61 Couples do Mass Wedding in Surabaya

Given the broad diversity of ethnic groups in Indonesia, it stands to reason that wedding customs will reflect this diversity. Each ethnic group has different wedding dress and different marriage ceremonies and customs. Within ethnic groups, those of different religious backgrounds will have different practices as well.

This one of the most unique phenomena in Indonesian wedding ceremony. A total of 61 couples in mass wedding followed Gelora Pancasila, Wednesday (28 / 5) afternoon. The event, hosted Surabaya City is off attended by Mayor Bambang DH. Mass marriage couples various religions (Islam, Christianity, Catholicism, Hinduism and Buddhism) was inaugurated Mayor Assistant Drs. Soewito.

The event begins with a brides parade , at around 18:30 PM. Among married couples who had come from the mass of Central Java, Halmahera, and various other areas in East Java, but long enough to settle in Surabaya.
After the parade they were directly in front of the preacher married Muslim untu. Couples were embraced Christianity, Catholicism, Hinduism and Buddhism also carried out with religious ordinances respectively. Muslim bride recorded 40 pairs, 14 0rang Christian, 4 of the Catholic, Hindu and Buddhist 2 people 1 person.

Mass marriage event was initiated Yayasan Pondok Kasih of Surabaya City Government in cooperation with the center runs a series of activities in order to welcome the 710th Anniversary of the City of Surabaya.

Chairman of Yayasan Pondok Kasih Ananda Hannah explains, wedding couples with different religions are also intended to create harmony between faiths in Surabaya. This mass wedding rang street attractions and dance music from One Ministry of Malang and music Sholawat. After the prayer together Islamic, Christian, Catholic, Hindu and Buddhist ceremony closed with a song typical Surabaya area, including Rek Ayo Rek.

Dress like European Bride or just Wear Undershirt

Love was able to unite the religious differences, skin color or ethnicity. This is reflected in the Integrated Mass Marriage ceremony Five Religions (Islam, Christianity, Catholicism, Hinduism and Buddhism) in Gelora Pancasila few days ago.
Mass wedding held the Office of Population, Bangkok, Surabaya in cooperation with the Ministry of Social Yayasan Pondok Kasih and Yellow Forces Partner Societies was followed by 61 couples who come from diverse backgrounds.
With a joyful expression of the 61 couples who followed the entire event to welcome one day become the 710th of Surabaya. As couples David Santoso and Ay that Djing is the only Buddhist couples in mass wedding was very happy to admit. "Could the same with the others that show so special," explained the couple who had two years to establish this relationship.

Not only are young people who are following the wedding. Winarsih and Sukardi who lived in the area of Arjuna road has been the age when half a century to inaugurate the husband-wife relationship. "Age 50 years you have, and I am 40 years old," explained Winarsih shyly.

Although they married in bulk and used to dress up like a wedding dress a regular wedding ceremony. For women who came from Java wear kebaya with sanggulnya. While the men wore blankonnya Beskap. Which uses the European-style wedding dress in white for the bride and a black jacket for men.
But there are also couples who just wear casual clothes everyday. But the bride dressed up complete.

Only in Indonesia

Toraja Funeral Ceremony

The Toraja live in the mountainous southern region of the Indonesian island of Sulawesi. Most are now Christian. However, elements of the traditional religion, aluk to dolo ('the law of the ancestors'), are still followed, especially in rural areas.

There is a belief in Toraja that when you die you won't be separated directly from the family - you are expected to bring them good luck and so the family must respect you. When we think of our ancestors, we respect them as individuals, rather than as a group.

When a small baby dies, one who hasn't grown teeth yet, they used to be buried in a tree. It had to be a living tree, so that as the tree grew it continued the baby's life. Nicolaus Pasassung, 41, Linguist. Sa'dan, Rantepao, Toraja.

Ancestor spirits can be harmful or protective depending on how they died. People who have died an unnatural death, such as through suicide, accidents or in childbirth, will not go easily to puya, the land of the dead. Ancestors must be treated with appropriate esteem or they will become unhappy, impoverished spirits.

