Kediri Bertutur aims to keep alive traditional Javanese storytelling arts like wayang performances that are declining. It retells tales from Kediri's history like the legendary love story of Prince Panji and Princess Candrakirana, which helped unite the kingdoms of Kediri and Janggala. These stories imparted virtues and cultural roots. By reenacting the stories in communities, Kediri Bertutur hopes to reveal these traditions to those who have lost touch with their cultural heritage.

1. Kediri
Bertutur

2. A staunch believer in storytelling, Kandi has a passion to keep alive
the traditional arts that are fast dying out. She states, “The way
our ancestors communicated before the advent of technology was
through storytelling – whether it was via the Wayang theatrical
performance, through craftsmanship of Candi reliefs, or the subtle
movements of the Javanese dance – these old methods of
storytelling have taught me that communication is at the heart of
humanity.”
Through performances of Kediri Bertutur, tales are retold and
reenacted amongst today’s communities in the kampung and
revealed for those who seem to have lost touch with their cultural
roots.

4. Memayu Hayuning Bawana:
It is the belief of Javanese that God is a universal force
and is the unlimited power over all living and non-living
things. Humans are given the capacity and the energy to
live life on this earth. Our ancestors taught us that
humans are of quality when they live and behave
accordingly in harmony and in synergy along with the
wisdom of the universe.

5. The human spirit and actual behavior will determine
quality of life. Rituals symbolize and crystalize one’s
spiritual being.
A good example is the existence of SESAJEN /
OFFERINGS for the purpose of encouraging for the
sustenance of life thus creating and living a
purposeful, good life for the right reasons. This means
walking the road of life for MEMAYU HAYUNING
BAWANA (for peace, happiness and welfare of life on
earth.).

6. The intention of such offering is the
effort to maintain harmony by
enabling the creative spirit to become
one and connect the aura/energy of
human beings along with God’s
creations, living side by side on this
earth especially with the forces of
mother nature and all its beings.

7. Sesaji Bumi Sekartaji is an appreciation of our
utmost thanks to our motherland Kediri, God and
mother nature for the blessings and seek for their
protection and sense of peace. Kediri is a sacred
land whereby the gods and humans interact in
harmony.

8. During the kingdom era of Airlangga
(1019-1042), he came on this earth as
the avatar of God Wisnu with his trusted
mode of vehicle Garuda (of which in
Javanese mythology, Garuda is a creature
of strength, resilience, and great power)
to save the land from the dangers of
being divided.
The kingdom of Airlangga was at peace
and the welfare of the people was at its
best then. The capital city was located at
Kahuripan in 1031. One of Airlangga’s
main achievement was to pioneer unity of
Indonesia covering East Java, Central
Java and Bali.

9. When Airlangga was about to leave his throne to pursue a life of meditation
to seek the meaning of life, he divided his kingdom into two parts, KADIRI
(PANJALU) and JANGGALA to avoid family feud and war between his sons:
Sri Samarawijaya and Sang Mapanji Garasakan.
In this effort to divide the kingdom, a ritual was performed to ensure peace
and harmony. The God whispered, “that the earth will melt when water
falls down from the sky.” Spiritual leader Barada walked in the sky and
poured water from kendi (water jug made out of clay) and divided the
kingdom into two parts by creating a river in between: JANGGALA KELING
in the north of the river (Sang Garasakan) and PANJALU KEDIRI in the
south of the river (Sang Samarawijaya).

11. Upon the departure of Airlangga’s next journey, Prince
Grasakan remembered his father’s request to take care of
his siblings (Sanggramawijaya/Dewi Kilisuci and
Samarawijaya) and avoid any family feud. However, this
was a difficult task especially when the siblings were
children of different mothers. Often the two kingdoms
(Panjalu dan Janggala) were at war with eachtoher.
There came a time when this feud ended with the marriage
of the next generation of both families. The marriage of
Panji Wireswara the prince of Janggala with Dewi Sekartaji
the princess of Kadhiri Panjalu united Panjalu jayati and
Janggalapraja.

