Cing-cing Goling Ceremony

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A. Overview

Cing-cing Goling ceremony can be categorized as selamatan (offerings of sacred foods for Gods in demand of security) or thanksgiving ceremony. This celebration is held annually in Gedangan Village, Gedangrejo Subdistrict, Karangmojo District, Gunungkidul Regency. This ceremony is a kind of attraction for either local people or visitors from other towns. Regarding the great potential, in 2009 the Government of Gunungkidul Regency tried to explore, study, and promote Cing-cing Goling Ceremony as the main cultural tourism of Gunungkidul Regency.

According to some people, Cing-cing Goling ceremony is a form of gratitude to God for the successful harvest of local people and escapees from Majapahit Kingdom. The escape happened near the end of Majapahit Kingdom in 15^th century. Majapahit was ruled by Raja Brawijaya V. The escape was led by Wisang Sanjaya and Yudopati. They travelled from East Java until the area which is now known as Gedangan Village, Gedangrejo Subdistrict, Karangmojo District, Gunungkidul Regency.

In this area, Wisang Sanjaya, Yudopati as well as other escapees tried to socialize with local people. Local people welcomed them because they were hardworker and friendly. Moreover, local people recognized the great contribution of the escapees as they helped to secure the village from criminals who often came and seized the harvest.

In addition to securing the village from criminals, the escapees also tried to advance the farming by building dam in Dawe River. Together with local people, the escapees built the dam so that Gedangan area could get enough water. This effort was successful and the fields of local people were never lack of water supply.

The dam built together was then named Kali Dawe Dam (Kedung Dawang Dam). During the Dutch colonization, this dam was renovated. Until now, the dam still functions as the supplier of water for field irrigation around the area of Gedangan.

When the building process of the dam finished, local people and the escapees held selamatan ceremony as a gratitude to Gods for the harvest as well as hope for the next harvest to be successful. This ceremony has been known until nowadays as Cing-cing goling ceremony.

Cing-cing Goling ceremony is a traditional ceremony held to honor the ancestors’ spirit or the protector spirit of Gedangan Village, Gedangrejo Subdistrict, Karangmojo District. This event is held during the second post-harvest time, around May, June, and July and on the Javanese day, namely Monday Wage or Thursday Kliwon. This ceremony is held in Dawe Dam (Kedung Dawang Dam). During the ceremony, there is a dance performance, namely Cing-cing Goling dance.

B. Features

Cing-cing Goling ceremony is a combination of two different elements, namely Hindu element brought by the escapees from Majapahit Kingdom and kejawen (Javanese mysticism) element from local people of Gedangan Village. This different elements could be well-combined, proven by the massal selamatan ceremony of Cing-cing Goling. The escapees socialized and local people welcomed strangers. This represented the local wisdom which was open for new cultures.

Cing-cing Goling ceremony is a selamatan ceremony of great scale in comparison to other traditional celebrations. A lot of money is spent for this ceremony. In order to hold this ceremony, people build the ceremony site, buy hundreds of chickens (sometime until 800 chickens), buy the offerings materials, and perform various traditional art. The themes are folklores telling the story of the Majapahit escapees in fragments. In one of the scenes, many people run along the field ground around the dam. According to local people, the plants which are stepped during the ceremony will be more fertile. The main performance of the traditional art is Cing-cing Goling Dance.

There is unique feature in the ritual of chicken offerings, namely the bag made of young coconut leaf functions as the wrap of the chicken. This wrap is now rarely found in everyday life of Gunungkidul people.

Although spending much money, Cing-cing Goling is still held annually hitherto. Gedangan people considered this ceremony as a part of their customs and thus need to be conserved.

C. Location

The ceremony is held in Gedangan Village, Gedangrejo Subdistrict, Karangmojo District, Gunungkidul Regency or 8 km east of Wonosari.

D. Access

Visitors can use private two-wheel or four-wheel transportation. Visitors can also use public transportation by taking the Yogyakarta-Wonosari bus from Giwangan Bus Station and stopping at Wonosari bus station. After that, visitors can take the colt (mini-bus) of green color heading for Karangmojo District. Moreover, visitors who want to join the Cing-cing Goling ceremony can ask for further information by calling the Tourism Agency of Gunungkidul Regency at (0274) 391031.

E. Ticket

There is no charge for visitors to watch the ceremony of Cing-cing Goling.

F. Accommodations and Other Facilities

The performance of traditional arts during the ceremony can give information for visitors to know further about the traditional arts of Gunungkidul.

Moreover, visitors can watch the ceremony directly around the Dawe Dam as well as get the food. The food consists of chickens and side dishes used in the ceremony. After the prayers of security, hundreds of chickens (boiled chickens without being cut into pieces), side dishes, and rice are offered to visitors and local people around Dawe Dam.

Text: Tunggul Tauladan
Photo(s): Collections of Jogjatrip.com
Translation: Febrianti Ika Dewi
(Primary data and various sources)

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