Water Vessels or Kendi 

By Liping Smaling

There are many drinking-water vessels of all shapes and kinds found in Indonesia that are now commonly called kendi. Most of them come from Java, Bali, Lombok, Sumatra and South Sulawesi. The name kendi, which is known throughout Southeast Asia, comes from the Indian Sanskrit word kundika, meaning water vessel.

In Hindu iconography, the kundika, carrying holy water, appears as a godly attribute, for instance, of Brahma and Siwa. In Buddhism, it is the attribute of Avalokiteswara and a ritual vessel for the priests. The narrative reliefs of Borobudur provide valuable information about the use of such objects. Kendis are still used for ritual worship by Siwaite and Buddhist priests in Bali. The Balinese used to call their religion Agama Tirtha, the Religion of the Holy Water.

The main function of earthenware kendis is as a drinking vessel in which water remains cool during the day due to the porosity of clay. It has a mouth for filling, a spout for pouring and a neck for holding on to (instead of a handle). The water is poured from the kendi directly into the mouth.

Kendis are still used in Bali as medicine bottles to pour water through the nose to cure headaches. They are also used as ceremonial vessels on special occasions such as weddings where the kendi symbolizes married life. In West Java, the wedding ceremony includes the bride washing the feet of the groom with water from the kendi after the ceremony of squashing an egg. Afterwards, the kendi is given to the bridegroom who breaks it as a symbol of longevity. For the opening ceremony, a kendi filled with fragrant water is broken.

This kendi with its mammary spout was found in Tapanuli, Sumatra and was made in China during the Ming dynasty (16th -17th centuries). The Chinese craftsman copied Indonesian trends as it was specifically for sale in Indonesia. It is made of porcelain with a cobalt blue underglaze. Its mammiform decoration represents mother's milk and can be linked to fertility. According to Sumarah Adhyatman, this typical decoration originated in Java.

This particular example is a kraak kendi and the arrangement of its decorations into panels is typical of this genre. Kraak was Chinese export ware produced for the European market. The dating is from the 17th century. The term kraak is derived from the Portuguese carracks or ships that carried the porcelain to Lisbon; these were often intercepted by the Dutch who took the cargo on to Holland.

Kendis are an ancient tradition of Indonesia that remains alive today as they are still produced in the archipelago.


References:

Museum Nasional Guide book Kendi, Sumarah Adhyatman

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