Lombok Customs and Tradition

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TRADITIONAL MARRIAGE OF LOMBOK

Here is popular with four ethnic groups, these four groups has their own respective customs and traditions. The marriage custom is the most dominants ones in the adat system of the four ethnic groups.

The Kawin Lari ( Runway marriage) is still applied and practiced in Lombok. The Kawin Lari in the Sasak language is called “MERARI”. Actually they have mutually agreed to marry.

Actually, the one is not based on agreement prefers mostly to go through the practice of Kawin Lari.

THE PROCESS OF THE COURSE OF MERARI

After the Bride to be being “kidnapped “by the Bridegroom, his party has to report the case to the chief of the village where the girl used to live . This report is called “Selabar” than the village chief turn conveys the report to the Girl Families village chief. One day after “Selabar”, continued to “Mesejati”. This is carried out by the messenger of the Bridegroom directly to the Bride Family. The Mesejati is mean to let the Bride families know about the truth of the Kawin Lari Case, with whom the girl has Ran away, where she is being kept and on which day and date they ran away.

After the “Mesejati” is carried out, the next day is followed by “Mbait Wali”, to bring the couple into the marriage immediately solemnized according to the Islamic religion.

After the solemnization, the Next two days is continued with “Mbait Janji” by the Bridegroom Family. The intention of this custom is to determine how much the cost of the reception will be needed by the Bride family. When a consensus is reached then on the same day, the day and date of the intended reception can be fixed, whether in the Bridegroom house or on the other wise.

During the reception, the couple will sat side by side on the Bridal dais and wearing the traditional bridal customs.

Next is followed by “Nyongkolan” and “Sorong Serah Aji Kerame Adat”, where the Bridal Couple is brought in procession to go to the Bride parent house. To get there must  By  foot around  500 m to the bride parent house.

ANNUAL CATCH NYALE CEREMONY

The Bau Nyale(sea worm)is held once a year in February. The tradition of catching sea worm (sasak language= Bau Nyale) came into existence caused by the natural circumstance and the pattern of the farmers social life having a rooted believe of the greatness of God to create the nature with all its contents including an animal, a king of anellida called Nyale. Its appearance at the southern coast of Lombok. Its happens only once a year marked with natural miracle as a blessing of God to this creature.

Several days before the Nyale appears, the rains comes down in torrent at night with lighting and thundering, thunderbolts intervals accompanied by very strong wind. Estimated on the fourth day after full moon, the night before the Nyale appears, the rain sub-sides, turns into drizzle, the situation becomes so calm. At early down the Nyale beginning to show it self rolling with the thundering waves against the coast and as quick as that also the Nyale gradually disappears from the sea surface at the same time when the daybreak.

For the people of south Lombok with their terrain for the rice field depending on the rain water for its irrigation, Nyale forms a blessing of God which can be interpreted as a sign of good and satisfactory harvest.

According to the legend, the Nyale is the incarnation of princess who won’t disappointed anyone else. By following the miraculous. Signs, the princess plunges into the sea and incarnated into the Nyale which can be enjoyed together either as an accompanying food, or as a tonic etc. which has a magic character according to their respective believe.

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