Unique Ceremonies Held in Kemiren Traditional Village, Banyuwangi

Kemiren is actually a kind of traditional village located in Glagah district, Banyuwangi Region. This traditional village is known as the home for Osing Ethnic community (native people of Banyuwangi region). And similar to any other traditional villages in Indonesia, this area is used as cultural heritage and it is shown by many festivals, celebrations, and ceremonies which take place in the village. Among those festivals, there are Tumpeng Sewu, Ider Bumi, and Ngopi Sepuluh Ewu. Are you curious about them? Let’s see what those festivals actually are.

Tumpeng Sewu

At the beginning of the hajj month there is the “tumpeng sewu”. at the start of the day the people will don a red and black bed. There  will prepare a “Tumpeng” – a cone of yellow rice in a bamboo container surrounded by various other dishes. They will gather in a field for evening prayer, and after prayers they will consume the tumpeng. Finally they will recite the “Yousouf” surah which will have been transcribed on a dried palmyra leaf.

Tumpeng Sewu isn’t just a mere traditional ritual but it has transformed into tourist attraction. It’s proven by how hundreds of tourist witness this tradition being held. During the festival, thousands of people who come from many villages around Kemiren Village gather around and enjoy tumpeng feast. For your information, tumpeng refers to yellow rice which is made by mixing rice and turmeric to add color and more flavor as well as fragrance. Along with the tumpeng, there are many other side dishes including chicken, boiled vegetables, and meat.

When Tumpeng Sewu festival is held, the road directing to Kemiren Traditional Village will be fully closed from 05.30 p.m. Those who want to take part in the festival must be willing to walk to reach the village. The menus are served on the road above banana leaves which have been spread beforehand. Right after Maghrib praying time (about 06.00 p.m.) the festival starts. Below the light coming out from the torchlight, all people sit down properly. Then, the elder leads the prayer to indicate the beginning of the festival and then the guests enjoy the meals together. In addition to show gratitude towards the God for abundant harvest, Tumpeng Sewu is also held to strengthen the bond among the people.

Ider Bumi

This tradition is definitely inseparable from the life of Osing Ethnic. Yes, this tradition is actually thousands of year old and it contains great story and philosophy behind it. The name of the tradition consists of the word “Ider” which means “going around” and “Bumi” which can be translated into “earth”. Surely, the name of this tradition represents how the ritual is done. Ider Bumi ritual is started by the elders of the village. They play angklung (a music instrument made of bamboo) which is then followed by bringing out the Barong (a kind of statue to symbolize bad thing). Barong is carried throughout the village (the earth) and the people who carry it sing Javanese songs. The contents of the songs are about prayers towards the God and ancestors to keep bad things and disasters from coming.

Ngopi Sepuluh Ewu

Ngopi Sepuluh Ewu is actually similar to Tumpeng Sewu. However, instead of having tumpeng (yellow rice) feast, the people enjoy coffee together. As the name tells you, Ngopi Sepuluh Ewu can be translated into “enjoying ten thousand cups of coffee” and it literally is about having coffee feast. When this festival is held, the houses along the main road of Kemiren Traditional Village serve coffee which can be enjoyed by the visitors for free. In addition to the coffee, there are also some traditional snacks being served. Again, they are for free. If you are a visitor, you can simply choose any house to enjoy the coffee and the snack. You will be served by the owner of the house. According to the people who live in Kemiren, this tradition symbolizes the hospitality of Osing community and at the same time, it is also done to promote the greatness of coffee from Kemiren and from Banyuwangi.