JP\/18\/RUWATN<\/p>\n
'Ruwatan', a ritual threatened with oblivion<\/p>\n
Indra Harsaputra
\nThe Jakarta Post\/Surabaya<\/p>\n
Sedekah bumi, an annual ritual to expel evil spirits from a
\nvillage and bestow on it blessings through prayer, is gradually
\nbeing abandoned by rural communities as it is regarded as an
\nanimistic practice.<\/p>\n
The rich smell of incense burned by the elders of Sepat Lidah
\nKulon village, Surabaya, East Java, was evident as traditional
\nmusic started up to accompany two dancers.<\/p>\n
Moments later, fruit and food as offerings were dropped into
\nan old pool in Sepat Lidah Kulon, marking the start of the
\nceremony on Monday, Sept. 12.<\/p>\n
After reading mantras while dancing, the two sinden (female
\nsingers and dancers) chanted several verses in the Central Java
\ndialect near the pool, long believed to be a water spring. But
\nthe three-hectare pool is now shrinking with the spread of
\nsettlements there.<\/p>\n
The song and dance performed by the pair, as local villagers
\nassume, were the favorites of their ancestors. In order to show
\ntheir reverence for the spirits of their forefathers, the
\nperformance has become a ritual to ask for ancestral blessing and
\npreserve local arts now being eroded by globalization.<\/p>\n
Following the ritual, young artists and local villagers
\nmingled in a dusk-to-dawn feast, where they also discussed the
\nwaning popularity of traditional arts in the village and planned
\ntheir promotion, notably through the ruwatan (exorcism) ritual.<\/p>\n
"This is a form of community wisdom in conserving the
\nenvironment through local arts," said Heri Lento, an artist from
\nSurabaya and member of the ruwatan organizing committee of Sepat
\nLidah Kulon, that evening.<\/p>\n
Sepat Lidah Kulon people are aware of the importance of
\nharmony with their environment, which is under pressure from the
\nurban expansion of Surabaya. Housing and road construction
\nencroaches on their communal land, where the old pool and wells
\nleft behind by their ancestors have become their only source of
\nclean water.<\/p>\n
The ritual serves to remind them of the critical state of the
\npool's water reserve, which forces them to buy drinking water for
\ntheir daily needs as the natural spring is being eaten away by
\nurban expansion.<\/p>\n
Likewise, Lidah Kulon villagers realize the need to preserve
\ntraditional arts as part of their identity in the face of
\nadvancing globalization. "Some people have abandoned traditions.
\nUrban citizens are becoming too worldly, dismissing rituals that
\ninvolve mystical forces," Heri indicated.<\/p>\n
This, according to Heri, has caused the decline and even
\ndemise of East Java's traditional arts like the mask dance in
\nMalang, wayang orang (stage shows based on the Mahabharata and
\nRamayana epics), as well as ludruk and ketoprak (folk theater).<\/p>\n
Some of these are utilized in ruwatan ceremonies.<\/p>\n
His view was shared by Kadaruslan, a Surabaya community elder
\nand chairman of Putra Surabaya (Pusura), a social organization in
\nthe city founded by national hero Dr. Soetomo.<\/p>\n
"The Surabaya community is losing its identity, local spirit
\nand culture," he said.<\/p>\n
Affectionately called Cak (brother) Kandar, he explained the
\nloss of Surabaya's identity by quoting a verse from the national
\nanthem Indonesia Raya: "It should be Bangunlah jiwanya,
\nbangunlah badannya (kindle your spirit, waken your body), but
\ninstead our body has arisen before our soul is awake. This
\ndrowsing spirit refers to our waning culture, including ruwatan."<\/p>\n
"Surabaya is preoccupied with development but it concerns the
\nphysical rather than spiritual dimension, such as high-rise
\nbuildings and public facilities," added the senior city figure.<\/p>\n
Mystical rituals of the kind are also known as selamatan desa
\nand bersih desa (thanksgiving rites) in various parts of East
\nJava like Malang, Sidoarjo, Madiun and Gresik.<\/p>\n
"The various terms essentially mean ruwatan -- begging for
\ndivine blessing and protection as well as deliverance from
\nmisfortunes," said Ki Soleh Adi Pramono, an organizer of Malang
\nmask dances and leader of the Mangun Dharma art camp, told The
\nJakarta Post recently.<\/p>\n
Ki Soleh and his wife Karen Elizabeth, born in Wisconsin,
\nChicago, U.S., have frequently been invited to perform mask
\ndances at ruwatan rituals. Such ceremonies are not only held by
\nvillages but also individuals, who wish to obtain a blessing for
\nan event such as a circumcision.<\/p>\n
He said that, like the other rites, sedekah bumi had become an
\ninseparable part of Javanese religious activities. In the early
\nhistory of Java, ancestors also made offerings known as sesaji
\nageng bedhah bumi before starting to reclaim forested land.<\/p>\n
Undeniably, rituals always have something to do with mystical
\npractices. According to Ki Soleh, before such ceremonies begin,
\nsome requirements have to be met by community figures, like
\nfasting or praying for spiritual guidance from their forefathers.<\/p>\n
Similarly, art performers like sinden and troupe members have
\nto fast for 40 days in order to ensure truly rewarding rituals
\nwith abundant blessing, as desired by all those concerned with
\nthe spiritual enterprise.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/jp18ruwatn-1447899208",
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