Saparan Ceremony, Yogyakarta

Posted on July 21st, 2008 in festival and special event saparan, saparan ceremony, saparan ceremony yogyakarta

The Saparan Ceremony is also celebrated during the month of June. It is basically celebrated by the people of Ambarketawang, where in people eat apem cake and make ceremonial offerings to please Gods. A procession is also held during the Saparan Ceremony, and the members of noble family - Ki Ageng Wonolela, participate in this procession.

An offering ceremony held yearly in the second month of the Javanese calender (Sapar) by the the people in Ambarketawang, Gamping (approximately 7km to the west of Yogyakarta).

At one time, locals of Ambarketawang made their living digging limestone that is believed to be some 50 million years old. Nowadays the limestone is mostly gone (or too hard to find) but the people still believe that they must make offerings to the area to advoid calamity.

So early on offering day the residents make a procession of offerings to the area culminating when a Bekakak (bride and groom dolls made of sticky rice filled with red sugar syrup) are beheaded.

The festival is of great importance to the local people and they believe that misfortune would befall them if they do not observe the ceremony though there is hardly anything left of those limestone hills today.

The festival is held in the Javanese month of Sapar on the Thursday night of the second week. The festival takes its name from the name of the month.

The festival is marked with a procession that is made by the members of the Noble family of KI Ageng Wonolelo. There is a wooden mosque dome, the holy Quran, bandil and a wooden club are among the many things that are carried in this traditional parade. People walk the heirlooms wearing traditional dress. The procession ends at the Ki Ageng’s cemetery.

The Apem Cake is a special food item that is especially prepared during this festival. This food is considered to be sacred and the locals believe that eating the cake would bring them health and prosperity and also restore their youth. The people believe that observing the ceremony would help them protect their rice fields from destructive pests.

The beheading of the Bekakak marks the end of the ceremony. The bride and bridegroom dolls made of sticky rice and brown sugar syrup are carried through the entire procession and then finally beheaded at the termination of the ceremony.

You can enjoy the colorful parades and are able to grasp much of the traditions and customs of this ancient society.