Kedungmulyo, Boyolali (20/07/2023) – Tradisi Malam Satu Suro is a tradition in welcoming the new year of the Javanese calendar system which coincides with the first Suro or 1 Muharram date on the Hijri calendar. Tradisi Malam Satu Suro is very closely related to elements of the traditional local beliefs of the Javanese people. Many Javanese people believe that the night of Satu Suro has a spiritual influence and is the right time to reflect, pray, and celebrate the blessings bestowed at the beginning of the year.
Almost every Javanese community holds a ceremony or tradition when the night of Satu Suro arrives. The traditions that are carried out are varied and vary according to the beliefs in each region. Some people carry out Tradisi Malam Satu Suro by visiting graves, burning incense, holding slametans, and carrying out special ceremonies. This has also happened in Kedungmulyo Village, where the one suro night tradition has been going on for decades and is still being carried out every year. The way they welcome the one suro night tradition can be said to be quite interesting to discuss.
Muhammad Farid Akbar, UNDIP 2023 KKN Team II Student at Kedungmulyo Village from the Department of Social Anthropology, and his colleagues tried to explore the meaning of each Tradisi Malam Satu Suro procession in Dukuh Ngrakum, Kedungmulyo Village through ethnography recording meanings and symbols. The recording process was carried out in 2 ways, namely interviews with several sources such as village elders and hamlet heads, and following each procession that took place on the one suro night tradition. As a result, each procession that takes place from the beginning to the end of the one suro night tradition has its own meaning and purpose which is believed by the Ngrakum people.
The symbols and meanings contained in Tradisi Malam Satu Suro in Kedungmulyo Village include the following:
1. Burial of the Feet and Head of the Goat: Before Tradisi Malam Satu Suro event starts at night, the Kedungmulyo people slaughter the goat first during the day. The burial of the goat’s legs and head is believed by the Ngrakum people as a form of repelling reinforcements. Before the burial process, a prayer is read first by the village elders.
2. Roasted Chicken: Roasted Chicken is a symbol or a means of asking God for prayers. According to Pak Suparman, the village elder, the Javanese people will ask God for anything, they must have the ingredients.
3. Ikrar`s reading: Ikrar is a prayer that is read in Javanese which is always recited at every thanksgiving, tradition, or ceremony in Javanese society. The pledge that is recited aims to pray to God and give thanks for the blessings of the new year. In addition, the pledge is read to honor the Prophet Muhammad SAW and his family.
4. Uang Wajib: Uang Wajib is alms money for those who cannot afford to bring roast chicken, or in another sense as a replacement money. This Uang Wajib is also interpreted as a token of gratitude to Pak Bayan, the prayer reciter, and the Ikrar`s reader for having been prayed for. This Uang Wajib is not required to be given in nominal terms, but only sincerely.
Therefore, it is hoped that by recording the meaning and symbols of Tradisi Malam Satu Suro in Kedungmulyo Village, it is hoped that it can open the wider community’s horizons to become more familiar with the cultural richness and local wisdom of the community. This recording can also be used for young people in Kedungmulyo Village to be able to continue this Tradisi Malam Satu Suro in the future. In addition, it is hoped that the recording of these symbols and meanings will make the community more appreciative of existing cultural diversity and local wisdom.
Oleh: Muhammad Farid Akbar