Ceremony brings villagers back together

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,