Cemeteries visited before Ramadhan

Cemeteries visited before Ramadhan

By Veronica Soediro

JAKARTA (JP): A total gridlock-move-nowhere traffic jam is
unusual even in the perpetually busy Tanah Kusir area. But
thousands of people, in thousands of cars, have crept toward the
Central Jakarta graveyard to perform the tradition of nyekar
(ornamenting and praying at the graves of loved ones), before
Ramadahn began on Monday.

According to tradition, nyekar should be done just before the
fasting month and not during the month itself. On the day before
the fasting month begins, graveyards are therefore crowded by
people paying their respects to the dead. Graveyard workers call
it "the final", or the last chance to pray for the dead. However,
Moslem religious leaders seem to disagree with this practice.
Both KH Hasan Basri, the leader of Indonesian Ulemas Council and
KH Ramlan Marjunet, the vice president of Indonesian Mosques
Council Dewan Mesjid Indonesia, consider the belief a tradition
unrelated to Islamic teachings. According to Islam, once someone
passes away, the spirit returns to God perpetually.

"Therefore nyekar is allowed anytime of the year," according
to KH Marjunet.

KH Basri emphasized that religious leaders do not prevent the
practice as long as "We give them guidance, one must not ask
anything from the dead, and is only allowed to pray for them."

Ibu Muji, 83, came to pray for her husband. She believes her
husband's spirit returns to his grave before ruwahan (leaving for
heaven) during the fasting month. "When it is lebaran, his spirit
along with the others will come back to earth." She would not
explain further, stating only that "it is very complicated."

Caretakers

It is understandable how graveyard capitalism blossoms like a
wildflowers at this time of the year. Indonesians try their luck
a the seasonal business of taking care of graves. Grave
caretakers, stalls, drink vendors, noodle and even dim sum
vendors position themselves in every corner of every graveyard.
According to a Tanah Kusir employee, food vendors from Senayan,
five kilometers away, come to the graveyard to make money.

Most grave caretakers are male teenagers earning extra money
after school. They almost uniformly wear trousers, thongs and
baseball caps, milling around the graveyard with asapu lidi
(broom made of split coconut midribs).

Budi, 17, a senior high school student from Pondok Pinang,
started his job right after school. "I'm still wearing my
uniform," he said, patting his faded gray trousers. They earn a
average of Rp 9,000 a day. He only makes Rp 2,000 a day during
the rest of the year. During the off-season he prefers to work as
a parking attendant at a nearby restaurant. "It's enough for
daily expenses. My parents pay for my school fees," he said.

Rivals

Adult caretakers make significantly more than their young
rivals. A teenager will only get Rp 500 a grave, while an adult
will make at least Rp 2000 from each person visiting a grave. At
times four people will visit one grave.

Eleven-year-old Abdul Jabar and thirteen-year-old Rudi also
work at the cemetery after school. Although, according to Hasri,
a warung owner who knows these kids well, "They knew today was
going to be packed, that's why they skipped school this morning."
The kids instantaneously denied the charge.

Unwritten rules govern the sharing of jobs and territory in
the graveyard. One does not bother with graves already being
taken care of by permanent caretakers. The permanents are paid Rp
15,000 a month to tidy a grave three times a week. To make sure
everyone gets a share, each grave is cleaned by at least two
people. The individual income is smaller, but everybody is at
least guaranteed some money.

Double up

Purwanto, 27, a permanent caretaker at Tanah Kusir, doubles as
a parking attendant during peak times. The attendants grossed Rp
700,000 one day. "But we have to turn over the money to the
organizer who gives a certain amount to the Tanah Kusir main
office. What's leftover is divided between us parking
attendants," he said. "We got Rp 15,000 each yesterday."

Groups of middle-aged men wearing sarongs and pici (black felt
hat) also hang out in the cemetery. They are hired to lead
prayers for the dead. The prayers can last between 15 minutes and
half an hour. Papas, who is "around 50" and his friend Hendro
explained that one needs deep religious knowledge to lead a
prayer session. They wouldn't at first disclose how much they
earn in a day, "It all depends on the generosity of the
visitors." Eventually they admitted to bringing in about Rp
30,000 for half a day of work.

Selling flowers is more profitable. Muliati, a 30-year-old
housewife, works twelve hours a day during the nyekar season. "I
spend Rp 100,000 a day," she said, "And each day I bring home
around Rp 190,000."

Not everyone enjoys luck during the season. Permanent warung
owners, like Hasri, prefer quieter days. "There is too much
competition during this time. From one end to the other there are
30 to 40 vendors. Usually there are only three." They are not as
mobile as outside vendors and can't approach as many people.

"Usually I can make around Rp 60,000 a day with less effort,"
he explained "In times like this, I only make Rp 50,000 a day.
Although if I work overtime, I can get up to Rp 80,000 a night,
because most vendors have already gone home." He can't compete
with the younger vendors because "I am already 48 years old and
often ill."