Lombok culture

Lombok Island Cultural Trips 

Lombok island has a rich and enduring indigenous culture that has withstood the pressures of modernity remarkably well. The strong remnant culture and history of the Sasak people is one of the many unique attractions of the island. The island has of a total population of 3,411,044 (as of 2019 Census), 85% are indigenous Sasak people whose origins are thought to have arisen from Java in the first millennium BC.

Other residents include an estimated 10–15% Balinese, with the small remainder being Tionghoa, Javanese, Sumbawanese and Arab Indonesians. The Sasak people are culturally and linguistically closely related to the Balinese, but unlike the Hindu Balinese, the majority practice local Muslim faith and traditions.

Vacationing in another country might teach you some culture to overcome your polite way when you meet a local person or ask something when trouble happens.

Hereby I give you some culture tip information when vacationing in  Lombok Island, how to adapt with local people &  some culture are in Lombok island you might be to known

Lombok culture

Allow to do during vacation (Lombok culture)

  • Smile and greet people, especially elders.
  • Shake hands, gently.
  • Accept hospitality and food. You do not have to eat and drink, but it is polite to ACCEPT.
  • Say goodbye and thank you when you leave.
  • Dress modestly. Women should keep upper arms and thighs covered.
  • Bend down and walk around seated people when you need to pass.
  • Use only your right hand to eat and to hand objects or money to someone.
  • Be sure to sit at the same level as other people.
  • Wear a sarong when entering the house of Melokaq (custom leader) and when participating in ritual and custom ceremonies.

DON’T Do it.( Lombok culture)

  • Enter houses, buildings or villages without being invited.
  • Wear shoes inside a house.
  • Point at people with your finger. Don’t ever use your foot to point at objects or people.
  • Point the bottom of your feet directly at people whilst sitting on the floor.
  • Touch anyone’s head.
  • Step over people or food on the floor.
  • Eat with your left hand, or use your left hand to give or accept objects or money.
  • Raise your voice, especially in anger.
  • Eat & Drink out side during Ramadhan month ( fasting month)
  • Smoke out side during Ramadhan month( fasting month)

Language to known

  • Selamat pagi = good morning
  • Selamat siang = Good day
  • Selamat sore = Good afternoon
  • Selamat malam = Good evening
  • Selamat tidur = Good night
  • Sampai jumpa = good bye
  • Permisi = Excuse me
  • Selamat makan = good apatite
  • Hati – Hati = be careful
  • Pelan Pelan = Slowly
  • Bisa saya bantu = May I help you
  • Selamat datang = welcome
  • Mahal = Expensive

Lombok Traditional Dance (Lombok culture)

Gendang beleq

The gendang beleq is a dance. In the ancient times this dance was usually performed to accompany or to welcome the soldier who were going on or coming back from battlefield. Now days it’s used to welcome importance guests or for wedding ceremony.

Kecimol

The kecimol is a kind of traditional music. The dancers are playing on their instruments and are singing. They used simple use simple instruments such as: Bamboo flute. gambuss, mandolin, rencek and  small drum.

Presean

Two young men competing physically conduct the presean. They have a stick and shield in their hand. This performance is also lead by referee, he has the right to decide who is the winner or the loser

Gagak Mandik

Gagak means the crow births and mandik means take a bath. So this dance illustrates the crow bird happiness when they find a spring water a take a bath because the feel hot. This dance will be performance actually minimum by four person.

Gandrung

The Gandrung is a dance about love and courtship, Gandrung means being in love of longing for. It’s a social dance, usually performed by both young men & women. A young girl dances by herself for a while, before choosing a male partner from the audience to join her.

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Lombok Wedding culture ( Merarik) (Lombok culture)

There are many wedding traditions in Indonesia. This diversity is based on the diversity of tribes and customs in this country. One of the wedding traditions known on Lombok Island is called Kawin Culik or Kawin Lari.

The kidnapping marriage tradition is well known among the Sasak people in Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara. For the people of the Sasak tribe, the tradition of marrying a kidnap is known as Merarik, which is the local wisdom of the tribe.

