Thai Wedding Ceremony
One of the most important occastions of the person's life after birth is the wedding ceremony as it places value on that particular moment when man and woman have decided to be united in a bond that will influence the rest of their lives. Therefore, the ceremony must be held in a beautiful and sacred way. Above all, astrologers will be consulted beforehand in order to find out if the stars of those to be married are compatible and if so what should be the auspicious day and time for the ceremony. But mostly the ceremony will be held in August which is considered as the most auspicious month for wedding.
Usually in the countryside, a marriage takes place at the age of 20 while in the city this maybe late, up to 28 - 35. This depends on the readiness of the persons who want to enter into marriage. At the same time, nowadays most young people choose their own marriage partners while arranged marriage is very rare.
The most interresting part of the wedding ceremony is a procession of "Khan Mark" (offering items) as relatives and friends of the groom dance their way to the house of the bride with their hands full of offering.
The engagement ceremony must take place before the wedding, however, some couples may prefer to hold the engagement and wedding ceremony on the same day as a means of saving money. The engagement ceremony is usually done through the offering of an engagement ring to the girl while the wedding cremony will be incomplete without the offering of "Sin-sod" which is the money to be given to the bride's parents by the groom's parents of the amount they demand.
The wedding ceremony begins in the morning with the chanting of monks, then the couple and relatives offer food to the monks who, after their meal, will chant again while the senior monk will go around to bless the couple and the whole gathering with holy water before they go back to the temple.
After the dinner reception, the last ceremony to be performed is the sending-off of the bride and groom to the room specially arranged with the decoration of roses. The ceremony will usually be guided by the elder villager and eventually, the ceremony ends here.
Information on this page mainly comes from a book called "Essays on Thailand" by Thanapol Chadchaidee. It is used here with his permission. The book contains 60 essays about Thailand written in Thai and English. Click here if you want to buy it!
Wedding
Selasa, 18 Agustus 2009
Traditional Javanese wedding Ceremonies
NGERIK Ceremony
After the Siraman. The bride sits in the wedding room. The Pemaes should dry her hair by using towel and smoke of perfumed powder (RATUS) should be passed her hair. When the hair is drying, it is combed backside and strongly tied up in gelung hairdo style. The Pemaes cleans her face and neck and start to make up. Ngerik means to save unnessarary hairs on her face by using a Razor.
Sajen/ offering for NGERIK
The sajen for Ngerik is the same with the sajen for Siraman. For pratical reason all sajen for siraman brought to the wedding room and function as the offering for NGERIK RITUAL.
The execution of NGERIK
The Pemaes should carefully and skilfully doing her make up of the bride. The face should be make up in accordance with the marriage pattern. At the end, the bride should be dressed with Kebaya (woman shirt) and Batik cloth with design of SIDOMUKTI or SIDOASIH symbolizing, she would have a prosperous life and adored by other people.
MIDODARENI Ceremony
This ceremony takes place in the eve of IJAB and Panggih ceremonies. Midodaremi is derived from the word Widodari means goddess. The would be bride this evening is becoming very beautiful like a goddess, she should be visited by some goddesses from heaven according to ancient belief. She has to stay in the room the whole evening from 6.00 p.m. to midnight accompanied by some elder women giving her useful advice. The family of the would be bridegroom and her very close friends should also visit her for a while, all of them are women.
The bride's parents should feed her for the last time. As from tomorrow, she is in her husband's responsibility.
Sajen/offering for MIDODARENI
1. Rice cooked with coconut milk
2. Well cooked cock (INGKUNG)
3. Vegetable sauces
4. Telon flowers
5. Tea and coffee without sugar
6. Drink from young coconut meat with coconut sugar
7. Latern which is lighted
8. Bananas of Raja (king) variety
9. Flowers in water bowl
10. A baked glutinous rice, bread
11. Cigar and pipe made of papaya leave
Items put in the wedding room
1. One set of Kembar Mayang
2. 2 earthenware vases filled with spices, medical herbs, rice, peanuts etc covered with Bango Tulak cloths.
3. 2 Kendis filled with holy water covered with dadap srep leave.
4. UKUB- a tray with several kinds of perfumed leaves and flowers put under the bed.
5. Suruh Ayu- betel leaves with its supplement.
6. Areca nut.
7. Seven kinds of cloth with letrek design.
The offering could be taken out of the room at midnight. The family and guests could eat it.
