The tradition of the bride ngiring in Lombok

The tradition of the bride ngiring in Lombok

              Marriage is one of the rituals in the life that is considered important because it marks the union of a pair of beings from two different families into one new family . Because of this reason, the marriage ceremony is usually made ​​in such a way that it becomes an unforgettable event . many ways used to create an event that will be a memory for life . Either feast attended all the family , relatives and acquaintances , and shaped a custom event . For custom event itself, so many types and varieties. Usually each region have their customary procedures , respectively , so that the custom event into something interesting and unique when viewed from the eyes of the people of other regions .
At the time of travel to Lombok Island recently , I was watching the show on the face of the bride ngiring by indigenous Sasak known as Nyongkolan . It was originally on the way to one place , the pace of my vehicle was blocked by a man dressed in traditional accompaniment is accompanied by lively music . Kiki , a friend who accompanied me on the way over in Lombok , testified that during the time after harvest like that , especially on a Saturday or Sunday , it will be easy to get to meet a convoy like that, because it was a time period where many residents do weddings .
Nyongkolan itself is an event that is performed after the completion of the marriage ceremony . In the ritual, the bride and groom will walk from the residence of the groom's family to the bride's family residence with diiiring by families and local communities also are usually well attended by community leaders , religious leaders and local traditional leaders . Melakukannyongkolan people who are all dressed in full traditional dress , where the men will also membekal kris or dagger tucked in the waist or strapped on his back , while the woman wearing kebaya typical Sasak complete with all accessories.

                                                                          Nyongkolan



              Nyongkolan ceremony is usually followed by a lot of people , and the bridal couple are paraded treated like a king and queen who runs diiringkan by the guards , soldiers and her ladies . That is why brides often called the king of kings , which means sejelo day . There is a custom prevailing in the society , which is that if a person refuses to participate as an accompanist in acaranyongkolan , so if a person is currently held Nyongkolan event , will be more people who will refuse to accompany it . So , with a view of the length of the line, bisalah known whether the bride including ones that are easy to socialize or not .
Nyongkolan tradition held in addition to escort the bride and groom to the bride's family , is also intended as a means of public announcement to many that the diiringkan couples are married , and is also expected that there will be no more people who disturb the couple.

                                     A procession to accompany the bride and the groom


               Nyongkolan is arguably the culmination of the ritual union of a terune ( youth ) with a dedare ( girl ) in a bond of a valid marriage according to the religion and customs .
When massaged into the back , of course, the union would not have happened without the introduction between the two sides . If from the introduction of a match , then the Terune will invite the Dedare married . It's just according to the Sasak tradition , it is not beautiful if there is a young man who came to apply a girl hero just to parents the girl . The girls parents will also feel slighted if it happens because he considered the young man without any effort to come to ask for his son who has been raised and dibesarkannya of small hard-earned . Therefore , to show his sincerity and also shows her efforts to get her hero , the young man would customarily The Girl abducted from his parents' house . This tradition is known by the name Merari .
In doing this Merari tradition , typically young man would come to the house at night The girl with a broom stick . Do not get me wrong . . . The young man did not come to sweep her hero 's home page :) . Sweep it carries will be used to " sweep " the fence as a sign that the girl Si Si Youth has come and ready to rush .
Although he managed to get his girl , customarily The Youth are not allowed to bring the girl into her own home . Taboo even if they stay the same roof before the execution of the marriage contract . Therefore , Si Si Youth will usually bring the girl to one of her relatives to hide there because The girl did not have until discovered by his family who will surely look for it .

         After passing day , The Youth will inform the village chief or village elder in The Indigenous Youth living that she had been kidnapped a girl who will marry , as well as the willingness to ask the village chief or the Indigenous Elders to be the messenger of the Youth for Si notify the family of the girl , that the girl had been kidnapped girlfriend , and now still hidden in an undisclosed location .
        Local term to refer to the tradition of the messenger sent by the family to the family of Si Si Youth Girls , is nyelabar . In doing this nyelabar ritual , in addition to Indigenous Elders in the village where The Youth stay , the group also followed by Si relative youth , but parents are not allowed to join The Youth .
Only after such notice is received by the family of Si Girl , by consensus will be set when the execution of the ceremony the bride and groom and then continued dengannyongkolan . Usually neighbors of both parties worked together helped prepare this celebration , which in the local language called begawe . Because preparation sometimes takes a few days , then to comfort those who had helped prepare the show, the family of the bride usually invites arts groups such as the traditional Sasak Beleq drum and Joget .
        At the present time , this tradition a little faded . Many have not run it again . Perhaps also with practical considerations . for those who still menjalankannyapun often not fully followed the ritual again , even frequent acculturation . A simple example is the case Nyongkolan musical event , if the first form of traditional drumming like Beleq drum or gamelan Beleq , so now many accompanied by marching band, kecimol , or even dangdut music , as well as the group that I had encountered in the journey .
Hopefully this is not a unique tradition vanished era eroded . However in a tribal tradition or in an area must contain local wisdom and noble message ancestors to descendants . Hopefully .

        Sasak tribe in Lombok, Indonesia, has a unique marriage tradition. If a ‘terune‘ (a boy) fall in love with a ‘dedare‘ (a girl), and they decide to bind themselves in a marriage, the boy cannot just come to the girl’s parents and ask for their permission. It is considered impolite and also shows the boy’s laziness because the boy just comes and asks without any special efforts. Aside of that, the girl’s parents will feel offended as they feel the boy is not appreciate their efforts in taking care of their daughter since she was just a baby until then.

       Because of that, the boy will traditionally kidnap the girl in a ritual called ‘merari‘. In the ritual, usually the boy will come to the girl’s home at night bringing a broom stick which then be used to scrape the fence of the girl’s home as a code that he has already arrived and ready to take her away from her home. The boy, then bring the girl to one of his relatives’ house, since they are not allowed to stay together before they are married.

      After a day, the boy will inform the elders in his village that he has kidnapped a girl who then will become his wife. The boy will also ask one of the elders to come to the girl’s parents on his behalf and inform the parents that their daughter has already been kidnapped and now is hidden safely in a secret place. The ritual when one of the elders who accompanied by the boy’s family, except his own parents, to come to the girl’s parents is called ‘nyelabar‘

      After everything are okay, then come the big day. After they officially married, the bride and the groom then will walk along the road from the groom’s family home to the bride’s family home. They will be accompanied by relatives, elders, and friends as if they are king and queen who make a journey accompanied by guards, maids, and soldiers; that is why the bride and groom are called ‘raja sejelo‘ in the local language, which means a king for a day. The procession itself is called ‘nyongkolan‘. In the procession, everybody join the procession should wear Sasak traditional attires.

                                                           walking along the road

          Beside to bring the bride and groom to the bride’s old home and meet her parents, ‘nyongkolan‘ is also meant as an announcement that the two has already bound together in a marriage and no one can disturb them.

          In the old day, ‘nyongkolan‘ will always be made lively by traditional music such as ‘gendang beleq’ or ‘gamelan beleq’. Nowadays, the music is more modern as well as the instruments. Some of them use drumband which called ‘kecimol‘ and play recorded song.

‘kecimol’ group in action

Hope that the unique tradition will not fade away by time, since in every tradition there must be local wisdoms and good teachings given by the ancestors