Cempaka Culture and Tourism: Cirebon's history crumbling away

"The Recalibration of Awareness – Apr 20/21, 2012 (Kryon channeled by Lee Carroll) (Subjects: Old Energy, Recalibration Lectures, God / Creator, Religions/Spiritual systems (Catholic Church, Priests/Nun’s, Worship, John Paul Pope, Women in the Church otherwise church will go, Current Pope won’t do it), Middle East, Jews, Governments will change (Internet, Media, Democracies, Dictators, North Korea, Nations voted at once), Integrity (Businesses, Tobacco Companies, Bankers/ Financial Institutes, Pharmaceutical company to collapse), Illuminati (Started in Greece, with Shipping, Financial markets, Stock markets, Pharmaceutical money (fund to build Africa, to develop)), Shift of Human Consciousness, (Old) Souls, Women, Masters to/already come back, Global Unity.... etc.) - (Text version)

“… The Shift in Human Nature

You're starting to see integrity change. Awareness recalibrates integrity, and the Human Being who would sit there and take advantage of another Human Being in an old energy would never do it in a new energy. The reason? It will become intuitive, so this is a shift in Human Nature as well, for in the past you have assumed that people take advantage of people first and integrity comes later. That's just ordinary Human nature.

In the past, Human nature expressed within governments worked like this: If you were stronger than the other one, you simply conquered them. If you were strong, it was an invitation to conquer. If you were weak, it was an invitation to be conquered. No one even thought about it. It was the way of things. The bigger you could have your armies, the better they would do when you sent them out to conquer. That's not how you think today. Did you notice?

Any country that thinks this way today will not survive, for humanity has discovered that the world goes far better by putting things together instead of tearing them apart. The new energy puts the weak and strong together in ways that make sense and that have integrity. Take a look at what happened to some of the businesses in this great land (USA). Up to 30 years ago, when you started realizing some of them didn't have integrity, you eliminated them. What happened to the tobacco companies when you realized they were knowingly addicting your children? Today, they still sell their products to less-aware countries, but that will also change.

What did you do a few years ago when you realized that your bankers were actually selling you homes that they knew you couldn't pay for later? They were walking away, smiling greedily, not thinking about the heartbreak that was to follow when a life's dream would be lost. Dear American, you are in a recession. However, this is like when you prune a tree and cut back the branches. When the tree grows back, you've got control and the branches will grow bigger and stronger than they were before, without the greed factor. Then, if you don't like the way it grows back, you'll prune it again! I tell you this because awareness is now in control of big money. It's right before your eyes, what you're doing. But fear often rules. …”

Saturday, April 21, 2007

Cirebon's history crumbling away

Nana Rukmana, The Jakarta Post, Cirebon

A number of deteriorating historical and traditional buildings in Cirebon, West Java, are on the brink of destruction due to poor maintenance and old age.

Head of the Cirebon Cultural Council, Ahmad Syubhanuddin Alwy, said 52 historical buildings in the city have been categorized as being in a poor state.

"(Cirebon's) historical and artistic buildings are in a sorry state. Most of them are in very poor conditions. I'm afraid that they will be wiped out if no action is taken to save them," he said.

"The neglected buildings no longer look beautiful, but rather rundown and eerie. Most of their parts are starting to crumble due to old age."

Ahmad believes that the destruction of the city's historical buildings, which are part of Cirebon's cultural heritage, could eventually erase the history of the city.

"The history of Cirebon will be lost together with the loss of the historical buildings. There should be concrete actions to save the old buildings, because besides being a part of Cirebon's history, the buildings are also part of national heritage," he said.

Most of the damaged historical buildings were constructed during the Dutch colonial era, while the older, more traditional buildings were inherited from the divided Cirebon sultanates of Kasepuhan and Kanoman.

Among the ancient buildings still intact are the Kasepuhan Palace, built in 1529, and Kanoman Palace, built in 1588.

According to Ahmad, the spectacular nature of buildings and artifacts from the Kasepuhan sultanate is due to the influence of three prominent cultures during the period -- Cirebon (Islam), Chinese (Buddhism) and Indian (Hinduism).

Aspects of the three cultures were manifest in the design of the official Kasepuhan ruler's vehicle, the Singa Barong horse carriage.

The Singa Barong was built in 1549 by Panembahan Losari, who was assisted by Ki Notoguno and Kaliwulu. The carvings on the carriage portray the blend between the three cultures, symbolized by a trisula (three-pronged spear) and an elephant trunk.

One of the Dutch-era buildings, built in 1910, was transformed into Cirebon's Kesambi Penitentiary.

"Dutch-era buildings that still exist up to now are, among others, the Bank Indonesia building, the PT BAT cigarette factory and the Santo Joseph church. They are the few remaining buildings from the Dutch era that are still standing strong," Ahmad said.

He urged the government to help salvage the historical and traditional buildings, and insisted that "precise actions" were required if a major part of Cirebon's history is to saved.

Cirebon's municipal council has also attempted to pressure the government into accepting responsibility for the restoration and preservation of the city's historical buildings.

The speaker from the council's commission on developmental affairs, Tjipto, said his committee would urge the government to allocate special funds for a restoration project.

"Preserving the historical buildings is very important for the sake of the younger generations, so that they can have a reference to the history of the nation," said Tjipto.