Bromo (5) : The Tenggerese Culture (2)

Funeral Ceremony

Besides these Wilujengan, Tengger society also celebrate Galungan Day, which is held since 1974. Nyepi, Ciwalatri, Saraswati, Pagerwesi, and Kuningan which are usually done by Hindu community in Bali, they are not celebrating them.

There is ceremony for funeral like Ngaben in Bali but Hindu Tengger people do not burn the dead body like in Bali. They just burn the doll that wear the cloth like human being. Then, it is burn after the dead body funeral.

After taking bath, it's is incanted by medicine man, the dead body is closed with 3 white cloth and then it's gone around with "Ancak" which is made by bamboo. The dead body is faced east. Afterward, they have to told "Masahi Ceremony". It is farewel party for people who died with his family and lead by "Dukun" (medicine man). "Entas - entas Ceremony" is done for 44 days later, or another day depent on family's ability.

This ceremony means for forgiving to "Sang Maha Agung" (god), so that the soul of the dead body can die peacefully. In this ceremony, people must make doll which is made of "Kenikir leaves" and "Janur Kuning" (coconut young leaves with yellow color), to describe the dead body. This doll is called by "Petra". Petra wears cloth of the dead body. A number of Petra is depends on the number of people who died.

"Dukun" (medicine man) reads "Mantra" (charms) for more than one hour with small genta in front of "Dukun" with many kids how down wear the cloth. They just wear white cloth, sex and number of children according to the sex and number of people who died. While "Dukun" reads the "Mantra" for about a half, he will be helped by others to cook rice with fire which is made of "Jarak tree". And then, the "Dukun" burns the children's hair and then make the white cloth as aviel.

"Dukun" only nites unites the movement of person who is sewing without yarn, it's continued by putting rice on head of children. It's done by "Dukun" directly. Then, taking duck and white children, eat rice on the children's head. "Wong Sepuh" (The old man) break the coconut in front of house. The last, is read the close incantation by "Dukun" and then "Petras" are undress and held by mothers to the other place that called by "Tempat Danyang". This place is ghost's home. Then, "Petras" is put by mothers with bring "Iber - Iber" (present) like chicken or duck. The animal must be life animal, not died animal. Afterward, Petras is burn.

The Petras burning in the died ceremony procession is the "Ngaben Ceremony" replacement