Cemeteries visited before Ramadhan<\/p>\n
By Veronica Soediro<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): A total gridlock-move-nowhere traffic jam is
\nunusual even in the perpetually busy Tanah Kusir area. But
\nthousands of people, in thousands of cars, have crept toward the
\nCentral Jakarta graveyard to perform the tradition of nyekar
\n(ornamenting and praying at the graves of loved ones), before
\nRamadahn began on Monday.<\/p>\n
According to tradition, nyekar should be done just before the
\nfasting month and not during the month itself. On the day before
\nthe fasting month begins, graveyards are therefore crowded by
\npeople paying their respects to the dead. Graveyard workers call
\nit \"the final\", or the last chance to pray for the dead. However,
\nMoslem religious leaders seem to disagree with this practice.
\nBoth KH Hasan Basri, the leader of Indonesian Ulemas Council and
\nKH Ramlan Marjunet, the vice president of Indonesian Mosques
\nCouncil Dewan Mesjid Indonesia, consider the belief a tradition
\nunrelated to Islamic teachings. According to Islam, once someone
\npasses away, the spirit returns to God perpetually.<\/p>\n
\"Therefore nyekar is allowed anytime of the year,\" according
\nto KH Marjunet.<\/p>\n
KH Basri emphasized that religious leaders do not prevent the
\npractice as long as \"We give them guidance, one must not ask
\nanything from the dead, and is only allowed to pray for them.\"<\/p>\n
Ibu Muji, 83, came to pray for her husband. She believes her
\nhusband's spirit returns to his grave before ruwahan (leaving for
\nheaven) during the fasting month. \"When it is lebaran, his spirit
\nalong with the others will come back to earth.\" She would not
\nexplain further, stating only that \"it is very complicated.\"<\/p>\n
Caretakers<\/p>\n
It is understandable how graveyard capitalism blossoms like a
\nwildflowers at this time of the year. Indonesians try their luck
\na the seasonal business of taking care of graves. Grave
\ncaretakers, stalls, drink vendors, noodle and even dim sum
\nvendors position themselves in every corner of every graveyard.
\nAccording to a Tanah Kusir employee, food vendors from Senayan,
\nfive kilometers away, come to the graveyard to make money.<\/p>\n
Most grave caretakers are male teenagers earning extra money
\nafter school. They almost uniformly wear trousers, thongs and
\nbaseball caps, milling around the graveyard with asapu lidi
\n(broom made of split coconut midribs).<\/p>\n
Budi, 17, a senior high school student from Pondok Pinang,
\nstarted his job right after school. \"I'm still wearing my
\nuniform,\" he said, patting his faded gray trousers. They earn a
\naverage of Rp 9,000 a day. He only makes Rp 2,000 a day during
\nthe rest of the year. During the off-season he prefers to work as
\na parking attendant at a nearby restaurant. \"It's enough for
\ndaily expenses. My parents pay for my school fees,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Rivals<\/p>\n
Adult caretakers make significantly more than their young
\nrivals. A teenager will only get Rp 500 a grave, while an adult
\nwill make at least Rp 2000 from each person visiting a grave. At
\ntimes four people will visit one grave.<\/p>\n
Eleven-year-old Abdul Jabar and thirteen-year-old Rudi also
\nwork at the cemetery after school. Although, according to Hasri,
\na warung owner who knows these kids well, \"They knew today was
\ngoing to be packed, that's why they skipped school this morning.\"
\nThe kids instantaneously denied the charge.<\/p>\n
Unwritten rules govern the sharing of jobs and territory in
\nthe graveyard. One does not bother with graves already being
\ntaken care of by permanent caretakers. The permanents are paid Rp
\n15,000 a month to tidy a grave three times a week. To make sure
\neveryone gets a share, each grave is cleaned by at least two
\npeople. The individual income is smaller, but everybody is at
\nleast guaranteed some money.<\/p>\n
Double up<\/p>\n
Purwanto, 27, a permanent caretaker at Tanah Kusir, doubles as
\na parking attendant during peak times. The attendants grossed Rp
\n700,000 one day. \"But we have to turn over the money to the
\norganizer who gives a certain amount to the Tanah Kusir main
\noffice. What's leftover is divided between us parking
\nattendants,\" he said. \"We got Rp 15,000 each yesterday.\"<\/p>\n
Groups of middle-aged men wearing sarongs and pici (black felt
\nhat) also hang out in the cemetery. They are hired to lead
\nprayers for the dead. The prayers can last between 15 minutes and
\nhalf an hour. Papas, who is \"around 50\" and his friend Hendro
\nexplained that one needs deep religious knowledge to lead a
\nprayer session. They wouldn't at first disclose how much they
\nearn in a day, \"It all depends on the generosity of the
\nvisitors.\" Eventually they admitted to bringing in about Rp
\n30,000 for half a day of work.<\/p>\n
Selling flowers is more profitable. Muliati, a 30-year-old
\nhousewife, works twelve hours a day during the nyekar season. \"I
\nspend Rp 100,000 a day,\" she said, \"And each day I bring home
\naround Rp 190,000.\"<\/p>\n
Not everyone enjoys luck during the season. Permanent warung
\nowners, like Hasri, prefer quieter days. \"There is too much
\ncompetition during this time. From one end to the other there are
\n30 to 40 vendors. Usually there are only three.\" They are not as
\nmobile as outside vendors and can't approach as many people.<\/p>\n
\"Usually I can make around Rp 60,000 a day with less effort,\"
\nhe explained \"In times like this, I only make Rp 50,000 a day.
\nAlthough if I work overtime, I can get up to Rp 80,000 a night,
\nbecause most vendors have already gone home.\" He can't compete
\nwith the younger vendors because \"I am already 48 years old and
\noften ill.\"<\/p>",
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