Religious-Magical Ornament of Kalpataru Sunan Bonang

Authors

  • Akhmad Nizam Craft Department, Institut Seni Indonesia Yogyakarta, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
  • Sugeng Wardoyo Craft Department, Institut Seni Indonesia Yogyakarta, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
  • Budi Hartono Craft Department, Institut Seni Indonesia Yogyakarta, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
  • Rafeah Legino Faculty of Art & Design, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Shah Alam 40450 Selangor, Malaysia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.21834/e-bpj.v10iSI39.7673

Keywords:

Ornament, Kalpataru, Sunan Bonang

Abstract

Since ancient times, manifestations of divinity have been represented as trees. The tree of life has been known since prehistoric times. In Hindu periods, both faiths revered the tree of life, known as kalpataru and aśvattha (Bodhi tree). In the Islamic era, the tree of life was adopted in the form of kekayon, interpreted from the Arabic word 'khayu' (will). Historically, kalpataru became a symbol of Islamic acculturation imbued with Javanese magical beliefs. The kalpataru Sunan Bonang reflects Javanese wisdom, preserving the sacred and supernatural for enlightenment. These sacred and supernatural elements were epistemically disregarded as “metaphysics” by European secularism.

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Published

2025-12-06

How to Cite

Akhmad Nizam, Wardoyo, S., Hartono, B., & Legino, R. (2025). Religious-Magical Ornament of Kalpataru Sunan Bonang. Environment-Behaviour Proceedings Journal, 10(SI39), 55–61. https://doi.org/10.21834/e-bpj.v10iSI39.7673

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