Jokowi's Buffalo Head Ritual Sparks Political Row: PDIP Laughs, PSI Defends

A traditional procession involving Indonesia’s 7th President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) stepping on a buffalo head as part of the Begawi Cakak Pepadun or Munggah Bumi ceremony in Lampung has drawn mixed reactions. PDIP elites laughed off suggestions the act was an insult to their party, while PSI came to his defence.

The moment, which went viral on social media on Monday (29/6), showed Jokowi stepping on a buffalo head placed on a red carpet. His visit to Lampung was part of his first political safari since leaving office, during which he wore a shirt and cap bearing the PSI logo and met with party cadres.

Responding to the procession, PDIP DPP Chair Andreas Hugo Pareira admitted he did not understand the custom but laughed at the notion that stepping on a buffalo head was meant to demean PDIP. “I don’t understand the customs and culture of the Lampung people, especially when linked to stepping on a buffalo head,” Andreas told reporters. The Deputy Chair of Commission XIII of the House of Representatives clarified that PDIP’s symbol is a white-muzzled bull, not a buffalo. He also deemed it inappropriate for Jokowi, as a symbol of national unity, to be crowned as a traditional king or tribal chief, suggesting the former president should seek a higher class of recognition, such as an academic title from another country, rather than remaining at a “local level” and seeking political support.

PSI elites, however, defended Jokowi, accusing PDIP of insulting Lampung’s customs and culture by mocking the ritual. PSI DPP Chair Bestari Barus stated that the procession was a form of respect bestowed upon Jokowi by traditional leaders from several Lampung kingdoms, a ritual that predates PDIP’s existence. Barus also criticised Andreas for questioning Jokowi’s stature, challenging his credibility and suggesting PDIP should refrain from commenting if driven by dislike. He urged PDIP to introspect regarding its ambiguous national political stance and called on PDIP Chairperson Megawati Soekarnoputri to teach her cadres to respect Indonesian customs and culture.

Lampung traditional leader Suttan Seghayo Dipuncak Nur, Mawardi Harirama, clarified that the ritual of placing toes on a buffalo head is part of the hereditary Begawi Cakak Pepadun tradition. He explained its philosophical meaning is to symbolically eliminate negative human traits such as arrogance, envy, and greed, and it has no political connection. He also dismissed the association of the red carpet with any political group, stating it is simply the standard ornamentation of the Kedatun Keagungan.