Definition of Kidnapped Marriage the Sasak people call this kidnapping marriage Merarik, which is a word in the Sasak language. Etymologically, merarik comes from the word of the Sasak language.

Apart from attracting, there is also the word pelaik”ang (take away) which means taking away, which is sasak language. In the context of marriage or kidnapping marriage, merarik is defined as a man who takes away a woman to be his wife.

The term merarik as an abducted marriage is understood by people in almost all of Lombok Island. However, there are still some areas that mention the term with accent and pronunciation debate.

Wedding Process.

Mating is usually done at night or done after sunset. The eloping of the girl marks the beginning of a series of wedding rituals. Merage practice is not allowed to be held at night & there are customary sanctions for those who violate it.

Before the procession two bride and groom will usually agree in advance regarding the hours and days to do. The agreement between the two bride and groom is the initial stage of  marriage, which is called a midang.

The next stage is called pelaikang, that is, carrying the girl away from her house. At the appointed time, the young man would come to the woman’s house secretly and take her away.

The bride will be taken away to the  husband’s house then continue the process is called selabar,  the man’s family will report to the village of origin of the prospective bride that merarik has occurred then make discussion about next agreement sorong serah & nyongkolan ( Wedding Party)

Type Lombok Clothes (Lombok culture)

Kabaya Lambung Clothe (Women)

Kebaya made of woven is called Lambung. Traditional clothing in NTB that must be known is the type of kebaya along the waist with loose short sleeves. What makes this outfit unique is that the base color is black with a ‘V’ cut collar. For subordinates, the traditional clothing of the stomach is wearing a sarong.

The majority of the motifs depict flora. Anteng belt is used to tie the sarong. Well, accessories in the form of round earrings. Made from palm leaves with silver plating. Lambung traditional clothing from the Sasak tribe complete with wrist and ankle bracelets.

Pegon Clothe (Men)

Pegon traditional clothes are worn by Sasak men. In the upper part, this outfit is influenced by Javanese culture and European fashion styles. The bottom, wrapped in songket cloth or known as Leang or Dodot, complete with a kris inserted.

The bottom is also covered with Wiron cloth. The length is up to the ankles. The wrapped fabric has a mixed motif. The philosophy of the traditional clothing of West Nusa Tenggara from the Sasak tribe, especially the Wiron section, symbolizes humility. The head covering or called Sapuq means respect to God the Creator and keeping the mind clean.

Begibung (Lombok culture)

The Balinese Lombok is a friendly folk with a strong sense of community. In fact, in some places the community name banjar is so tight they hold feasts where everyone is split into groups before proceeding to eat from the same plate. This is known megibung, an ancient tradition that emerged in the 17th century in feudal Bali.

Eating from the same plate is really fun and connecting. The plate is usually a large and circular tray with a huge portion of rice, meat, and vegetables. Each group (usually 7-8 people) gets one plate and they have to sit around the plate on the floor.

Then everyone has to eat with their hands. When eating from the same plate there are some unwritten rules to consider. One must first take a reasonable handful of rice. After that they can take bits of meat and vegetables to put inside the handful. Then, they can eat. If there’s any food left in the hand one must discard it down.

Make sure that you don’t put the food back on the tray! Other rules include not laughing, talking or making loud noises while eating. Eating must be observed with reverence and silence. Only when everyone has finished can the event end. “What started together must end together”

Culture-wise, megibung is an inclusive activity that encourages togetherness. Back in feudal Bali the caste system was heavily observed. Royalty did not mingle with commoners. Social life was separated into invisible barriers. But the tradition of megibung aimed to break down these barriers and build a sense of togetherness among the people.

