VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Last June 26, interfaith residents attended the “Ngertakuen Bumi Lamba” ceremony at Mount Tangkuban Perahu, Bandung Barat regency, West Java province. Ngertakeun Bumi Lamba is a way of carrying out the message entrusted by the ancestors to guard three mountains that are considered sacred places (kabuyutan), one of which is Mount Tangkuban Parahu, a volcano left over from the eruption of ancient Mount Sunda 200 years ago. This ceremony is also a form of gratitude for the natural resources around the mountain.

This ceremony is usually accompanied by music and dances from the Sundanese tribe, as well as prayers, which are said to God Almighty for having given blessings to the people there. Usually, the Ngertakeun Bumi Lamba traditional ceremony is held on the 1st of Kapitu in the Suryakala Sunda calendar. Kapitu month is the seventh month when the sun has just arrived from the northernmost earth to the south of the earth according to the belief of Sundanese people. Participants in Ngertakeun Bumi Lamba are not only from the Sundanese people. The ceremony always invites various other tribes to attend and participate in a series of rituals. Some participants believe that this is because Mount Tangkuban Perahu is believed to be a great and ancient mountain that must be purified by most of the original beliefs of the archipelago.

The Ngertakuen Bumi Lamba ceremony opens with the preparation of offerings and the reading of a tattoo. This offering is a literature or a way to communicate with elders in Sundanese belief. This offering is taken from natural products that have given humans life. The Sundanese believe that maintaining the balance of nature is their way of maintaining a relationship with Sang Hyang Karesa (the Creator) and Sang Hyang Widhi (the Almighty). Then, the participants dance to the accompaniment of karawitan (Sundanese music). In this session, anyone can participate, including immigrants from various other tribes. The event continues with the Tarawangsa ceremony. It is opened by a woman with a scarf around her neck who dances to the accompaniment of Tarawangsa and Jentreng musical instruments. Each participant may join the dance according to the tempo being played. Tarawangsa is usually also carried out every harvest month as a form of respect to Dewi Sri (Mother of Rice) or if there is a certain traditional ceremony. A series of eating activities with all participants and visitors becomes the final event. After that, the participants bring some of the main ritual offerings to Mount Tangkuban Perahu.