JAVANESSE

Jawa; Reception hall "pendopo"

Jawa: "kobongan" or "sentong tengah". "pendopo" and "kobongan" form the two symbolical foci of the Javanese house design

Javanese 'pendopo' well displays the status of the family. Its typical roof shape 'joglo' used to be related to the nobility of the aristocrats and specially reserved for them. Four main central posts 'soko guru', which support the pyramidal upper roof construction, is decorated with symbolical patterns so as to protect the owner of the house against evil spirits. The whole structure suggests that the 'pendopo' is the architectural cognate to the granary but has no grain storage and no elevated platform. Instead of supporting the grain storage, the function of which is moved to the 'kobongan', four posts of the 'pendopo' bear the elaborately constructed ceiling composed of the gradually overhanging layers of beams, which appreciate the solemnity of the domain associated with the male ancestors. Judging from the architectural representation depicted on the reliefs of the Candi, the 'joglo' roof is supposed to be developed and popularized in Java during the spread of Islam. But the similar roof shape is also familiar to the Sumbanese as a sign of the prestigious house style. Furthermore, in Sumba, the elevated platform, as we can find on the reliefs of the east Javanese Candi, is still utilized for the main residential area under its roof construction. The center part of the pyramidal roof is sometimes lifted exaggeratedly. This part is also supported by four sacred main posts, to which many rites are performed, and large wooden disks are equipped at the top of these posts in western part of Sumba though actually no grain is stored above them