Malang Local Custom Tips by RoyJava Top 5 Page for this destination

Rituals - Ceremonies - Rituals

Islam is the majority religion in Indonesia (88%). Not all Javanese practice religious rituals according to the Islamic doctrines; there are "Kejawen", and also many people are Christian, Hindu, Buddhist, and others...

There is a lot of offering and feasts (Pesta), special dedicated to supreme power and the lower invisible being, the ancestor's spirits, good and evil spirits which can affect human life. Those rituals such as:
*Life circle rites including many ritual after death. Basically there are ritual from Pregnancy - Birth - Life - Death - After Death.
*Various ritual for the Desa, Rice field, and Land cultivation,
*Various ritual for the Moslem holidays,
*Ritual for special event such as opening new house, diseases, long journey etc.
*Special Rituals dedicated to Javanese Supremes (Gn. Lawu, Southern Ocean, Gn. Merapi)

Even, after death they have ceremonies after 3, 7, 40, 100, 300 and 1000 days. Therefore it is remarkable the Javanese still dedicate offerings, rituals and ceremonial rituals to the Goddess Of The South Sea, ie. Indian Ocean all along the shore of Southern Java. Even on the island of Krakatau and Banyuwangi these rituals you may join.

<<< with special permission "Sea-Offering South-Kava" - painting created by Frans Erkelens ...

Javanese Tattoos

In Sendang Biru, close to Pulau Sempu, local tattoo-artists do their job along the beach. It's very interesting because of the special Javanese designs they create. Included patrons of meanders, cashmeres, nagas, and other ornamentations you see at the famous Hindu-Javanese temples. It is like a ritual how concentrated these guys the symbolic patterns tattoo.

The Javanese (and other Indonesians) love tattoos though, it is very popular like in the Western World. Although I doubt whether they care about sterility and other infection-problems ...

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RAKSASA

The Javanese do respect as well the goods as the evils, that is to say they pay the respect to both. Maybe in old times the respect was more honost and got expressed in the ugly-looking sculptures for the past (read Demons), like the Raksasa and Kala's with its smooth bulging cheeks and pop eyes, threateningly decorated with skulls around the neck ...

At Bali, the Island of Gods and Demons, some symbolic writings remained and, tell about the balance between good and evil. Although the evil seems to straight up to knock down the "other side" ... maybe the good???

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