The most important ceremony in a person's life cycle is the funeral. For this reason, there is often a lengthy interval between a person's death and their burial. Time is needed to ensure that all family members can attend and to save money to buy buffalo. In some cases, the deceased may be kept in the house for years, injected with formalin and placed in a temporary wooden coffin. In the past, the body would be laid on a mat in a special room, with bamboo pipes under the floor to catch and divert body fluids.

Death is a gradual process rather than an abrupt event. The deceased is referred to as to mamma (sleeping person) or to masaki (sick person) until the commencement of funeral rites when they are called to membali puang (person who has become one of the gods) or to mate (dead person).

tau tau

Wooden human figures called tau tau accompany the deceased on their journey from the funeral house to the burial ground, where they watch over both the living and the dead. Once carved only for wealthy families, they are now status symbols used by a range of families.

Prior to the 17th century, Torajans were buried in elaborate, boat-shaped wooden coffins stored at the base of cliffs. After heirlooms were extensively plundered, Torajans began burying their dead in high cliff-face vaults. It is now common for people to be buried in family vaults.

Ceremonial Knife

Torajans call knives la'bo' to dolo (knife of the ancestors). They are rare heirlooms, believed to possess magical powers. During the funeral, precious items such as sarita textiles and ceremonial knives are displayed in front of the funeral houses, emphasising the social position of the deceased's family.

The widow of a wealthy deceased man wears black clothing and a poté (widow's hood) until the close of funeral rites, a few days after burial. The hood and other articles of clothing are dyed black using crushed Homolanthus populneas leaves and mud.

Warrior Dance

The duration of the funeral, and the number of buffalo killed, depends on the deceased's status. The funeral for a member of the nobility lasts up to seven days and may involve the slaughtering of between 50 and 100 buffalo. At a large funeral for a higher-caste person, a warrior dance called ma'randing is performed, to welcome the guests. The dancers' outfits are based on traditional warrior dress and weaponry.

Remo Gembel Hair Cut: A Mystical Ritual in Dieng

Dieng derived from the Sanskrit language "Di" and "Hyang". "Word "Di"  means a high place or mountain and "Hyang" means heaven. By combining these two words, it could mean that "Dieng" is a mountainous region where the gods and goddesses residing.

Arjuna temple

History begin between the 8th century and the 13th. Dieng region is kind of 'heaven' in Java island. Twenty eight years ago, before the tragedy occurred  in Sinila, the beauty of heaven that still can be enjoyed by all people. However, since the volcano erupted and killed Sinila's  peoples, heaven slowly disappeared, buried by time. If no rescue efforts, the fate may be similar Dieng with Atlantis Paradise town in the plains of Spain disappeared under the flood and now living myth.

'Heaven Dieng' which at the time of Chandra Gupta Sidhapala kingdom, by Hindus, believed to be the axis of the world. At that time, Sang Hyang Jagadnata move 'cosmic mountain' Meru from India to Mount Dieng. As the capital of the kingdom, as it was, Dieng (Paradise of hyang) not only became the center of government, but also the center of spirituality and civilization. In the highlands, located at an altitude of 2093 meters above sea level there are now 10 Hindu temples, some lakes and craters are still active including some Sinila and surrounded by mountains and hills, with a very beautiful panorama.

Enshrinement complex consists of four groups, namely groups and Parikshit Dwarawati Temple, the Temple of East Dwarawati, Setyaki temple groups, Ontorejo, Petruk, Nala Gareng, and Nakula-Sahadev, and the temple Arjuna, Semar, Sembodro, Puntadewa, and Heroine. Complex enshrinement in the Dieng Hindu currently located in the barren mountains and almost no trees. Dieng store past history. This temple complex was built at the former rest of the crater basin. This is the first building of the oldest Hindu in Central Java that was built around the seventh century, older than prambanan built in the eighth century. Appropriate naming puppet, with the Arjuna temple in the middle. This temple was built for a ritual activity, because there is trust carrying ancestral spirits dwelling in the mountains lived.

Semar Cave

Dieng also has three colored lakes. The water in this lake often reflecting colors, because sulfur content. But some people here believe, that this lake is where the washing of the gods and goddesses, so that many pilgrims who come to expect Pesugihan (Shortest way to be rich). and here there are three caves on the outskirts of the lake. One is the cave Semar. This cave is often used to meditate.

