Ngaben

Balinese religion is based on respect for and worship of God and ancestors, and is a combination of Hindu elements and indigenous Balinese culture. After death, the body must be dissolved and returned to its original elements. The cremation ritual is a purification rite which frees the roh (soul or spirit) from its temporary earthly house and facilitates its journey to its next existence.

After a death, the whole village helps with preparations for the cremation. The mayat (dead body) is laid out in a special house to be bathed and prepared. Meals are prepared and offered to the deceased as normal. Around the body and entrance to the house are placed damar kuranung (lamps), which notify people of the death and help facilitate the soul's journey and to keep the person's memory alive.

The night before the cremation, holy water is collected from the temple and used in preparation of the body and during the cremation. Any important ceremonies which have been missed during the deceased's lifetime must be carried out prior to cremation. Some Balinese are buried until the cremation can be organised or to wait for an auspicious date. The bones are exhumed a few days before the cremation then prepared in the same way as the whole body.

All the village unites for the cremation, which is a joyous occasion. After cremation, the ashes are placed in the sea - achieving final separation of the soul from the body.

The size and elaborateness of the cremation ceremony reflects the wealth of the deceased's family. Since cremations are large and expensive festivals, sometimes the body is temporarily buried until the family can afford the cremation. The cremation may take place years after the death of the individual.

Ider-ider paintings tell a story using a sequence of scenes on a horizontal strip in the style of a comic. They were tied under the eaves of temple or palace pavilions and read by walking around the building. This segment shows the cremation of Abimanyu, the heroic son of Arjuna, who died from being pierced by 100 arrows. One of his wives, Uttari, is pregnant and not permitted to join her husband in death, but his other wife Sundari leaps from the ramp into the fire, where her soul is released and flies upward in the form of a bird.

The tika is a complex 210-day-per-year calendar mainly used by Balinese ritual experts to advise the Balinese villager of the most appropriate day for undertaking any important activity, such as a cremation

In the past, an anthropomorphic (human-like) figure made from Chinese coins and cotton thread was placed lengthwise on the body after death. Called the 'measure', it ensured that after rebirth, the deceased's bones would be in the right dimensions and arrangement. Today, Chinese coins, rice and other offerings are thrown from the cremation tower as it travels to the cremation ground.

Stone jumping (hombo batu)

By: George Junus Aditjondro

Stone jumping (hombo batu) and surfing are the two most well-known attractions for tourists coming to the island of Nias, 75 miles west of Sumatera, which only take place in Teluk Dalam on Nias’ south coast. Young Nias men jump over 2-meters stone walls for Rp 50,000, in the village of Bawomatoluo. Meanwhile, surfing was introduced and developed by foreign tourists on the beach of Sorake.

Coming all the way to Nias, however, tourists should not limit themselves to stone jumping and surfing, since the island — with a civilization dating back to the Dongson period of North Vietnam — has a unique traditional architecture adapted to the frequent earthquake tremors in the region.

Two original solutions were created by the Nias ancestors. Firstly, all houses were set on a series of vertical pillars (enomo) which are not anchored into the ground, but rest on stone blocks. Secondly, the vertical pillars were reinforced by slanting piles (ndriwa), which created a very resistant earthquake-proof three-dimensional structure.

While surviving earthquakes, Nias traditional architecture is presently endangered by two big challenges, namely deforestation and modernization. Nias has largely been stripped of its forests over the past 150 years since head hunting ceased and the population grew rapidly. This has nearly depleted the native efoa, manawa dano, and simalambuo hardwood trees, used for the pillars of the traditional clan houses (omo hada), chief houses (omo sebua or omo nifolasara) and large meeting halls (omo bale).

Secondly, modernization has reduced the strength of the clan (mado), with most Nias people preferring now to live in Malay houses, while the government has also forsaken Nias traditional architecture in all official buildings.

The billions of rehabilitation and reconstruction dollars channeled to Nias through the NAD-Nias Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Body (BRR), overlooked the need to revive this cultural heritage of Nias.

Fortunately, two European charities — the German aid organization, Johanniter Unfall Hilfe, and the British Turnstone Tsunami Fund — have assisted the rebuilding of remaining omo hada on the island. Johanniter cooperated with the Nias Heritage Museum (Museum Pusaka Nias) in Gunungsitoli, the capital of the Nias district, while the Turnstone Tsunami Fund cooperated with the Medan-based North Sumatera Heritage.

With Johanniter’s assistance, Museum Pusaka Nias has helped families rehabilitate 26 traditional wooden houses in 13 villages. In addition, with financial assistance from the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta and the Muenster and Konstant Municipalities in Germany, the Museum has rehabilitated eight more traditional houses in seven other villages. Then, with the assistance of other donors, the Museum has distributed funds — ranging from Rp 200,000 to Rp 5,000,000 — to 357 traditional house owners to rebuild their traditional houses.

