JP/18/SUNGKEM

JP/18/SUNGKEM

Sungkeman marks Idul Fitri festivities in Yogyakarta

Tarko Sudiarno
The Jakarta Post
Yogyakarta

The Sungkeman ritual is still preserved in the palaces of
Yogyakarta and Surakarta, Central Java, where the sultans are
believed to be the heirs of the ancient Mataram kingdom.

This ritual allows commoners to show their respect to the
sultan, to wish the sultan and court officials a happy Idul
Fitri, and to ask forgiveness from each other.

In Yogyakarta, the ceremony is held after the Sholad Ied, or
Idul Fitri prayer. At the same time, the Gunungan Grebeg or the
food made for the ceremony, is carried from the palace toward the
north square.

The Sungkeman ceremony lasts for two or three days due to the
huge number of people who want to take part in the ritual. This
year it took place in the Bangsal Kencana, a hall in the
Yogyakarta Palace, from the morning until the evening.

The word "sungkeman" is derived from "sungkem", meaning to
show respect by bowing on one's hands and knees.

In the case of the Yogyakarta Palace, the people show their
respect by kissing the right knee of Sultan Hamengku Buwono X,
who is also the governor of Yogyakarta province.

Participants of the ceremony includes the family members of
the sultan, regents, mayors and courtiers.

The ritual begins when the sultan leaves Gedong Jene, his
official residence, and arrives at Bangsal Kencana. After he sits
in his chair, the people waiting outside the hall come into the
room and sit on the floor with legs crossed.

And then the sultan will say: "Maju (Move forward)." It is the
only word said during the ritual.

One by one, in accordance with their position and rank, the
people start to move forward to honor the sultan. They move while
squatting as they are not allowed to stand up.

After kissing the sultan's knee, they will then move backward,
also in the squatting position. The people are not allowed to
turn their back to the sultan and they should not look directly
into his eyes.

After all the people get their chance to show their respect
and loyalty to the sultan, he leaves the hall without saying a
word. Court audiences may leave after the sultan.

Due to an overwhelming numbers of participants, they are
usually lined up in different groups in accordance with position
and rank, and also gender.

All of the people who take part in the ritual must wear
traditional Javanese clothes. The men wear blangkon (Javanese
headdress) while the women, except members of the royal family,
wear kemben (a kind of bustier) to cover the upper part of the
body.

The sultan also wears Javanese clothes and carries a kris.
What's unique, despite his power, the sultan's clothes cannot be
decorated with any gold or diamonds because they symbolize
worldly desires.