Disaster survivors in Lut Tawar prepare for 'meugang' tradition

Disaster survivors in Toweren Uken village, Lut Tawar district, Central Aceh regency, Aceh, are preparing for the meugang tradition to welcome the holy month of Ramadan 1447 Hijriah.

Toweren Uken village head Sirwan said that survivors have now partially returned to their own homes to prepare for the arrival of the holy month of Ramadan and to make ready for meugang.

“Tomorrow, Wednesday, the community will observe meugang at their own homes. We are grateful that the president has provided meat to the villages. Perhaps the minimum allocation is half a kilogramme each — we are thankful, as this is assistance from the district and provincial governments,” Sirwan told ANTARA on Tuesday.

The meugang tradition is a centuries-old custom observed by the people of Aceh to mark major Islamic occasions — before the month of Ramadan, before Eid al-Fitr, and before Eid al-Adha.

By custom, the tradition, which literally means cooking meat, is an obligatory expression of togetherness and kinship. The meat dishes are typically shared with family, relatives, and orphans.

“Yes, for the meugang ceremony, this is a Gayo tradition that we must carry out. Whether small or large, we must face the disaster that has come from Allah,” said disaster survivor Khadijah in a separate interview.

Previously, the Aceh provincial government stated that President Prabowo Subianto had transferred funds for the purchase of cattle for the meugang tradition ahead of the holy month of Ramadan for disaster-affected communities in Aceh, totalling more than Rp72.7 billion.

The assistance was channelled through a fund transfer mechanism from the President via the Presidential Secretariat, directly to 19 district and municipal governments on Tuesday (10 February), amounting to Rp72,750,000,000.