The delegation of Makara Art Center Universitas Indonesia (MAC UI) under the leadership of Dr. Ngatawi Al Zastrouw attended the Seren Taun traditional ceremony held by the Sunda Wiwitan community, Cigugur, Kuningan Regency, West Java. This ceremony lasts for one week, from 17-22 July 2022 at Paseban Tri Panca Tunggal, a Cultural Heritage Building in Kuningan, West Java. The MAC UI delegation participated in the series of traditional activities for three days, from July 17, 2022 during the opening of the traditional ceremony to July 19, 2022.
During their visit, the MAC UI Team attended various traditional ceremonies, including the Dadung Party cultural carnival on Monday 18 July 2022 at Situ Hyang, Cigugur. The Dadung party, which is often referred to as the Budak Angon ritual, is a traditional ritual of Sundanese ancestral heritage which is full of local wisdom. The Dadung Party tradition is held as an expression of gratitude by removing pests on rice plants so that the harvest is abundant. The ceremony begins with a prayer, then the release of pests and the planting of trees, then continues with a walking procession along the village streets carrying and beating kenthongan.
According to Al-Zastrouw, this ceremony has a very important value in dealing with the environmental crisis. This can be seen from the process of the traditional ceremony, including releasing plant pests which means that pests do not have to be killed and destroyed but controlled, because if they are destroyed, they will disturb the natural ecosystem. Moreover, if the extermination of these pests is done through the use of pesticides, it will also damage nature, because it spreads chemical poisons. “Through this ceremony, we can explore the local knowledge of the Sundanese people to preserve nature as part of human life. We can learn from indigenous peoples in managing the environment,” said Zastrouw.
Doktor Ari Prasetiyo, one of the delegates, who also serves as the Head of the Center for Social and Cultural Research, Faculty of Humanites, Universitas Indonesia added that the presence of ropes in party rituals is a symbol of connecting togetherness among village communities. The Dadung Party this time was felt very lively because of the longing of the community at this event after two years of not being held due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Deputy Regent of Kuningan Regency H.M. Ridho Suganda S.H., M.Si., who opened the event, responded positively to the idea presented by the delegation from the Makara Art Center Universitas Indonesia to promote this traditional ritual through performances and seminars to be held by MAC UI. This is intended so that the wider community knows and understands the nature of the Seren Taun ritual series and the meaning and knowledge system in it.
In this event, there were also representatives of indigenous peoples from various regions in the Nusantara archipelago such as Yogyakarta, Kediri, Magelang, and some even from the provinces of East Nusa Tenggara and West Kalimantan. In addition to participating in various traditional ceremonies, representatives of indigenous peoples from various regions also display various arts and heirlooms that they have.
