Javanese mark New Year with unique rituals<\/p>\n
Slamet Susanto and Mimin Dwi Hartono, The Jakarta Post\/Yogyakarta<\/p>\n
The clock was just about to strike nine on Wednesday night as
\nhundreds of people gathered in the Alun-alun Utara Square in
\nfront of the Yogyakarta Palace, led by seven men in complete
\nJavanese costumes carrying white flags with Javanese writing on
\nthem.<\/p>\n
When the clock struck nine, the crowd began to move slowly and
\nsolemnly around the palace. The people walked in silence, only
\ntheir lips moving as they said silent prayers. Not a word was
\nheard during the procession.<\/p>\n
They were performing what is traditionally called here the
\nTapa Bisu Mubeng Beteng, or silent walking meditation around the
\nfortress, to celebrate the Javanese New Year, or Suro 1, 1938
\nWawu, according to the Javanese calendar, which fell on Feb. 10.<\/p>\n
As the night grew late more people joined the procession.
\nNearing midnight, the line of people stretched for nearly one
\nkilometer. After marching for over two hours, covering a distance
\nof some five kilometers around the palace, they returned to Alun-
\nAlun Utara and gathered in front of the gate of the
\nPalace's Pagelaran Hall. Still silent, they sat on the ground
\nwith their legs crossed.<\/p>\n
The leader of the ritual came forward, following a woman
\ncarrying incense, and led a prayer. He ended the ritual by
\nsinging a traditional song called Dhandanggula Kidung Sunya
\nKawilenggeng. Some people were so moved that they began to cry
\nwhile singing.<\/p>\n
\"This ritual functions as a means of reflection for the
\ncommunity. While reflecting, we also pray and hope for a better
\nfuture,\" the leader of the ritual, Tri Atmadja, 57, told The
\nJakarta Post.<\/p>\n
\"This is a tradition that we inherited from our ancestors, who
\nhave been performing it for hundreds of years. And we will
\nmaintain the ritual for the sake of our future,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The ritual itself is rich with symbols. The seven flags
\nbearing Javanese writing carried during the ritual, for example,
\nsymbolize pitulungan, or help from God. The word pitu in Javanese
\nliterally means seven. The white color of the flags symbolizes
\nthe purity and sincerity of the people in believing in God and
\nexpecting help from Him.<\/p>\n
The ritual also features the ngalap berkah procession in which
\nparticipants vie to get their hands on the items used in the
\nritual, including the flags and the bamboo sticks that carry the
\nflags.<\/p>\n
Locals believe that if they succeed in getting even only a
\nsmall piece of a flag they can expect better things from the
\ncoming year.<\/p>\n
The same Topo Bisu ritual was also conducted in the nearby
\nPakualaman principality. Only, the ritual at the palace ended
\nexactly at midnight, while the one in Pakualaman began at
\nmidnight. Some 120 elementary school students were among the
\nparticipants of the ritual, which covered a distance
\nof some four kilometers.<\/p>\n
Most Javanese here still consider Suro 1 a sacred day, during
\nwhich they perform various rituals such as washing their sacred
\nbelongings, performing thanksgiving ceremonies or making
\nofferings.<\/p>\n
It is also during the Javanese New Year celebration that
\npeople flock to local holiday resorts, especially Kaliurang on
\nthe slopes of Mountain Merapi, and the beaches along the southern
\ncoast of Yogyakarta.<\/p>\n
This year, however, the celebrations in Yogyakarta looked a
\nbit different. Many people seemed to prefer to tone down their
\ncelebrations, joining traditional rituals or simply staying at
\nhome. This could have been because the provincial government
\nearlier warned a tropical cyclone could hit the province's
\ncoastal areas on Feb. 9 and Feb. 10.<\/p>\n
This could also explain why Yogyakarta's renowned beaches such
\nas Parangtritis, Parangkusumo and Samas were nearly empty of
\nholiday makers.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, members of the Paguyuban Tritunggal religious
\nassociation performed a Ruwat Pathok Negara cleansing ritual by
\nwalking around Yogyakarta city, passing those places considered
\nto be sacred while carrying sacred belongings.<\/p>\n
At Ngobaran Beach in Gunung Kidul, dozens of royal servants
\nfrom Yogyakarta Palace performed a labuhan ritual on the
\nJavanese New Year's Eve.<\/p>\n
A group of some 40 elderly men and women from the religious
\nassociation Perkumpulan Pangesti Jawi conducted the traditional
\nJavanese ritual Metri Bumi at an old house at the Kaliurang
\nresort to celebrate the Javanese New Year.<\/p>\n
All were dressed in complete Javanese costumes for the event.
\nThe ritual began when one of the old men poured water from seven
\ndifferent bottles into an earthenware jug known as a kendi, and
\nthen said prayers in front of the jug. The smell of flowers and
\nburning incense wafted through the room.<\/p>\n
After saying a silent prayer, the man gave the jug to the
\nparticipants who took turns taking water from the jug and rubbing
\nit on their faces and bodies while saying a prayer.<\/p>\n
According to Sumarno, 67, the seven bottles contained water
\ntaken from seven different springs around Kaliurang. They were
\nthe springs of Umbul Wadon, Umbul Kembang, Umbul Muncar, Umbul
\nTlogo Putri, Umbul Candi, Umbul Kletak and Umbul Madohan.<\/p>\n
Taking water from the seven springs, according to him, was
\nmeant as an expression of gratitude and honor toward God for His
\ngenerosity in giving them these seven springs that had for
\nhundreds of years been the main sources of water for the
\nsurrounding people.<\/p>\n
The Metri Bumi ritual was then continued with a
\nlaku topo bisu (speechless walking ritual), covering a distance
\nof some four kilometers around the Kaliurang resort.<\/p>\n
It was during this particular ritual that other people,
\nincluding holiday makers and locals, joined in. Like other
\nsimilar rituals, the one in Kaliurang was meant to give people
\nthe opportunity to reflect on the past year and look forward to
\nthe next.<\/p>\n
The whole procession, which started at about 8 p.m., ended
\nafter midnight.<\/p>\n
\"We plan to perform this ritual every year to maintain this
\nJavanese tradition that expresses respect for the environment,\"
\nSumarno said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/javanese-mark-new-year-with-unique-rituals-1447893297",
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