There are three craters are known here, namely Sikidang Crater, Sileri and Candradimuka. Sikidang crater is an active volcano that spread the smell of sulfur was so stung yag. However, this crater was opened for tourists. Water crater Sikidang blackish color, the heat is estimated to reach one hundred degrees centigrade and Sileri crater located in Banjarnegara district, Central Java. The crater is the most dangerous, and is the largest in Dieng, which is about two hectares. In the year 1964 and in 1984 the crater had erupted twice, so visitors are given the opportunity to see the crater from a distance of several hundred meters.

                              

 Sikidang Crater

The crater is a natural phenomenon of rare and wonderful, yet dangerous. In 1979, one of the craters in Dieng, namely Sinila spewing toxic gas and killed 149 people here. However, these craters are large energy. It issued a crater tens of geothermal energy or geothermal can be used as power plants, and four of which are used to power the earth.

           Gembel Remo  Hair Cut Ritual

Usually, hair cutting ceremony conducted trash Dieng communities in two districts, Banjarnegara and Wonosobo, on the eve of Ashura 1 or 1 Suro, according to a new year calendar, Java or 1 Muharam according to the Islamic calendar. The local community believes the eve of Ashura is 1 holy night suitable for selling is concerned.

They really believe the night turn of the year along with ongoing Java big celebration, the marriage of the descendants of a pair of supernatural brides, Kiai Kaladete and Nyi Roro Kidul, the ruler of Lake Balekambang in Dieng. Balekambang lake is believed to be the palace residence Kaladete Kiai.

At nightfall, on the lake looked like a dance of torches. The dancers are holding the torch liukkan winding body with beautiful movement. Crowd at the lake was a sign there was a big event.
Torch dance lasted until the morning as an expression of joy that magical master community. It is said by some people trust Dieng, on a sacred ritual, the two supernatural figures that handing out the gift through the tangled-haired child.

Departure from this belief, religious magical community in Dieng, who tangled hair ketitipan children, trying to hold ritual ceremonies ruwatan.Upacara tangled hair cut into one or the annual event to attract tourists annually visit Dieng,

Dieng's Pepople Ancestor

Kaladete is a spiritual figure who is very influential and pervasive in the lives of citizens in Dieng. They consider Kiai is Kaladete ancestor, the ancestral population of Dieng. However, people do not know for sure about the origin of tangled-haired child, how children have tangled hair. The myth that live there, said before he died Kiai Kaladete advised that his descendants had helped deal with problems that can not be completed. He then passed to the offspring tangled hair.

Another myth says, tangled-haired child and the pet deposit is ruling the South Sea, Nyi Roro Kidul, who is believed to be a dancer when the great event took place at night in Lake 1 Balekambang Suro. However, in Dieng community has a different myth with the myth of the above. They believe that in Dieng was a village called Siterus in District Kejajar, Wonosobo regency. In this village lives Kalinga kingdom royal-a-century Hindu kingdom VII-VIII which had stood at Dieng. The descendants of King Kalinga is believed to build the temples in Dieng.

They have faith if there are children who have tangled hair, it is the incarnation of Kling. Locals call it the child bajang because usually he was short. Son of a son gout Kling favorite "ladies" who "inhabit" Dieng area. That is why, boys like these usually get more attention. Children bajang nature and have different characters with children in general. He usually naughty, sick, and the derision their peers.

Tangled-haired child's life is told in a drama of ballet. Any request must always be fulfilled, especially just before the ritual ceremony will gembelnya hair cut. Tangled hair, according to some parents will not be cut or shaved if the child has not asked for cut. The desire to cut a new hair is usually tangled up when they hit the age of five years to 12 years. Request for a haircut is usually accompanied by a desire weird.

Ritual trash haircut magical religious nuanced. Haircuts are not discarded. Hair pieces put together with the hawker market, calico (flowers in three colors) wrapped in white cloth, then dilarung Serayu River cutting ritual begins trash remo Ruwatan events that took place at a site called Batu Tulis not far Theater Plateu with Ruwatan Dieng was expected children regardless of tangled hair and his various illnesses.

Only Happen  In Indonesia