14. Kediri Bertutur continously showcases the story of “Prince
Panji and Princess Sekartaji/Galuh Candrakirana," a
legendary myth travelled through word of mouth from
village to village, popular in the old Java land. The history of
Kediri’s kingdom was the setting for such love story between
Panji and Sekartaji/Candrakirana. Sekartaji/Candrakirana
was a princess of Panjalu (Daha) whose beauty surpasses all
the goddesses in the heavens. Janggala (Kahuripan) was ruled
by the prince of Raden Inu Kartapati/Panji Asmarabangun.
The marriage between Raden Inu Kertapati and Dewi
Sekartaji was intended to unite Janggala and Panjalu in
becoming a great strong nation.

15. The character of Panji Asmarabangun in the
world of wayang is depicted as “Prince Arjuna,"
handsome prince of Pandawa Lima of
Mahabharata.
Princess dewi Sekartaji/Candrakirana is not only
a woman of sincere beauty. In the story of Panji
Semirang, she disguises herself as a prince
warrior leading soldiers into battles. She is a
strong and independent woman who has the
heart of a true warrior.

16. The love story of "Raden Panji
and Galuh Candrakirana/Dewi
Sekartaji" is a journey with
many challenges through
battles, wars and roads of
discoveries. Behind every
moment of battles & journeys
lie virtues and values, messages
of morals covering aspects of
politics, government, society,
economy, culture, religion and
harmonization of humans and
mother nature.
Andhe-andhe lumut, Kethek
Ogleng, Panji Laras, Keong
Emas, Timun Emas, Panji
Anggreni, Panji Angkronakung
are popular folklore stories
amongst hundreds being told
from word of mouth in the
society of old Java and in the
keraton.

17. The forms of performances of Panji stories are shared and
performed in the arts of wayang beber (wayang textile),
wayang krucil (wooden wayang), wayang godong (wayang
from leaves), tari topeng (mask dance), tembang (macapat/
javanese mantras), candi reliefs, arca (stone statues) and the
arts of storytelling. The stories of Panji dan Candrakirana no
longer has a place in today’s technology advance society
therefore lost and hidden and perceived to be ancient and old.

18. Our ancestors have given us an exotic and refined
culture. Bertutur/storytelling is one of “local
genious” art to travel from kampung to
kampung. Musical mantras and folklores are
traditional forms of storytelling. Only by creating
forms of leaves, stems of greenery, hay/grass, a
wayang puppet is formed. Combining musical
mantras and wayang leaves, you have a
storytelling performance at the kampung.

19. The tradition of storytelling can be performed
whenever and wherever. At the hut in the
middle of paddy field, at the front yard,
beneath the bamboo tree, nearby the river or
in an empty land in the kampung, musical
storytelling is as versatile as the many varieties
of setting available.

20. The stories of Panji has transformed in many dimensions
in its process of storytelling. Many Panji folklore stories
convey moral messages to guide the behaviors, actions
and perspectives of the people. The description of Panji
Inu Kartapati contains many virtues and values of living
life well especially the true virtue of being a hero and
warrior in helping the weak, fighting for the people and
the nation without expecting anything in return.

21. Through the
performances of
Kediri Bertutur, the
stories of Panji and
Candrakirana are
retold and reenacted
amongst today’s
society in the
kampung and
revealed for those
who seem to have
lost touch with their
cultural roots.

22. Ranging from the arts of the people called
jaran kepang, the tradition of storytelling
from our ancestors ie. "wayang made out of
merang (the stems of padi) and leaves“ and
wayang krucil (wooden wayang) are all forms
of Kampung Bertutur (storytelling in
kampung) meant to keep, preserve and
sustain the richness of Panji Culture known
not only in Java but also in other countries in
Thailand, Malaysia, etc.

23. Through Kediri Bertutur, the genious of our ancestors
ritual and traditions are once again present in
today’s technology advance society.