The museum was trusted by all those donors due to the serious dedication of its director, Johannes Hammerle, OFM Cap, a naturalized German-born priest, to revive Nias traditional architecture. The Museum director has studied chief houses (omo sebua) since 1990, and supervised the construction of the museum compound — with its various wooden buildings — according to Nias traditional architecture, involving Nias and German carpenters.

In the museum compound, one can observe a South Nias rectangular wooden house, used as a guest house, where the author has twice stayed, and a North Nias oval wooden house, used as an office building. The oval house, called omo laraga, originated from Sinandraolo village near Gunung Sitoli. Owned by the family of Ama Jeni Telaumbanua, it collapsed during the 2005 earthquake.

The traditional house was rebuilt in the museum compound and modernized with an indoor toilet, with the financial assistance of Brigitte Ott and Guenter Ott and their colleagues from the German International School in Jakarta. The omo laraga was inaugurated on June 22, 2007, with the traditional house inauguration dance, Fameheu Omo, by high school kids dancing and jumping on the floor, to test the house’s structural strength.

Meanwhile, the Turnstone Tsunami Fund has rebuilt the chief house (omo nifolasara) in the village of Hilinawalo Mazingo, the oldest omo hada in Southern Nias. This magnificent chief house had survived nearly three centuries, but was in desperate need of restoration after falling victim to intense sun, rain, insect infestation, neglect, and finally, the March 2005 earthquake.

In 2005 and 2006, the Turnstone Tsunami Fund focused on training a younger generation of Nias men, ranging from 23 to 50 years of age, by the elderly village carpenter, Ama Liana, in four-week courses, supported by the Carpenter’s Company of the City of London.

Following two carpentry courses, all houses in Hilinawalo Mazingo and four surrounding villages had been fully repaired by mid 2006. In addition, this project also supported a reforestation education project with local teenagers, led by a Nias school teacher, Yamin, and using afoa seedlings.

Thanks to these massive programs, Nias will have much more to offer to tourists than swimming and snorkeling in Teluk Dalam, watching stone jumping in Bawomatoluo, and surfing at Sorake. It would be nice if BRR and all aid agencies contribute to reviving this unique cultural heritage.

As Roger Miall from the Turnstone Tsunami Fund suggested is his email letter to me, some help from BRR to build a road to the village of Hilinawalo Mazingo would encourage tourist to visit the restored chief house. Meanwhile, tourism agencies should incorporate visits and short periods of living in Nias’ omo hada in their packages, similar to tourism packages in Sarawak, East Malaysia, where tourists are encouraged to visit and live in Dayak long houses. Or in Mentawai, where tourists also can visit and live for short time in the indigenous people’s longhouses.

The author is currently researching the reconstruction of Aceh and Nias, and can be contacted at georgejunusaditjondro@gmail.com

Sekaten and Gerebeg Maulud

Sekaten ceremony starts on the 5^th day of the Javanese month Maulud. People from Yogyakarta and villages around the city still believe that by celebrating Sekaten, particularly when listening to the sets of the Gamelan music, they will get rewards from the God Almighty, concerning their work, health and future. The first day of the ceremony starts at midnight with a procession of the royal servant, "abdi dalem" who walk in two rows bringing two sets of Gamelan named Kyai Nogowilogo and Kyai Gunturmadu. This procession leaves from the Ponconiti hall.

The climax of Sekaten ceremony is called Garebeg Maulud, held on 12^th of the Javanese month Maulud. This festival starts by a parade of the Palace guard consisting ten units, namely; Wirobrojo, Daeng, Patangpuluh, Jogokaryo, Prawirotomo, Nyutro, Ketanggung, Mantrijero, Surokarso, and Bugis wearing their specific uniforms.

The parade starts from the yard of the northern Kemandungan of the palace, crosses the Sitihinggil, and the pagelaran to the northern square.

The Gunungan, made of food-like vegetables, peanuts, red peppers, eggs, and several delicacies from sticky rice. It is mountain shaped and symbolizes the prosperity and wealth of the Mataram's land.

Elongated ear, Tribal Typical tradition Dayak

Calling tattoo art, there are many tribe at Archipelago that have this tradition as tribal as Dayak, Mentawai, and Papuan. But, elongated ear tradition, just tribe Dayak at Kalimantan who have unique tradition and typical it. That even not all Dayak's tribe, but just a few Dayak's tribe sub one particular.

Even as one of individuality or id that really stands out as Kalimantan's aborigin, but this tradition is present just progressively been left. If even available one withstands, just plays favorites old generation faction little Dayak that old above 60 years.

