Ceremony brings villagers back together

The people of Nglurah village in Karanganyar regency, Central Java have been growing flowers and decorative plants for centuries.

While many Nglurah people have moved away from the village, they continue to work as flower sellers. Pockets of the Nglurah community can be found across the archipelago and as far as Malaysia.

Today, there are 355 families or 2,200 people living in the village.

Every six lapan (35 days on the Javanese calendar) or about seven months, they return home for the dukutan ceremony, held to purify the village and ask for God's blessing.

The community believes those absent from the ceremony will be cursed with bad luck.

The images below show stages of the ceremony on July 12.

Text and photo by Blontank Poer

Photo A:

A kaling (village elder) inspect various types of foods made from maize and brought to his home by villagers. Each family must send two types of offerings: one made from maize and one from fruits or vegetables. The food must be cooked under certain conditions by a mature woman who is not menstruating and has showered and washed her hair. Nobody is allowed to taste the food.

Photo B:

After being blessed by the kaling, the food is then carried by the villagers to a sacred site named Menggung. There are two statues there: Kyai Menggung and his wife, Nyai Rasa Putih, which are thought to be the protectors of the community. According to legend, the gods advised the villagers not to plant rice but only vegetables and fruits.

Photo C:

Surrounded by thousands of villagers, various offerings are brought to the complex of the sacred site.

Photo D:

Once they arrive, community leaders place the offerings in front of the statues and say a prayer. The statutes are covered with bangunan tulak (handwoven cloth) for the duration of the ceremony.

Photo E:

Community leaders say a final prayer before the statues. The cloth that covered the statues throughout the ceremony has been removed.

Photo F:

Villagers rush to get water used during the ceremony. They believe the water has special properties so that it can ward off disaster and bring luck.

Photo G:

After the ceremony, a man scatters the leftover offerings pulverized with fruit and vegetables through the complex,