Ceremonies outside the wedding room
Outside the room, there are the parents and the family or close friends of the would be bride meeting with the family of the would be bridegroom, eating and speaking to each other. Nowadays for practical reason, during the midodareni, other rituals could be conducted at the same time, such as:
Peningsetan or SRAH-SRAHAN
The family of the would be bridegroom gives some items to the parents of the would be bride (see Peningsetan Ritual). In this occasion both sides of families should make acquintance to each other in a more relax atmosphere. Then the family of the would be bridegroom (only women) visit the would be bride in the attractively decorated wedding room.
NYANTRI
In fact the would be bridegroom come together with his family, but he is not entitled to enter the house. While his family is inside the house, he sits in the veranda of the house accompanied by some friends or relatives. During that time he is only given a glass of water, and he is not allowed to smoke. He may eat only after midnight. It is a lesson that he must be able to resist hunger and temptation. Before his family left the house, an envoy of his parents tells the host and the hostess that he hands over the would be bridegroom to the responsibility of the host and the hostess, the envoy further says that the would be bridegroom is not going back home. After the visitors left the house, the would be bridegroom is allowed to enter the house but not the wedding room. The parents of the would be bride should arrange his lodging. This called Nyantri. Nyantri is done on purpose for safety and practical reason, considering that tomorrow he should be dressed and prepared for Ijab and other wedding ceremonies.
IJAB Ceremony As it has been described above, Ijab ceremony is the most important requirement to legalize a marriage. The implementation of Ijab is in accordance with the religion of the couple. Nowadays, the state recognizes five existing religions: ISLAM, CHRISTIAN and CATHOLIC, HINDU, BUDHA. Whatever religion they confess, they are wearing traditional dresses. In the place where the IJAB is conducted, a sanggan offering put there. After the IJAB, traditional ceremonies of panggih etc and a reception should follow to complete the whole wedding ceremonies.
The Art of Javanese Traditional Wedding
In Java people oftenly says that birth, marriage and death are the wish of God. It is easily understood that wedding rituals should be implemented accordingly. It grows to be an exhibition of traditional art and culture, an integral part of the Nation's Identity. Where the noble symbols of life exposed with pride and dignity.
This great tradition, inherited from ancient time, strongly preserved by the people. The Javanese selectively embraces modernazition but the root of tradition remains. The existance of Palaces/Karatons in Yogyakarta and Surakarta, as centers of art and culture plays a positive role. The most significant is the people's sincere care to conserve its own culture.
The hard work and determination to maintain traditional culture by the Karatons, related experts and all parties concern have flourished the culture in the pleasant direction. Some consistent efforts have to be made to improve the favourable trend.
Popularity of Javanese traditional wedding ceremony
In 1960's, some Pemaes had started to popularize this traditional wedding ceremony outside the Karaton ring. With the silent blessing of the Karaton, the four EMPU (great Guru) Pemaes from the Yogyakarta court families, namely:
The late Mrs. PRADJOKOHALPITO, the late Mrs. DONOLOBO, the late Mrs. SOSRONEGORO and Mrs. SARDJONO YOSODIPURO formed the first Association of Pemaes P.P. 16 to introduce and spread the art of traditional bridal make up and wedding ceremonies to the society outside the Karaton wall. They also improved their expertise by learning and adopting the pattern from Surakarta palaces.
The four EMPU Pemaes had their own forum of communication by the name of HASTANATA to intensify the spreading of this art. Although they are great artists but they worked untiredly and travelled a lot across the territory in different towns and villages by any means of transportation such as traditional becak (pedicab) or andong (four wheeled carriage drown by a horse) or public transport such as buses and trains. The private cars were rare and aeroplane was too luxurious for the early years of the pioneers. Mean while in Surakarta, Mrs. Dinar Woerjanto did almost the same. She and a few other Pemaes spread this art of classical bridal make up to every strata of society in different places. Along with the economic progress of the country, their fight gave a tremendous result in the art and culture and business related with wedding ceremonies, such as in the fields of:
1. Sajen/offering made and flower arrangements
2. Dresses, batik, keris, jewelries , ornaments and other items used in a wedding party
3. Food and beverages (catering)
4. Performing arts; gamelan music orchestra and classical dance
5. The service of photography (lately) video shooting and sound system.
6. Renting of public and hotel halls for wedding reception
7. Renting of tent, furniture, carpets and special decorated cars for the married couple etc.
8. The service of Masters Ceremonies
9. The service of some assistants to Pemaes. (in a complete ceremonies a Pemaes should not be able to work by her self)
In April 1978 in Semarang, the capital of Central Java Province, for the first time a workshop on "Javanese traditional bridal make up" was organized. The four Empu Pemaes, with the help of other experts were given the opportunity to run the show, under the supervision of directorate general of Culture. This successful event brought a positive result of making uniformity for Yogyakarta and Surakarta patterns of traditional bridal make up.