Besides amount it by one whit, they that its eared origin elongated witting truncate their auricle. Reason that frequent being interposed, outmodel reputed fear or worried their child falt cheap.

According to anthropologist Mering Ngo, one that also indigenous Dayak's tribe, if Dayak's traditional tattoo is now amends become modern tattoo art, elongated ear tradition just getting sinking and is left. No present the rising generation that keep on this tradition, even at Kalimantan's back country even if, with motive medley.

"Adequately I just that its ear made by length. Child seventh me, one even no that its ear made by length," Pejung's speech (82), Dayak Kayan's tribal citizen that its ear made by length until about 15 centimetres.

"I am pity if my children its following shame and as jeer material. Eventually, elongated ear shall begin to do since is still baby," add Pejung.

According to Mering Ngo, besides no router to keep up elongated ear tradition, not also all group or subsuku Dayak at Kalimantan has elongated ear tradition this. At Kalimantan West, e.g., elongated ear tradition just is known for example among Dayak Iban's society, Kayan, Garden, and Dayak Punan. This tradition even most just applies at back country as at Kapuas's Regency Upstream.

Elongated ear makings not only been done on female, but also on male. Elongated ear makings usually been done since is still baby. There is aim even it, according to Mering Ngo, concerned by social strata classification someone in society.

At Dayak Kayan, e.g., elongated ear makings point out that person is indigenous ducal circle.

There is makings even elongated ear on female points out she one noble at a swoop to differentiate with female that made by slave because martial defeat or can't pay book debt.

Any other again with upriver River village Mahakam. Elongated ear to be utilized as id to point out someone age. So baby comes into the world, ear tip given by bead that adequately heavy. Each year, total bead that sticks at crescent ear one.

"In consequence, if wants to know someone age, can be seen of total bead that sticks at ear. If its amount 60, therefore age it must 60 year since bead assemblies can't be done rampant, but one year once," Jacobus Bayau Lung's revealing, Chairman II. Dayak Kalimantan's partnership East.

To the effect elongated ear makings even is not to point out nobility state, but just to coach patient. "Just imagine, just how weight pending bead it at ear. But, since is used everyday, patient and their grief taste becomes practiced," say Bayau Lung.

In the meantime, among Dayak Kayan's society, that auricle becomes length, usually auricle was given by ballast as metal as gets bangle circle form or get pocket edition whirligig form. With this ballast auricle will go on memanjang until some centimetre.

While on Dayak Iban, be not been given such ballast, but just is let appear to be big hole as if we make zero number with band thumb tip with index finger tip.

At Utik's River Orchard, Apan's village, Embaloh's district Upstream, Kapuas's regency Upstream, e.g., found a Dayak Iban named Tuba.

68 surrounding old oldster that year memanjangkan its ear about year 60 an while go abroad to Sarawak and Darussalam's Bruneis. Over there her besides memanjangkan ear also make tattoo at sectioned jugular, arm and thigh.

Univeritas Tanjungpura Prof Dr's Common Law professor Cyprianus Thambun Anyang's Johns declares for, elongated ear tradition Dayak Iban as almost equal to Dayak Garden that withholds ballast.

"On Dayak Garden, elongated ear tradition that don't relate with given social strata. This tradition in particular for female just as keperempuanannya's id," commons law expert flat this.

But, say Thambun, this tradition was left Dayak's society Garden. "My mother is even just just after comes to Pontianak that time asks for to be truncated its auricle because worried its children following shy," its revealing.

According to Thambun, memanjangkan is ear only one of tradition decorates body. Dayak's tribal tradition another is make tattoo and put together gold tooth. But, of drd tradition decorates that body, just tattoo that stills to withstand although progressively loses spiritualnya's meaning. Meanwhile makes length ear and put together gold tooth be left.

"Tradition assembles to fill teeth gold for Dayak Garden to point out pertinent one have gone abroad far, because gold tooth that nicely only is at Sarawak and Darussalam's Brunei," its speech.

Begin when elongated ear tradition this was left?

According to Mering, this unknown a hair's breadth, but is estimated equal to tattoo tradition while begins its input missionaries go to back country at Dayak's gathering place on Dutch colonial epoch before.

This tradition even progressively abrades is gone while confrontation happening among Indonesian and Malaysian at Kalimantan's borderland. stigma's effloresce that time at society, they who get length auricle and stay behind on the house length, one that is dwelt family divers, constituting society group that don't modern. Don't bate to such a view, finally umpteen citizen cuts its length ear.

Stigma this kind of goes on until now. Dayak's the rising generation circle not wants again make length ear for fear reputed outmodel and not modern.

Just plays favorites Dayak's society little that is still hold tradition firmness gets length auricle, and it is amount even it so minim. (M SYAIFULLAH / TRY HARIJONO)