Rasulan

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A. Overview

Rasulan is an annual ritual held by Gunungkidul people since long time ago. The word rasulan does not necessarily relate to any activity held to commemorate Prophet Muhammad such as Maulid (the birthday of the Prophet) or Isra Mi’raj. Rasulan, for Gunungkidul people, is more to the activity performed by the farmers when harvest time comes. This is their gratitude to God for His blessings and gifts as well as to Dewi Sri or the goddes of rice and the dhayang (tutelary spirits) of the sanctified places.

Javanese believe that every village has a special place where dhanyang reside. The place can be paticular trees (banyan tree, fig tree, kapok tree and more), or watu dukun (agate). Therefore, village people make tumpengan (cone-shape rice) and offerings dedicated to the dhanyang to ward off any disturbance.

Gunungkidul people consider Rasulan as the third feast after Idulfitri and Idul Adha. Thus, Rasulan day resembles Idulfitri where people visit their relatives and enjoy the dish served by the host. On the D-day of Rasulan, every family cooks special food for the guests. This, in fact, shows that Rasulan tradition serves to promote the spirit of amicable and strengthen the fraternity among themselves.

When Rasulan began is unknown, yet, it has run for such a period and is an inheritance from the ancestor of Gunungkidul people. It is held once a year lasting for several days started by mutual assistance to clean the village environment, repairing the road, building and painting graveyard fence, also cleaning the graveyard and the dhanyang’s residence. This is why people also call Rasulan as merti deso or bersih dusun, which means cleaning the village environment.

Nowadays, Rasulan tradition is held merrier by having series of sport and art and cultural activities. People usually have football match at daylight and volleyball match in the afternoon. In this sport activity, the Rasulan organizer invites people from other villages to have friendly match. In the evening, village people will have art and cultural performances such as kethoprak, puppet shadow show, campursari music show or tayuban. As the peak agenda are such art performances as reog, jathilan, and procession surrounding the village.

Gunungkidul people still hold Rasulan annually to keep and preserve the positive values of it. The local government even made this tradition a cultural event and a media for the development of Gunungkidul tourism. Visitors can witness local art performances through a series of activities held in Rasulan.

B. Features

There are several positive values in Rasulan tradition. For Gunungkidul people in particular, the tradition is a local wisdom that needs to be preserved. Aside from being a media to promote the spirit of amicable, it also serves as a media to preserve Gunungkidul local arts. For people from outside Gunungkidul, especially foreign tourists, Rasulan presents attractive shows as well as serves as a learning media to enrich their knowledge on Gunungkidul art and culture.

At the summit evening of Rasulan, visitors can see various art performances. On the next morning, they are served with a carnival or procession surrounding the village. In the carnival, the village people put on traditional costums and accessories which represent the life of Gunungkidul people. For example, there is the farmer group wearing caping (head covering of woven bamboo of broad conical shape) and carrying hoes; there is the teacher group wearing their teaching suit while carrying books; there are the students in their school uniforms; also, the art group in their own distinguished outfits. The procession is merrier by the young people in their football uniform and army uniform while carrying cannon replica made of bamboo, and more.

In addition to the unique costums, the procession participants also carry tumpengan (cone-shape offering) arranged from such crops as banana, corn, rice, bean, soybean, young coconut, ingkung (grilled chicken in coconut gravy), jadah (glutinous rice cake), cassava, and many others. The tumpengan is marched from the Village Hall to the dhanyang residence with the accompaniment of ritual dances of jathilan or tayuban. After the offering ceremony and the communal prayers at the sanctified place are finish, the tumpengan will be snatched away by the village people and the tourists. This is very interesting to see. Next, jathilan or tayuban continues to entertain the visitors.

C. Location

Rasulan is held almost in every village in Gunungkidul Regency, Special Province of Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Different village has different time of performance, depending on the agreement of the villagers. Generally, however, it is performed at the end of June and July.

D. Access

Gunungkidul Regency is accessible by public and private transportations.

E. Ticket

Watching Rasulan ritual is free of charge.

F. Accommodations and Other Facilities

There are inns and hostels located just a few minutes from the village where Rasulan is held, precisely at Wonosari downtown. If visitors do not take their private vehicles, there are ojek (motorcycle taxi) ready to take you to the location of Rasulan ritual.

Text: Samsuni
Photo(s): Collections of Jogjatrip.com
Translation: Apri Widiastuti
(Primary data and various sources)

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please contact:

Maharatu Tour and Travel

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Telp. +62 274 8373005. Fax. +62 274 379250
Email : maharatu@maharatu.com -maharatu257@yahoo.com
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