tradition

Indonesian has some unique traditions when it comes to preparing themselves for the fasting month, the Ramadhan. I’m just jotting something down and classified them to vintage and contemporary. I owe this to uncle google. But before I started with the vintage, the first and foremost tradition is sending the most precious congratulations or asking for forgiveness to others on the occasion of the coming of Ramadhan. My favourite greeting is atyab at-tihani bi-munasabat hulul shahru Ramadan al-Mubarak.

Vintage

Visiting (family) shrine or praying for them

Visit the graves of dead relatives is one of the traditions. The objective of this tradition is to make the blessings of the families that have died. This visit will reflect how human will not have an eternal life. Who benefited from this tradition? The flower vendor, of course! With several types of flowers such as roses, dangling jasmine, ylang-ylang, and bougainvillea with pandanus leaves on top of styled bamboo tray (to clean the rice) or wrapped plastic/banana leaf, flower vendor can earn money and benefited from the tradition.

While we have the common visit conducted by family members per family shrine, for Bugis and Makassar Tribe from South Sulawesi, there is a tradition that still inherent called “reading suro”. It means read the prayer before various sets of menu before dining together. This inherited tradition is conducted a day before Ramadhan. During this time, family members gathered at the family home or at the house of elderly figure. The meaning of the tradition is actually to bring togetherness and strengthening family ties. Before "reading suro” the family usually collecting funds for to the function under supervision of trusted elderly. Voluntary funds given by each family are in accordance with each family’s financial condition. The function blesses the deceased and the family who have died, as well as asking for Allah SWT bless so that those who are still alive will be given the health, livelihood and longevity.

In the city of Palembang, the people visit the tomb of Islam disseminator with the tradition of Kubro held by the Sultan of Palembang Darussalam. Some leaders of the Islam communities, such as from Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, and even Saudi Arabia, participated in this tradition.

While in Klaten, Central Java, there is a tradition of Nyadran. This event was a prayer with various Cone of yellow rice and various dishes brought to local public cemeteries. Food is brought with a number of jodang (an oblong wooden through for food) or litter. After the residents pray for their relatives who had died, the people will fight over food that has been provided. Previous surefire atmosphere soon change to an outburst.

Nyadran tradition is a form of honouring ancestors and of self-cleaning for the coming month of Ramadhan.

Purifying oneself

Balimau is a tradition that has lasted quite a while in West Sumatra, especially in the city of Padang. This tradition is carried out with bathing and cleansing (physically) in the river or other water flows. People should prepare the raw material first, such as pandanus leaf, fruit citron, rose, ylang-ylang, and jasmine. All materials are put in a water container and every person shall perform ablution with the water. While in Merawang, Bangka, the community has similar tradition of Balimau called Belimau. This tradition begins with the visit to the graves of prominent or respected people or hero of Bangka Belitung. And in Lampung, an almost similar tradition called Belanger is performed in the stream of Kali Akar.

In Central Java, Padusan tradition is a similar ritual of purifying oneself for people in Cokro Tulong, Klaten. They start with taking a scoop of water flowers to clean the soul before the holy month of Ramadhan. After that they broke the clay water pot in front of the water pool, to close the ritual. The tradition has symbolic meaning of physical and spiritual preparation for the heart will be clear, clean and pure, free from evil temptation.

Food-wise

The people of Aceh have a tradition of its own called Meugang. Uroe Meugang means buying meat in the day of fasting and Idul Fire. The people of Aceh to buy the meat and then go around to the poor. This tradition is also synonymous with the meaning of high rank of a man who has seen as the service giver to the family. This is a hereditary tradition without clear origin. This event is held to honor the coming fasting month and the coming of Ied.

Malamang tradition in West Sumatra is a tradition to make lemang or glutinous rice and to bring it to their in-laws. The tradition is not only conducted during the Ramadhan, but also during Maulid. However, this tradition has begun to be abandoned by many people. The causes vary, including the increasing price of the basic material along with fewer people who can make lemang.

Munggahan tradition is a tradition for people in West Java to welcome Ramadhan. It started with shampooing, eating together and exchanging food to the neighbors. Sometimes ustadz (male religious teacher) are presented to lead the prayer and give lectures about Ramadhan.

Next is Megengan or banquet, which is held on the dusk of the day before the 1st of Ramadhan. Megengan words, learn from Javanese means holding. In the procession of Megengan, there will be pray recital on happiness for the whole family and the surrounding people.

Goods

Dandangan tradition is a long tradition held each year in Kudus. Dandangan means selling merchandise for 2 weeks before Ramadan, sometimes even up to 1 week before Ramadhan. It may looks like a night market, because in reality, although Dandangan opened in the morning, most visitors crowded the venue in the evening. This tradition has been there since 450 year ago, or at the exact time of Sunan Kudus (Sheik Jakfar Shodiq, one of the prominent disseminator of Islam in Java). At that time, on each fasting month, hundreds of Sunan Kudus students gather in the mosque waiting for the announcement from the Tower on the initial fasting day. The students not only from the Holy City, but also from surrounding areas such as Kendal, Semarang, Demak, Pati, Jepara, Rembang, even Tuban, East Java. Although this function causing traffic jam, but it is welcomed by most people.

Contemporary

Contemporary traditions are somewhat insignificant and short-lived enthusiasm, but still considered as a ritual for most Indonesian, especially yuppies :). These are:

• ban on alcoholic beverages
• prostitution arrest
• artist’s dress changing
• text and email exchange containing the request for forgiveness before Ramadan
• the difficulty to obtain basic goods/stock
• increase prices
• closing down of bars, and massage parlors (which make me ga bisa ke bersih sehat selama satu bulan!!! L)
• and last but not least, changing status on facebook to a moderately religious status.