Today megibung is practiced in many villages in Lombok, especially after religious ceremonies or wedding parties in Lombok Hindu community named Banjar

lombok culture

Ngaben (Lombok culture)

Ngaben is one of the most important ceremonies in Balinese culture and probably the most significant in a life of a Hindu. It’s a centuries-old tradition culminating in the cremation of the deceased body. The  all aspects of life on the Indonesian island of Lombok Bali are influenced by spirituality. Colorful, elaborate ceremonies are regular occurrence in towns and villages across the island, but none more breath-taking than Ngaben, the Hindu cremation ritual

The majority of Balinese lombok population follows Hinduism. Hinduism teaches that life is a cycle of birth, death and rebirth, which can only be broken when the soul is pure enough to be reunited with the gods. In order to be reincarnated into a new body, the soul must be released through the cleansing fire of a cremation

What is the Process of Cremation?

Ngaben literally means ‘turning into ash, This lavish and expensive ritual is thought to guide the spirit into its next life and is considered as a celebration. The Ngaben processions are often colorful and noisy. The day for the ceremonial cremation is chosen by a priest, according to the Balinese calendar.

As the ceremony cost a lot, some families have to save during long period of time to afford it. Sometimes, the ceremony only takes place a week and even month after the person died.

Although generally known as traditional cremation, the ngaben ceremony involves a lot more rituals, starting with calling out the atma or soul, especially if the deceased passed away outside of the home maybe an accident, in a hospital, After that, the body is cleansed and given symbolic amenities to make sure he or she will receive a perfect body in the next life. The elders and priests will then pray for the soul of the deceased, asking for a smooth journey to the other side.

Two very important elements of Ngaben are the Waddhu and the Lembu. The Waddhu, also sometimes called the Bade, is a ceremonial tower of multiple levels, made from bamboo, wood and paper. The more important the die person was, the more levels the Waddhu will have.

These towers are often brightly colored with fantastic designs. They are carried during the funeral procession and turned around multiple times to discourage the spirit from lingering. The Lembu, meaning ox, is the coffin containing the person who has died.

The coffin is often shaped to look like an ox or other animal. It will also be carried during the procession and burned along with the Waddhu. The family of the deceased may also hire a Gamelan use for accompany the procession.

Nyongkolan (Lombok culture)

Lombok island has many unique cultures seen in the procession ceremony and ritual of its society. One of their unique cultures is in wedding processions. This processions series starts From  Pelaikan (Eloping), where the man takes his girlfriend out from the house to go to the man’s house for marriage.

The next day, the man will send the family or friend as his representative to come to the woman’s house to inform that she is going to marry the man, this procession is called Selabar. Something unique in this procession is the woman who already went for Pelaikan ( run away) will not go back home even if their family didn’t agree with her marriage, the procession should go till the last steps.

Nyongkolan is parade should have a Pembayun, is the old man who believed to talk and speak with sasak language, When the group arrives at the woman’s house, Pembayun will be in the front of the group and become the one person who can talk with the woman’s family. He will talk in a very polite sasak language, After this session then the woman can meet their family.

The line of parade Nyongkolan is divided into three parts; the first part is the line of brightness with her friends, generally it is followed by 40 women. In the second line is the bright part ( bride & groom),  The last line is the part for music (Gendang Beleq or Kecimol).

This procession is easy to find in Mid Lombok, available every Saturday or Sunday especially after Lebaran Holiday. This parade is also the reason for the traffic jam in Lombok but it will not make people bored because they can see unique culture, music and custom while in the traffic.

lombok culture

Pujawali 

Lombok Island consists of several ethnic groups, such as ethnic Sasak, Hindus, Buddhists and Christians, Each religion has its own place of worship. Hindu religion  own organization called banjar, and each them has a large temple named Penataran/Pemaksan

Pujawali means back and anniversary when a temple made it, in ceremony pujawali there are always the traditional music called baleganjur. Baleganjur is traditional music specially used in temple, it consist of drums( kendang), Gong, ceng ceng and petuk, In Lombok island almost each group ( banjar) of hindu own baleganjur music equipment.

In the ceremony of pujawali, performing sacred dance like rejang dewa, it means the dance specially for worship and many others dance too.  Pujawali will celebrate mostly on the full moon.

lombok culture

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