Dewi Sri in village garb: fertility, myth, and ritual in Northeast Java.

An analysis of a number of myths handed down in oral and written versions in villages near Tuban (on the north coast of Java) demonstrates that the mythical body is conceived of as a coherent whole. The first phase of the sequence is related to a series of sacred graves where offerings may be made for the benefit of individuals.

The second phase is reenacted throughout the area during the yearly rituals of the rice cycle and the human life cycle. The two levels of the community (common villagers and the landholder/leader elite), having access to different versions of the myths, each explain ...

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