The Importance of Merarik Culture of
The Sasak Ethnic Group of Lombok
Culture is a way to develop and it’s
experienced by all people and it legacy stays from generation to
generation.Development of a region’s culture to tends to give cultural
perception and knowledge of the social
life and to increase the level and prestige of humans who have the culture to
fortify identity and personality.One of Indonesia’s cultures is Merarik in
Lombok (Sasak etnich). The Importance of Merarik Culture of The Sasak Ethnic
Group of Lombok,It is one of traditional ceremony that relate to social life
and religion.It will be explained in this essay about the merarik culture can
be discussed in four aspects;they are meaning;explanation of rocess;dress and
ceremonies.
Firstly,you have to know what is
Merarik mean?In Sasak culture marriage is
often call as Merarik. Etymologically the word Merarik
taken from the word Lari in Bahasa it mean "run".
Merari'an means escape.
Elopement, marriage is a culture that still used
in Lombok. Merarik
is Sasak ethnic tradition that very uniq, for Sasak society,
Merarik means maintaining self-esteem
and discribe the masculinity of Sasak man,
because he can take his girl.In the other
side,for the parents of the girls who was taken or Merarik must be proud
because if someone want to marry their daughter but do it with another way such
as propose it just like an affront because daughter is not something to asked.Propose
a woman in Sasak just like asked thing or stuff that do not valuable because a
woman in Sasak is very valuable.There is an idion in Sasak : “Marakm ngendeng
anak manem bae” in Bahasa mean seperti meminta anak ayam saja (You Just act
like asked a chicken).So in this context, Merarik is understood as a way to do a wedding procession, in
addition to get away out of the conflict.
Second,in Merarik there are 6 procces to do ; Merarik in
bahasa mean membawa lari/culik (escape or kidnap);Masejati in bahasa mean
benar-benar (really);Selabar in bahasa mean penerang (explanation);Nuntut wali in
bahasa mean minta wali (Ask for the trustee);Ngawinang in bahasa mean nikahang
(married) and Sorong serah aji krama in Bahasa mean puncak acara dari serangkaian
prosesi adat perkawinan (the highlight of the traditional wedding ceremony).
Third is Merarik process this is the part of Merarik that
very unique and important to do.If you do not this you can’t be Merarik.When
Merarik,took run away the woman or Merarik this process people used to call it
as kidnapping.For example,if you are a man want to marry a woman in Sasak,you
love each other and want to get married,just make an appointment to marry and
pick her up at somewhere without tell her parents.The man used to tell his
family before he want to get marry and kidnap the girl,so when he take the
bridegroom to his house his family not to beshocked.The family’s man delegates
someone to tell the woman’s family that their daughter have Merarik.We have to
do Masejati,procces traditional custom of Masejati do by the delegate of the
man’s family to tell the woman’s family about their daughter.Selabar do after
Masejati,the delegate of the man’s family do the Selabar when the womans family
ready to accept the arrival selabar group.Then thing to do when the woman
family accepted the group of Selabar is nuntut wali where the family establish
the day the bridegroom will be married.If the family of the bridegroom have
deal when they will be married,they do the married and the last is Sorong Serah
Aji Krame as
a form
of tradition values Sorong Serah that had been accustomed.
The last in Merarik is Sorong
Serah Aji Krame,the bride and bridegroom using traditional bride &
bridegroom dress of Sasak.They walk from bridegroom house to bride house
accompaniment by traditional music Sasak Gendang Beleq,bridesmaid,family of
bride,friends using traditional dress of Sasak.Lambung for woman dress and Bedodot
for traditional dress for man in Sasak.The bridesmaid used to bring something
such as traditional food of Sasak,fruit and some of hulled rice.In bride
house,a dais on which the bridal couple sit was prepared by her family.When the
couple arrived,they greet with the bridge family and come back to bridegroom
house.This is just a sign to tell people that they get married.
In conclusion,as we know that culture is a way to develop and
it’s experienced by all people and it legacy stays from generation to
generation and culture is our identity,as a Sasak Merarik culture have to keep it but in Sasak,people nowaday do Merarik
tradition not like as used to be.Acculturation occurs in Merarik culture
because of technology develop,mass media,knowledge and immigrant.Because of
this,the young generation of Sasak know more about other cultures than their
own culture.It give some influence such as if someone want to marry they do it
with purpose her not kidnap her and some of them do not Sorong Serah Aji Krame
but actually that is important thing in Merarik culture it just like a sign
that someone get married.Sasak culture is very unique and very important to
defense.As a Sasak,I really disappointed see what happened to my culture and to
Sasak people who couldn’t defense our tradition and culture because it possible
that someday it can be lost from Sasak and it could be we don’t have identity
anymore because we lost our culture as identity.
No comments:
Post a Comment