Saparan Bekakak Ritual Ceremony

A. Overview

Shafar Month or Sapar, as Javanese usually pronounce it, is often identified with the performance of several traditional rituals. Rituals performed in this month are called Saparan. One of Saparan rituals which have been practiced since the era of Sultan Hamengku Buwono I is Saparan Bekakak which is performed in Ambarketawang Subdistrict, Gamping. This ritual is performed as a request for welfare from God.

It is called Saparan Bekakak because the ritual instrument includes the so-called bekakak bridal couple. This tradition is as old as the Yogyakarta Hadiningrat Royal Palace and it started with the story of a married couple who died in Mount Gamping.

About 250 years ago, when Sultan Hamengku Buwono (HB) I moved from his rest house in Ambarketawang to a new palace, there was a royal servant who did not move along with the Sultan and decided to stay in Ambarketawang. His name was Ki Wirosuto. Together with the local people, Ki Wirosuto dug for limestone to build Yogyakarta Palace. However, their digging effort demanded many casualties including Ki Wirosuto and his wife, Nyi Wirosuto.

Considering the many casualties, not to mention his dear royal servant, Sultan HB I meditated at Mount Gamping to find the clue to cope with the situation. In his meditation, the Sultan communicated with Bekasakan Devil, the tutelary spirit. The spirit told him that because local people always took the limestone at Mount Gamping, the tutelary spirits, in return, asked for a married couple for sacrifice. If the condition is not fulfilled then the diggers would become the sacrificial victims.

The Sultan accepted the condition, but did some trick in it. The sacrificial couple was not a real bridal couple. it was the doll of bekakak made of glutinous rice and brown sugar syrup. This bekakak doll was then sacrificed in Mount Gamping. The trick was a success. Since then on, bekakak sacrifice became an annual ritual of Ambarketawang Subdistrict.

Although Gamping people no longer work as limestone diggers, this ritual is still performed. Most people still believe that the ritual of slaughtering bekakak doll will prevent them from the disturbance caused by Bekasakan Devil. This ritual is held on Friday, between the 10^th to 20^th of Shafar month. Nowadays, Saparan Bekakak ritual becomes one of the main tourism attractions in Sleman Regency which has gone national. In every performance, thousands of people crowding the road to watch.

B. Features

The execution of Saparan Bekakak is divided into some stages namely midodareni (the night before a wedding) for bekakak, bekakak procession, bekakak slaughtering, and sugengan ageng (the grand thanksgiving). The Bekakak doll itself is made two days before the procession. The women prepare the materials and the men make the doll. The making process of bekakak doll is accompanied by gejog lesung (traditional performance that uses the lesung or a wooden tub used to ground rice) or klothekan (random instrumental music) playing wedding songs such the one entitled kebo giro. There are two bekakak couples made, one is embellished in Solo style, the other one is in Yogyakarta style.

After all ritual instruments including the bekakak dolls, beads of flowers, gendruwo (malevolent spirit) doll, and palanquin containing offerings are prepared, the ritual may begin. It begins with taking the holy water called Tirto Donojati. The holy water and the other ritual attributes are marched along the corners of the village to the meeting hall. In the village hall, midodareni for bekakak couple is performed. All night long, the village people have a night vigil and shadow puppet or ketoprak (Javanese history play) show.

In the next morning, bekakak dolls are marched along to Mount Gamping and Mount Kiling. Before the procession begins, “Prasetyaning Sang Abdi” dance fragment is performed. This fragment tells the story of Ki Wirosuto. The procession begins at 02.00 p.m. when the fragment ends. Besides the bekakak dolls and three palanquins filled with offerings, the procession is also followed by the village figures, bregodo (soldiers), jathilan (art community) and genderuwo doll.

Bekakak dolls are then brought to the slaughtering altar at Mount Kiling and Mount Gamping. In front of thousands of participants, bekakak dolls are slaughtered by one of the messengers of the Royal Palace. This stage is closed by distributing the gunungan (ceremonial dish of yellow rice served in a cone shape) and pieces of bekakak body to the ritual participants. Local people still hold the tradition of ngalap berkah (seeking for good fortune) from the bekakak pieces in which they will snatch away the content of the gunungan.

One unique thing found in Saparan Bekakak in Gamping is the appearance of children acting as the children of genderuwo. They are fifty children and each is accompanied by a couple of genderuwo and banaspati (the devil in the form of fire) dolls who serve to escort bekakak couples. The children of genderuwo symbolize supernatural spirits and Bekasakan Devil who are enjoying the bekakak couples as the offerings given for them. The act of genderuwo’s children is played through generations. If the parents once acted as the children of genderuwo then their children will also act as genderuwo’s children in the future.

C. Location

Saparan Bekakak ritual is usually performed in Ambarketawang Subdistrict, Gamping District, Sleman Regency, Special Region of Yogyakarta, Indonesia. The slaughtering ceremony of bekakak couple is held in Mount Gamping, approximately 2 kilometers from the Ambarketawang village square.

D. Access

Finding the location of the Saparan Bekakak procession is a lot easier if you go by your own vehicle. Just ask people where Ambarketawang or Gamping or Gamping Ringroad is, and you will get clear direction.

However, it is different when you do not take your own vehicle. Since Trans Jogja does not operate to this area, then the only public transportation for you is the city bus. From Giwangan bus station take the city bus line 15 or 9, get off at Gamping Ringroad sidewalk. Just wait there because bekakak procession passes this road. It is the same if you depart from Kulonprogo. Take a Jogja – Wates bus and get off at Gamping bus station. The fare of this bus is Rp 2500.

E. Ticket

To watch Saparan Bekakak ceremony or procession is free of charge. Usually, the event starts at 02.00 West Indonesia Standard Time at Ambarketawang square or hall. Spectators do not concentrate in the village hall or Mount Gamping only, but they scatter on the places passed by the procession.

F. Accommodations and Facilities

The whole performance of Saparan Bekakak are performed in Ambarketawang Subdistrict, Gamping which is located near Yogyakarta downtown. So, tourists need not to worry about the accommodations and facilities because they are all accessible nearby. After watching Saparan Bekakak tourists can continue their trip to Sleman Regency or Wates Regency to witness other uniqueness and specialities of their interesting tourism objects.

 

Text: Elisabeth Murni
Photo(s): Collections of Jogjatrip.com
Translation: Apri Widiastuti
(Primary data and various source)

If you are from outside Yogyakarta and want to visit this place by travel agency services,
please contact:

Maharatu Tour and Travel

Jl. Sisingamangaraja No. 27 Yogyakarta.
Telp. +62 274 8373005. Fax. +62 274 379250
Email : maharatu@maharatu.com -maharatu257@yahoo.com
Website : www.maharatu.com

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