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2.8 The Requirements for a Good Pranatacara
The requirements for a good pranatacara or pamedhar sabda master of
ceremony, advice-addresser have been touched upon. Therefore, I just highlight and elaborate them in order to have a more comprehensive view.
Purwadi outlines that a good pranatacara must possess 1 paramasastra, 2 paramakawi, 3 mardibasa, 4 mardawalagu, 5 mandraguna, 6 nawungkrida 7
sambegana, 2005:19-21 each of which will be described below.
2.8.1 Paramasastra
Paramasastra refers to the knowledge of Javanese literature Purwadi 2005:19. In this respect, a Pranatacara must be able to sing Javanese traditional songs.
This is very important because at times he will have to sing traditional songs as a variation of the description or to kill time while waiting for the necessary arrangements of
the sub-item in any generic stage of the Pranatacara genre. If, for example, a Pranatacara cannot perform traditional singing, there will be silence. Although it is not
impossible to turn on the traditional music, it is not a good idea at all. People will give a negative evaluation of such a Pranatacara.
In short, a good Pranatacara should know when he has to describe an activity, when he has to direct an activity, and when he has to kill time, such as by singing
traditional songs. In other words, he has to master strategic competence. It has something to do with interpersonal language metafunction. For example when he has to describe the
physical view of the reception, the bride and the groom, he should be able to perform interpersonal contacts with the audience in the sense that he has to describe honestly but
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beautifully. He must convince the audience that the description matches the real situation, for the audience listen to the description and constantly evaluate whether the description
really matches what is being described.
2.8.2 Paramakawi
Paramakawi refers to the knowledge of old Javanese language. In this respect, a pranatacara should have considerable knowledge of Kawi language. This is because most
of the lexical items used in the Javanese language of wedding reception are derived from the Kawi language; some have been modified but others still keep the original forms.
The correct choice of lexical borrowings from Kawi language in Javanese will guarantee the language resembles that as used by the Royal Family. The phrase ‘kembul
bujana’ having meals or say ‘sasana-sabdha’ a platform for the authority to give a speech, or something like ‘pasegahan panakrami’ welcoming guests with beautiful and
graceful women around will never be used in daily conversation. Such words will only be used in a Great Royal Family, and of course in a great wedding reception to describe
the physical condition.
2.8.3 Mardibasa
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