Indonesia known as the fourth largest population in the world located in Southeast Asia. It has more than 280 million people with various religious and cultural background. This country has a diverse rich culture and tradition that makes it unique.
Indonesia is a group of people who have different language, religion and ethnic that makes them have some different unique ceremonies to celebrate. Through out the year, Indonesian people have some kind of special day that needs to celebrate and have some religious belief that were attached with it.
There are many unique ceremonies that Indonesian people celebrate every year. Here are 5 unique ceremonies in Indonesia that you have to know, check this out!
1. Nyepi Ceremony in Bali
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Nyepi is a new year’s day in Balinese Saka Calendar that become a traditional eremony that had been celebrated every year in there. At Nyepi day, the island of Bali turns off all light and sounds, activities. They are doing like some kind of meditation while complete silence and serenity reigns over the entire island.
Indonesia is a country with different culture and religion has its own way to define and celebrate the coming of the New Year. Unlike the rest of Indonesia, about 87% of Bali identifies as Hindu who has the tradition on welcoming the New Year with the ritual of Nyepi.
2. Vesak ceremony in Magelang Central Java
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Waisak is known as Vesak day or Buddha’s birthday is an important public holiday in Indonesia where the Buddhist community are celebrated the Vesak Day. Vesak day is a traditional festival for Buddhist to commemorate the birth and death of Gautama Buddha.
This Vesak Festival commences with a solemn procession, as monks and devotees circumambulate the temple, bearing candles a symbol of reverence. It also has some lantern festival which place around the Borobudur temple, Magelang that was attended by many people at night make the temple glowed and illuminating the sky in a breath taking view.
This ceremony underscores the unwavering devotion of Buddhist to Buddha’s teachings. The Vesak ceremony offers a sanctuary for reflection, meditation, and homage to Buddhist principles.
3. Kasada ceremony in East Java
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Kasada which is Yadnya Kasada is a kind of ceremony which offering into a crater as form of respect, gratitude, and devotion to Sang Hyang Widhi and the ancestors. This traditional festival was placed on Bromo mountain that is on East Java, Indonesia.
The traditional ritual of Kasada is carried out by Tengger tribe to ask blessings, safety, and protection from disasters. This traditional ceremony become an attraction of strorynomics tourism which attracts domestic and foreign tourist.
4. Rambu Solo ceremony in Toraja
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Rambu Solo ceremony is a traditional ceremonial from Tana Toraja, South Sulawesi. It is a ceremonial death Toraja society that aims to honor and deliver the souls of the deceased to the realm of the soul and then back to eternity with their ancestors in a resting place.
This ceremony actually procession of the death, a burial tradition that involves a lengthy process of traditional ceremonies. This tradition ceremony also become tourist’s entertainment and become attraction for domestic and foreign tourist.
5. Sekaten ceremony in Yogyakarta
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Sekaten ceremony as known as night market celebration is a traditional ceremony in Yogyakarta that held anually during the seven days prior to Prophet Muhammad SAW birthday at North Alun-Alun Square.
Sekaten comes frome the word of “syahadatain” which has sacred meanings from Moslems. This celebration usually comes in the form of people’s night market which visitors of this market can enjoy various games and buy food and clothes at affordable price.
These unique ceremonies are some ceremonies that come from many diverse culture, religion, and ethnic that Indonesia has. It also become an attraction of strorynomics tourism that attract domestic and foreign tourist around the world.
