VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Javanese people, especially from Yogyakarta have various kinds of traditional ceremonies which are still preserved. One of them is Mitoni that is carried out when the first pregnancy has been 7 months old. In the tradition of Yogyakarta people either from common people or royal family, Mitoni is the most important ritual among other traditional rituals. If this ritual is ignored, people believe that the bad luck may happen to the mother and the unborn child. According to the tradition, Mitoni can be implemented on the dates of 7th, 17th, and 27th before full moon on Javanese calendar. The ritual is conducted at the left and right of the house facing to sunrise. Mitoni ceremony cannot be implemented randomly, but there are ways and sequences to implement it. This starts from “splashing”. The splashing is conducted by 7 closest relatives with the aim of asking safety for baby in the mother’s womb. The water which is used is from 7 springs by being accommodated on bucket which is made from brass. Then, the water is mixed with various kinds of flowers such as rose, jasmine, kantil flower, and kenanga flower. Then, this is continued with “Brojolan”. Brojolan usually is led by the mother of the pregnant woman. The pregnant woman will wear clothes called ‘Jarik’ which is twisted with a rope called ‘Letrek’. The Letrek is thread with red, white and black colors. Then, the mother of the pregnant woman puts the looms called ‘Tropong’ or chicken egg into the clothes and drops it so that the childbirth will take place smoothly. It is continued by breaking through two coconuts which are described a pair of Wayang figures with handsome and beautiful faces. It’s hoped that baby who is born has handsome or beautiful face. Thus, Mitoni ceremony is continued with “Angreman” procession which sings love of a mother and father to their baby. The pregnant woman will be guided to another room to change dresses with 7 different ones. The last procession is “Dodol Rujak” or in English means selling fruit salad. This procession is that the pregnant woman will make Rujak by being accompanied by her husband. Then, the guests will buy it by using Kereweng as currency. It is meant that the baby will get good fortune and to be able to support her/his family. Basically, the ceremony is gratitude expression to the God for safety and tranquility. But, this is expressed in the symbols which have different meanings.