Preserving Indigenous Culture: The Saparan Bekakak Tradition in the Context of Contemporary Ambarketawang

Ersa Elfira Khaiya

Saparan Bekakak in Ambarketawang Village, Gamping, is a large annual event that has significant historical and cultural value. The event is a traditional ceremony held at the end of the month of Sapar, one of the naming months in the Javanese calendar. Saparan Bekakak is a cultural procession featuring ogoh-ogoh, warriors, as well as a bride and groom called “bekakak,” made of glutinous rice flour. This ceremony has a purpose that is closely related to the history of Mount Gamping, which used to be the center of limestone mining activities. According to the story that developed in the community, this ceremony is a form of offering to the guardians of Mount Gamping to avoid disaster. The disaster in question is because the majority of the population of Mount Gamping used to be limestone miners. Since the first time this ceremony was held, the community believes that Mount Gamping no longer has casualties because every year a pair of bekakak brides have been “sacrificed” (Boli, P.K. 2022).

The Bekakak tradition has a long history, dating back to the time of Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono I in 1755. Before this ceremony was first held, Mount Gamping often claimed victims from among the surrounding community, most of whom were limestone miners. This ritual was also held to commemorate the loyalty of one of Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono I’s favorite servants, Kyai Wirasuta and his wife, Nyai Wirasuta (Wicaksono, P. 2023). According to the story, one day a landslide occurred because the spirits on Mount Gamping did not like the existence of humans living in the caves around the mountain (Muryasari & Retnowati, 2020).

The bekakak bride and groom are made of glutinous rice flour shaped like humans and dressed up like a bride and groom, complete with offerings placed in a chest decorated with various flowers and leaves. Inside the pair of bekakak brides is Javanese brown sugar or juruh, which is interpreted as blood, so when the bride and groom are “slaughtered,” the brown sugar flows out like blood. Since the first time this ceremony was held, the community believes that Mount Gamping has no more casualties because every year a pair of bekakak brides has been sacrificed. (Muryasari & Retnowati, 2020).

The location of Ambarketawang Village itself is very close to various Muhammadiyah-based educational institutions and Muhammadiyah mosques. The route traveled is also in the middle of the Muhammadiyah community. Interestingly, many of the participants of this ceremony came from the village recitation ladies, mosque youth, and university students who enlivened the event (interview with Mbah Gito, the caretaker of Gunung Gamping Nature Reserve). This big annual event not only involves Ambarketawang villagers, but also attracts the attention of local officials. Next year, the Regent of Sleman, Dra. Hj Kustini Sri Purnomo, is rumored to be attending and participating in the bekakak slaughter. This is very interesting to me because as someone who lives not far from the location of the ceremony, I always see the community, especially the Muslims, working together to carry out this ceremony and not stopping it even though it is not fully in accordance with Islam.

In addition, Mbah Gito as the caretaker of Gunung Gamping also said that there are still many traditional groups who come to make offerings and pray at Gunung Gamping, even though the area of Gunung Gamping Nature Reserve is now a fairly densely populated area. According to Mbah Gito, some of them still have lineages from the kingdoms of Klungkung, Kutai Kartanegara, Majapahit, and Sriwijaya, who often visit to make prayers and offerings in the month of Suro or the middle of the month of Sapar.

I also asked Mbah Gito whether there had ever been any rejection from the surrounding community, especially those near the Gunung Gamping Nature Reserve, due to the frequent presence of indigenous culture groups performing rituals. Mbah Gito, who also lives near the Nature Reserve, stated that the surrounding population has no complaints or rejection of the presence of traditional groups or the Saparan Bekakak ceremony. According to him, elements of the community actually support the ceremony.

However, this contradicts research conducted by Anshori et al. (2023) entitled “Communication Conflict in the Inculturation of Saparan Bekakak Custom in Ambarketawang Village.” This study found a difference of opinion between natives and migrants regarding the Saparan Bekakak ceremony. Muslim migrants are said to dislike the Saparan Bekakak culture, while the natives want this tradition to continue.

There are several factors that can explain why the rejection of the Saparan Bekakak event is minimal. First, this activity has been held for a long time, long before Muhammadiyah was founded. Secondly, the involvement of civil society in Ambarketawang Village is also very high, with each village contributing to the success of the cultural carnival by sending delegates to the parade and in the making of ogoh-ogoh. This shows that the event has become an integral part of the cultural identity of the local community.

Reference: 

Anshori, M., Ridho, A., Amri, Y., & Masri, M. S. H. (2023). Communication Conflict in the Inculturation of Saparan Bekakak Custom in Ambarketawang Village. Dialogia, 21(1), 25-47.

Boli, P. K. (2022). Nilai Sejarah Dan Makna Kebudayaan Bekakak Di Desa Ambarketawang, Kecamatan Gamping, Kabupaten Sleman. Innovative: Journal Of Social Science Research, 2(1), 624-632.

Muryasari, D., & Retnowati, T. H. (2020, July). Construction Trajectory of Bekakak Tradition in Gamping: Analytical Study of Peirce Semiotics. In the 3rd International Conference on Arts and Arts Education (ICAAE 2019) (pp. 77-82). Atlantis Press.

Wicaksono, P. (2023). Mengenal Saparan Bekakak di Sleman, penyembelihan boneka mengenang loyalis Pangeran Mangkubumi. In I. Hayati (Ed.), Tempo

Interview with Mbah Gito, 26 August 2024

Ersa Elfira Khaiya is a graduate student in the Center for Religious and Cross-cultural Studies (CRCS), Graduate School, Universitas Gadjah Mada