Jokowi: Stepping on Buffalo Head is a Traditional Ritual, Don't Drag It into Politics

President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has spoken out about the ritual of stepping on a buffalo head during a ceremony to confer the title of Baginda Pemuka Bangsa in Lampung some time ago. Jokowi said he felt honoured to receive the title from the Lampung indigenous community. ‘It is a form of respect from the indigenous community in Lampung, a form of respect from the Kedatoun Palace of the Lampung Kingdom, and I feel honoured to receive the award,’ Jokowi told reporters on Wednesday, 8 July 2026. Jokowi then requested that the title and the buffalo head stepping ritual not be dragged into the political realm. He said all parties must respect the culture of each region. ‘Don’t drag everything into the political realm, it often doesn’t connect. We must continue to respect customs, respect local wisdom, respect culture, because our culture is very diverse,’ he said. On that occasion, Jokowi also dismissed any comparison between the buffalo head and a bull’s head. He emphasised that the ritual of stepping on the buffalo head is part of a traditional ceremony. ‘It is a traditional ritual, once again it is a traditional ritual that has been performed not just once or twice, but hundreds of times,’ Jokowi concluded. Previously, a particular moment drew significant attention during the ceremony to bestow the honorary traditional title on the 7th President of the Republic of Indonesia, Joko Widodo, at the Kedaton Keagungan in Lampung on Saturday, 27 June 2026. It was not the conferment of the title itself, but the moment Jokowi underwent the ritual of stepping on a buffalo head in front of traditional leaders and invited guests. The brief ritual immediately became a topic of conversation. Video recordings and photos of the ritual circulated widely on social media, raising various questions from the public. What was the meaning behind the ritual? Was it merely part of traditional procedure, or was there a symbolic message intended?