Houses of ashes: Expression of respect toward ancestors

By Listiana Operananta

JAKARTA (JP): In the modern age, where most people are absorbed in their own lives and tend to increasingly forget their close relatives who have passed away, it is hard to fathom the existence of buildings used to offer prayers to ancestors.

There are dozens of such houses, which are commonly known here as Rumah Abu (literally ashes houses), scattered around the Mangga Besar area of West Jakarta. They are used to store the ashes of the deceased after cremation.

These houses have been well preserved by the Indonesian community of Chinese origin. This shows that these people are very much aware of their ancestors' history and contribution to their family names.

Lioe Ki Sian, 60, one of the attendants in the Lioe/Lauw Ashes House, said that the house was founded as a place where all Lioe descendants could offer prayers to their predecessors.

"The house is intended to make younger generations remember their roots. They have to know that they were not born without any relatives and that in times of need they can always turn to their family," Lioe said.

Lioe/Lauw House was established in 1952 by Lioe Ciam Kong. "The house is intended to enable every member of the Lioe family to offer prayers to and ask for health and wealth from their ancestors and their God," he said.

Lioe is the Mandarin spelling; in the Fujian (Hokian) dialect it is Lauw.

He said ashes houses were part of the Chinese tradition which stresses the importance or paying respects to deceased family members.

"Offering prayers for the dead is very important for us because they are close to the Creator. That's why we always hold a big ceremony -- even bigger than the ones for birthdays or wedding parties -- when one of our family dies," he said.

But ashes houses are not a place of worship for any particular religion.

"This is a place for worshiping your ancestors and it is open to Lioes from all religions," Lioe said.

The two-story Lioe House, which is built on a 100-square-meter plot of land, is located just in front Kota Railway Station in West Jakarta.

Other ashes houses, painted with the same red, yellow and green paint abound along the street.

"The house also functions as a place where all Lioe family members can gather and ask for help in situations such as when one of them has difficulty with their children's education fees or when one of our members cannot not afford a burial service," he said.

Most ashes houses are managed in a similar fashion. "There are at least 50 coordinators in charge of the day to day operations of the houses," Lioe said.

"We have special coordinators who check on information regarding members who need financial help for their businesses," he said.

Lioe said house managements did not usually ask for anything in return. "But most of the family members who receive our help usually pay us back by giving huge donations once they have the money or just helping us in the daily operation (of the house)," he added.

He said that descendants usually performed ancestral prayers at least twice a year. The first is in April for the Ceng Beng celebration. As with Moslems' Idul Fitri festivity, it starts after a one-month fasting period.

The second is the Ceng Gue celebration. "You can hold the Ceng Gue anytime you want as this ceremony is to say thank you for your daily food," he said.

Lioe said that not only direct descendants of Lioe were entitled to offer prayers to ancestors at the house. "Those who are married to Lioe can come too, especially women, because once they are married to a Lioe they become part of our clan and are no longer in their previous clans," he said.

The whole house is also a place where Lioe's descendants keep family members' ashes. Some however are only in the form of small caskets with the deceased's name on, engraved in Chinese.

The main room is where all praying can be performed. It's a square room with hundreds of small caskets placed on the altar.

Lioe said that some of the names were their ancestors from a century ago. Their caskets were brought from mainland China.

Snapshots of the deceased were hanged on the walls of the main praying room. Everyone entering the room feels as if dozens of Lioe ancestors are watching their every move.

The eerie feeling is especially strong when one approaches the enormous red altar. The altar is illuminated with red candles, which are lit even in broad daylight.

"When a Lioe dies, especially an elder, we always put their picture on the wall and engrave their names on an altar to remind our children of them," he said.

Lioe said the most important ritual in every ashes house occurs in front of three brass bowls where people burn joss sticks.

Chinese are known to burn joss sticks as a means to send their prayers to their god and ancestors. After being burned, the joss stick is placed in one of the brass bowls and the person bows to it three times.

One of the bowls is placed in front of the altar, where dozens of the ancestors' names are placed vertically.

"The bowl symbolizes the spirit of the ancestors," Lioe said.

The second bowl is in the middle of the room symbolizing the Creator. "Usually people send their prayer to the Creator first, before their ancestors," Lioe said.

The third bowl is placed on the ground to symbolize mother earth. "We ask mother earth to provide us with fruitful years of harvest and wealth," he added.

He said that the ashes house is open every day. "Basically we always accept those who want to offer prayers, any time and in any way," he said.

Lioe said that he became one of the house's attendants five years ago, just after his father died.

"But I've known and been familiar with this place since I was very young. I love being here, helping people and I intend to stay here as long as I can, just like my father," he said.