Needless to say that as a result of their tremendous achievement by practising their profession with utmost devotion, in many places and occassions, in remote villages, different cities and in also in Karaton, they have received different Awards and Appreciation from government and private institutions.
(Joglosemar Website is grateful to Mrs. Sardjono, Mrs. Dinar Woerjanto, Mrs. Tinoek Rifki, Mrs. Danarti Murwanto for the interviews and photos)
(Suryo S. Negoro)
Copyright© PT Sangga Sarana Persada, 1997-2000
Designed by Sangga Web Team
Any comment and question related to this page, please contact
webmaster@joglosemar.co.id
After the Siraman. The bride sits in the wedding room. The Pemaes should dry her hair by using towel and smoke of perfumed powder (RATUS) should be passed her hair. When the hair is drying, it is combed backside and strongly tied up in gelung hairdo style. The Pemaes cleans her face and neck and start to make up. Ngerik means to save unnessarary hairs on her face by using a Razor.
Sajen/ offering for NGERIK
The sajen for Ngerik is the same with the sajen for Siraman. For pratical reason all sajen for siraman brought to the wedding room and function as the offering for NGERIK RITUAL.
The execution of NGERIK
The Pemaes should carefully and skilfully doing her make up of the bride. The face should be make up in accordance with the marriage pattern. At the end, the bride should be dressed with Kebaya (woman shirt) and Batik cloth with design of SIDOMUKTI or SIDOASIH symbolizing, she would have a prosperous life and adored by other people.
MIDODARENI Ceremony
This ceremony takes place in the eve of IJAB and Panggih ceremonies. Midodaremi is derived from the word Widodari means goddess. The would be bride this evening is becoming very beautiful like a goddess, she should be visited by some goddesses from heaven according to ancient belief. She has to stay in the room the whole evening from 6.00 p.m. to midnight accompanied by some elder women giving her useful advice. The family of the would be bridegroom and her very close friends should also visit her for a while, all of them are women.
The bride's parents should feed her for the last time. As from tomorrow, she is in her husband's responsibility.
Sajen/offering for MIDODARENI
1. Rice cooked with coconut milk
2. Well cooked cock (INGKUNG)
3. Vegetable sauces
4. Telon flowers
5. Tea and coffee without sugar
6. Drink from young coconut meat with coconut sugar
7. Latern which is lighted
8. Bananas of Raja (king) variety
9. Flowers in water bowl
10. A baked glutinous rice, bread
11. Cigar and pipe made of papaya leave
Items put in the wedding room
1. One set of Kembar Mayang
2. 2 earthenware vases filled with spices, medical herbs, rice, peanuts etc covered with Bango Tulak cloths.
3. 2 Kendis filled with holy water covered with dadap srep leave.
4. UKUB- a tray with several kinds of perfumed leaves and flowers put under the bed.
5. Suruh Ayu- betel leaves with its supplement.
6. Areca nut.
7. Seven kinds of cloth with letrek design.
The offering could be taken out of the room at midnight. The family and guests could eat it.
Ceremonies outside the wedding room
Outside the room, there are the parents and the family or close friends of the would be bride meeting with the family of the would be bridegroom, eating and speaking to each other. Nowadays for practical reason, during the midodareni, other rituals could be conducted at the same time, such as:
Peningsetan or SRAH-SRAHAN
The family of the would be bridegroom gives some items to the parents of the would be bride (see Peningsetan Ritual). In this occasion both sides of families should make acquintance to each other in a more relax atmosphere. Then the family of the would be bridegroom (only women) visit the would be bride in the attractively decorated wedding room.
NYANTRI
In fact the would be bridegroom come together with his family, but he is not entitled to enter the house. While his family is inside the house, he sits in the veranda of the house accompanied by some friends or relatives. During that time he is only given a glass of water, and he is not allowed to smoke. He may eat only after midnight. It is a lesson that he must be able to resist hunger and temptation. Before his family left the house, an envoy of his parents tells the host and the hostess that he hands over the would be bridegroom to the responsibility of the host and the hostess, the envoy further says that the would be bridegroom is not going back home. After the visitors left the house, the would be bridegroom is allowed to enter the house but not the wedding room. The parents of the would be bride should arrange his lodging. This called Nyantri. Nyantri is done on purpose for safety and practical reason, considering that tomorrow he should be dressed and prepared for Ijab and other wedding ceremonies.
