West Javanese customs that are still preserved
The culture of West Java or the Sundanese tribe is actually very interesting to review together. Especially for those of you who live outside West Java, you will see the special attraction of the customs displayed. Every region basically has a culture that has been passed down by previous ancestors.
Many customs have been abandoned, but there are also some that are still preserved today. This culture prevails in the social life of the Sundanese people, ranging from fraternal relationships, weddings, the organization of certain events to vocations in the family. All customs have a rather long history until now.
Of the manycustoms owned by West Java, you will get to know the 5 cultures that most often arise because masih is preserved until now. They range from kinship systems to ceremonies or circumcisions. You will find its own uniqueness from this culture from West Java.
West Java Slægtskabssystem
The first West Javanese customs that we will discuss are related to the kinship system. The kinship system that prevails in the Sundanese tribe is bilateral, which is taken from the fathers and mothers. Similar to other cultures, Sundanese also consider you the head of the family.
This kinship system is also not far from the role of Islam, which affects the culture of the Sundanese tribe. There is a term called Pancakaki, which is used to describe kinship relationships. For those of you Sundanese, you should be familiar with this term, because it is often used in everyday life.
In addition to Pancakaki, you also know the terms Sarsilah (Genealogy or Salsilah) and History. These two terms have almost the same meaning, namely descent or tribe. These three terms are often used when discussing the kinship system used by the Sundanese people.
The people of West Java also have their own vocation to their relatives, such as fathers, mothers, uncles, aunts, brothers, sisters, grandmothers, grandfathers, and so on. This kind of kinship system is actually still preserved today. So don’t be surprised if there are still many West Javanese people who have this kinship system.
Seren Taun traditionel ceremoni
West Javanese culture that is no less interesting to learn is the Seren Taun Ceremony. This traditional West Javanese culture is carried out by transporting rice or as a ngangkut pare from the rice fields to the rice barn (leuit) using a special piculan called rengkong, while being accompanied by traditional musical wasps.
Then a meeting called riungan is held, where local officials and traditional elders or community leaders participate. The products brought at the Seren Taun ceremony are a symbol of a prayer of gratitude to God for the presence of local officials or officials in the West Java area.
This West Javanese custom is a ceremony to convey good news for the abundance of rice crops or harvests and the welfare that society has achieved over a period of time. Because this traditional ceremony is not only performed once, but during a certain time according to customs.
One of the characteristics of Seren Taun is in the sepa process. This procession is carried out by handing over all the agricultural products obtained so that they can be enjoyed by officials and community leaders who come to the event. Everyone who comes to the ceremony will feel happiness together.
Tingkeban ceremony from West Java
The next interesting West Javanese culture to learn is the Tingkeban ceremony. The ceremony is held for a mother who is pregnant with a 7-month-old child. This Tingkeban ceremony is performed as a form of prayer for the safety of the mother and fetus contained in her belly.
The term Tingkeban has a certain meaning, that is, a lid derived from its main word, Tingkeb. The meaning of this term describes a mother who is pregnant for 7 months, do not interfere with her husband. In fact, it is still not allowed for 40 days after delivery.
The purpose of this West Javanese custom is to prevent the mother from working too hard because the uterus is getting bigger. As is known, having a relationship between husband and wife will make the mother exhausted, and this habit is not good for the health of the baby and also the mother herself.
After 7 months of age, the mother’s uterus becomes heavier until later towards childbirth. The culture of West Java aims to maintain the health of the mother and fetus in it so that bad things do not happen, so there are rules that must be done by the mother.
Traditional ceremony of the feast of the sea
Another West Javanese culture that is still preserved today is the traditional ceremony of the sea festival. This ceremony is not held anywhere, but in the Pangandara area of Ciamis and Pelabuhan Ratu Sukabumi area. If you visit here, don’t miss seeing the traditional ceremonies held.
This sea festival ceremony is held as a form of gratitude from the community to God for the seafood obtained. Therefore, the people who participate in this traditional ceremony are generally fishermen who use sea transport when working to earn a living for their families.
Not only as an expression of gratitude, this West Javanese custom also aims as a request for safety for fishermen. Although sea conditions cannot be predicted, the surrounding fishermen still have to work by sailing on the sea to find as many catches as possible.
For the safety of these fishermen, this traditional ceremony is performed so that they can give abundant results. The procession of performing this custom is very interesting to watch and learn. So there’s nothing wrong if you come and follow this traditional ceremony procession that is still preserved.
Sepitan or circumnavigation ceremony
This West Javanese culture is still performed today, namely sepitan or circumcision ceremony. This traditional ceremony is performed with the aim of removing all dirt on the vital tools of the circumcision fracture so that it becomes cleaner. You can also find this culture in several regions.
This culture is also related to Islamic religious beliefs, where one of the requirements for Muslims is to perform circumcision rituals, both for men and women. This ceremony is performed when the boys are 6 years old and when the girls are babies so as not to be embarrassed later.
This ceremony is usually performed by inviting circumcision paraji, relatives and neighbors of the circumcision bride. So, there will be celebrations in this traditional ceremony so that the circumcision bride feels happy and is able to relieve pain after her vitals are cleansed due to sometimes.
There are still many customs from the West Java area that are still preserved today, and you will be interested to learn more about them. If you have a family from West Java, you must be familiar with some of the West Javanese customs mentioned above.