Mulya and ASKI (1982-1986)
Padmacarita (PA’s instructor)
Pringgasatata (PA’s instructor)
Sutrisno (PA’s instructor)
Darsamartana (PA’s instructor)
Samsudin Proboharjana (author of many naskah used in and around ASKI at the time)
Gendhon Humardani (highly affected by GH’s influence at ASKI regarding padhat)
Nartasabda
In a category all his own, Ki Purbo would have been exposed to his style mostly through radio and cassette, although he did attend a few performances in person. Ki Purbo has expressed regret on a number of occasions at how he didn’t realize at the time how precious opportunities to see Ki Nartosabdo were. Ki Purbo was at ASKI when Ki Nartosabdo passed away.
Komunitas Rebo Legen
Most of those below, listed regionally, Ki Purbo referred to as his “Komunitas Rebo Legen[1]”, meaning that he may have initially been exposed to the dhalang at Rebo Legen, and then attended performances of theirs “di luar” after becoming intrigued by their style.
Klaten: Gandawijaya (Ganda “Maktal”), alm
Gandabuwana (moved to Madiun early on), alm
Sudarman Gandadarsono (moved to Sragen early on), alm
Pringga (Darman’s younger brother), alm
Tukas, alm
Tikna, alm
Kesdik, alm
Jali (Kesdik’s younger brother), alm
Joko Mokoton, alm
Mujoko Raharjo, alm
Puspacarito
Sayoko
Gaib
Solo: Suratna, PDMN, alm
Suyatna, PDMN, alm
Darsana, PDMN, alm
Kasno, alm
Tristuti R. Suryasaputra
Anom Soeroto
Kartasura: Naryacarito, alm
Sri Joko Raharjo
Sridadi
Karanganyar: Manteb Soedarsono
Sukoharjo: Gandakamiyana, alm
Toto Atmojo
Wonogiri: Jarno, alm
Warsino Gunasukasno
Sutino Hardokocarito
Suyati
Sragen: Suharni, alm
Manta
Blitar: Sukron
Tegal: Entus Susmono
Sudir
Pengging: Wajiran, alm
Nganjuk: Harjunadi,alm
Panut Dharmoko
Professional Colleagues at STSI/ISI
R. Supanggah
Bambang Murtiyasa
Sutarno
Soemanta
Sudarko
Bambang Soewarna
Joko Santosa
Subono
Dèdèk
Narna
Ratna
Supadmi
Ganda Wardaya
Influences beyond Wayang Kulit
Pakeliran Wayang Kulit
Timbul
Gita, alm
Gati (twin of Ki Gita above—both also kethoprak)
Hadi Sutikna
Parman
Sofyan
Pakeliran Wayang Kulit
Gita
Pakeliran Wayang Golek Sunda: Asep Sunaryo
Pakeliran Wayang “Jakdong”/
Pakeliran Wayang Golek Kebumen: Basuki
Kethoprak
Yusuf Agil
Pujana, alm
Agus Krisbiyantara
Pelawak:
Surana “Petruk”, alm
Ranta “Gudel”
Kirun
Bagya
Marwata
Yati “Pèsèk”
Gareng “Topan”
Other:
Endro Warsena, tukang sablon
Agus, dhukun
PEPADI
[1] A gathering of dhalang, every malem Rebo Legi, at the home of Ki Anom Soeroto. Rebo Legi is Anom Soeroto’s wetonan (5-week birthday by the Javanese calendar), and starting around 1979, Ki Anom would invite a dhalang to peform at his house, once a month on the eve of this day.