IJAB Ceremony As it has been described above, Ijab ceremony is the most important requirement to legalize a marriage. The implementation of Ijab is in accordance with the religion of the couple. Nowadays, the state recognizes five existing religions: ISLAM, CHRISTIAN and CATHOLIC, HINDU, BUDHA. Whatever religion they confess, they are wearing traditional dresses. In the place where the IJAB is conducted, a sanggan offering put there. After the IJAB, traditional ceremonies of panggih etc and a reception should follow to complete the whole wedding ceremonies.
The Art of Javanese Traditional Wedding
In Java people oftenly says that birth, marriage and death are the wish of God. It is easily understood that wedding rituals should be implemented accordingly. It grows to be an exhibition of traditional art and culture, an integral part of the Nation's Identity. Where the noble symbols of life exposed with pride and dignity.
This great tradition, inherited from ancient time, strongly preserved by the people. The Javanese selectively embraces modernazition but the root of tradition remains. The existance of Palaces/Karatons in Yogyakarta and Surakarta, as centers of art and culture plays a positive role. The most significant is the people's sincere care to conserve its own culture.
The hard work and determination to maintain traditional culture by the Karatons, related experts and all parties concern have flourished the culture in the pleasant direction. Some consistent efforts have to be made to improve the favourable trend.
Popularity of Javanese traditional wedding ceremony
In 1960's, some Pemaes had started to popularize this traditional wedding ceremony outside the Karaton ring. With the silent blessing of the Karaton, the four EMPU (great Guru) Pemaes from the Yogyakarta court families, namely:
The late Mrs. PRADJOKOHALPITO, the late Mrs. DONOLOBO, the late Mrs. SOSRONEGORO and Mrs. SARDJONO YOSODIPURO formed the first Association of Pemaes P.P. 16 to introduce and spread the art of traditional bridal make up and wedding ceremonies to the society outside the Karaton wall. They also improved their expertise by learning and adopting the pattern from Surakarta palaces.
The four EMPU Pemaes had their own forum of communication by the name of HASTANATA to intensify the spreading of this art. Although they are great artists but they worked untiredly and travelled a lot across the territory in different towns and villages by any means of transportation such as traditional becak (pedicab) or andong (four wheeled carriage drown by a horse) or public transport such as buses and trains. The private cars were rare and aeroplane was too luxurious for the early years of the pioneers. Mean while in Surakarta, Mrs. Dinar Woerjanto did almost the same. She and a few other Pemaes spread this art of classical bridal make up to every strata of society in different places. Along with the economic progress of the country, their fight gave a tremendous result in the art and culture and business related with wedding ceremonies, such as in the fields of:
1. Sajen/offering made and flower arrangements
2. Dresses, batik, keris, jewelries , ornaments and other items used in a wedding party
3. Food and beverages (catering)
4. Performing arts; gamelan music orchestra and classical dance
5. The service of photography (lately) video shooting and sound system.
6. Renting of public and hotel halls for wedding reception
7. Renting of tent, furniture, carpets and special decorated cars for the married couple etc.
8. The service of Masters Ceremonies
9. The service of some assistants to Pemaes. (in a complete ceremonies a Pemaes should not be able to work by her self)
In April 1978 in Semarang, the capital of Central Java Province, for the first time a workshop on "Javanese traditional bridal make up" was organized. The four Empu Pemaes, with the help of other experts were given the opportunity to run the show, under the supervision of directorate general of Culture. This successful event brought a positive result of making uniformity for Yogyakarta and Surakarta patterns of traditional bridal make up.
Needless to say that as a result of their tremendous achievement by practising their profession with utmost devotion, in many places and occassions, in remote villages, different cities and in also in Karaton, they have received different Awards and Appreciation from government and private institutions.
(Joglosemar Website is grateful to Mrs. Sardjono, Mrs. Dinar Woerjanto, Mrs. Tinoek Rifki, Mrs. Danarti Murwanto for the interviews and photos)
(Suryo S. Negoro)
Copyright© PT Sangga Sarana Persada, 1997-2000
Designed by Sangga Web Team
Any comment and question related to this page, please contact
webmaster@joglosemar.co.id
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