Kebo-Keboan, A Unique Sacred Ritual in Banyuwangi
Kebo-keboan is a sacred ceremony that is done annually in Banyuwangi, East Java. Most Banyuwangi residents are farmers and they use this ritual to pray for God’s protection on their lands and crops. It is believed that this ritual was started at Alasmalang Village in the 18th century. That time, the village was infected by mysterious epidemic and plant diseases.
Many people died and pests attacked their precious crops. To solve this problem, a village elder meditated on the top of a hill. He got a message from a divine spirit that the village had to perform kebo-keboan ritual to chase away the catastrophe. After the ritual was performed, calamity left the village and the people were blessed with prosperity. Because of that, the people of the village continue the tradition until this very day. In this ritual, several people are dressed like a kebo (buffalo).
They use fake horns, their bodies are covered with black paint and they march together with other citizens around the village. Those people who are dressed like buffalo are in trance so they act like a real buffalo. This is the real attraction of the ceremony people from other areas often visit the village to physically witness this unique ritual.
the traditional ceremony Kebo - Keboan was held on Sunday in the month of Javanese calendar assure between December 1-10, taken on Sunday, so that the whole community can take part in the traditional ceremonies and the decision Assura month is believed to be a sacred month.
The series of ceremonies Kebo - keboan are conducted since 1 week before the event began. By involving the entire community worked Royal clean up the neighborhood, village, and where the event was one day before the event the mothers - mothers prepare corn and sausage mandatory at specified as the cone, squeeze, chew of betel, water jugs, various porridge, ing king chicken and also preparing a variety of cakes, signal (hijackers), cassava tree, rice, bananas, fresh painting, rice, coconut and plant seeds in the morning. The entire offering will be used for salvation also some will be placed at a crossroads in Krajan.
In addition to the mother - the mother, the whole village youth also into prepares staple crops such as cassava, bananas, sugar cane, corn, simper nutmeg, mace and nutmeg fomenting depend to be planted along the village road Krajan.
The event dates back to the early morning with a ceremonial prayer of the committee followed by a feast / salvation together - together with 12 cones, which have the philosophy of the wheels of human life 12 hours a day and 12 hours a night. Which was then the main event Ider Earth / wine - buffalo procession around the village which ended in petahunan (paddy). In front of the procession - accompanied by a buffalo standing figure of the goddess Sri (Goddess of Rice) carrying the seeds to spread.
After planting / distributed rice seeds, the entire audience is eager for a slice of this will dealing with Kebo - keboan yarn has made trance / unconscious by the mahout. Buffalo has not unconscious assumes the audience who wants to scramble this seed as a nuisance. Spectators will be pushed into this going in seruduk, and thrown wallow paddies spread mud over his body. For viewers who get their rice yield successful download, the seeds - the seeds of paddy in the belief they will obtain blessings and harvest the overflow pain. The whole series will be on the cover with a leather puppet show in the same place with portray goddess Sri (the goddess of rice) in the evening.