Kupatan Ceremony, Jolosutro

This traditional ceremony takes place in Srimulyo village, Piyungan, Bantul, on the tomb of Sunan Geseng which is located at Jolosutro hamlet. According to the local legends, when the queen of Pangeran Sedo Krapyak or Mas Jalang was pregnant, she craved for a fish with golden scales, or known as wader neng sisik kencana, and as it was so difficult to find, the Pangeran performed a contest to catch the fish. There was someone fulfill the challenge, i.e. Sunan Geseng. He promised to catch the fish under one condition that he was provided with a net made of silk. Finally the contest was won by Sunan Geseng, and then people named the place where the net was made Jolosutro (means ‘silk net’) As a reward for his success, Sunan Geseng was appointed an advisor to the king and was asked to live in the Kraton (palace). However, Sunan Geseng preferred to stay in Jolosutro. He proved to be more influential and whatever activity done by the Jolosutro community had been asked his consideration. And since Sunan Geseng was still alive, the Jolosutro community have performed the Rasulan ceremony every year after the harvest time. At that time, whenever the Rasulan ceremony took place, many guests came over, including those from the Kraton. To serve the guests from Kraton, the locals provided meals which were not included in the ceremony offerings, i.e. ketupat (rice cake boiled in a rhombus-shaped packet of plaited young coconut leaves) completed with the side dishes. But unlike the ordinary ketupat, the ones of Jolosutro are wrapped with plaited leaves of gebang (tall thornless jungle palm with large leaves), and the size is also bigger. While the ordinary ketupat is about 7x7 cm (with the thickness of about 3 to 4 cm), the ketupat of Jolosutro measures from 15x15 cm up to 35 x 35 cm. The process of cooking it is also different, making the taste is also different, with the side dish of gudheg manggar (a kind of food cooked in coconut milk with spices, tastes sweet). This kind of ketupat becomes the characteristic of Jolosutro Kupatan Ceremony up to present time. The ceremony is aimed to express their gratitude to God the Almighty who have blessed them that they have a plentiful agricultural harvest, and an expectation so that the next year they will have better harvest. Besides, it is also a means of their pray for the welfare and prosperity of Prophet Muhammad SAW and their ancestors, including Sunan Geseng. The Kupatan Ceremony of Jolosutro is performed after the harvest time, on Monday Legi of Javanese month Sapar. But on its progress, as the harvest time changes, the performance of the ceremony may not in Sapar; the day may as well not in the Javanese day of Legi, yet other than Pon. Recently they use the Javanese calendar between 10th to 15th of the Javanese month, upon approaching the full moon. The main agenda is performed in the afternoon between 2.00 to 4.00 PM.

Elements of the Ceremony
The offerings is one element which is a must in a Javanese traditional ceremony. In the Kupatan Ceremony of Jolosutro, the offerings are:

a. For Nyekar (spreading the flowers over the grave and sending prayers for the dead):

1. Rasulan flower / Kembang telon : a set of blossom consists of 3 flowers, rose, jasmine, and kenanga (cananga), all are fragrant flowers, represents the fragrance of prayers coming out of sincerety; fragrance represents the glory

2. Kemenyan (gum benzoin) : as a means of delivering requests while praying. Kemenyan will emit fragrant smoke when burnt.

b. For Kenduri (ritual meal):

1. Nasi Ambeng : an ordinary cooked rice, completed with the side dishes like chilly sauce, semur, gudheg, rempeyek, baked tempe, etc. Nasi Ambeng symbolizes the request to God to forgive the sins of the progenitors.

2. Nasi Gurih : cooked rice with coconut oil, salt and daun salam (laurellike leaf used for cooking), tastes delicious and oily, represents the request for peace and welfare for the Prophet Muhammad SAW and his followers, as well as the committee and participants of the ceremony.

3. Ingkung : complete, unparted cooked chicken, with non-chilly spices and coconut milk, represents the innocence and purity of a baby. It also represents the attitude of submission and complete trust to God.

4. Jajan Pasar : offering consists of various delicacies bought from traditional market. Jajan pasar means an expectation that the Jolosutro community will always be blessed by the God so that in cultivating their field they will get plentiful amount of harvest.

5. Hasil Palawija : crops planted as the second crop in dry season, such as cassava, sweet potato, various kinds of tuber, rice, etc. This crops represent the honor of Jolosutro community to the progenitors.

6. Rengginan : ketan (sticky rice), cooked or steamed with spices, then given brown sugar, and formed in triangles with the sides measure 3 cm and the base measures 20 cm. It usually curves with stars on the curved sides, symbolizing the sacred form. The triangle form represents a man sit cross-legged in praying for God.

7. Puthu Kering (dry cake): cakes made of sticky rice, fried until black in color. Then it is pounded and mixed with brown sugar, formed in round shapes using cup or small bowl. The black dried puthu represents the black skin of Sunan Geseng. The sticky rice (ketan) means that Sunan Geseng is always stuck, memorized in the hearts of Jolosutro community.

8. Ketan enthen-enthen : delicacies made from ketan, with grated coconut and brown sugar.

9. Ketupat : represents that the audience of the ceremony hope to maintain the unity, togetherness, community self-help, and mutual cooperation.

10. Jodhang : the carrier where the offerings (nasi ambeng, nasi gurih, ngkung, jajan pasar, hasil polowijo, rengginan, ketan enthen-enthen) are placed. Jodhang is made of wood, measures 1.5 by 1 m, with the height of 75 cm, carried on shoulders.

a. For kenduri: Nasi Ambeng.

b. For kenduri at Prayan cemetery: Nasi Ambeng.

Procession of the Ceremony
On the Monday Legi, after the midday prayer (Dhuhur), all the jodhangs containing kenduri offerings from each RT (Rukun Tetangga, neighborhood association, consists of several families close to one another) brought and collected on the Jolosutro field. When everything is ready, the jodhangs are carried together to the place of ceremony at the Tomb of Sunan Geseng. The parade of jodhangs are arranged neatly. At 2.00 PM the ceremony starts with a speech delivery by the Head of Srimulyo Village about the purpose of Kupatan Ceremony of Jolosutro and gratitude to God the Almighty, followed by a speech delivery by the Head of Piyungan District. The main program starts with reciting a pledge by the juru kunci of Tomb of Sunan Geseng, consisting the expression of gratefulness to God the Almighty for His bless that the agriculture produce is good, followed by reciting prayer lead by kaum rais, and it ends with the audience enjoying the provided offerings of nasi ameng, nasi gurih, lauk-pauk (the side dishes), hasil palawijo, jajan pasar, rengginan, and enthen-enthen.

from : http://www.tasteofjogja.com