Interpreting Sundanese ritual practices at the mikul lodong ceremony in Cipatat, West Bandung, Indonesia

Abstract

Since the arrival of Islam on the Indonesian archipelago, religion and the Sundanese tradition and society have united and become one inseparable entity despite the existence of some differences such as the practice of the mikul lodong ritual in Parakansalam and Nyalindung in Cipatat District. This study seeks to address the question of how the mikul lodong ritual is interpreted as it associates with belief system. The study discusses the Mikul lodong ritual by focusing on the meaning of symbols and belief systems. It draws on a qualitative approach with a descriptive case study. Primary data was collected through in-depth interviews with traditional, religious, and community leaders. The study relied on observations and direct implications of the authors in the ritual from conception of the study to its implementation for data accuracy. Besides primary data, secondary data was obtained through literature studies in the form of History textbooks and publications dealing with Sundanese rituals. The results show that mikul lodong is a very important ritual to the Sundanese people in West Bandung as it is used to educate the youth and to strengthen moral, social, and religious values in the community. It is also used to help preserve and protect the environment through the harmonization of the relationship between nature, humans, and God. The study notes that mikul lodong ritual in Sundanese society has many symbols, meanings, and beliefs to perpetuate the ancestral (karuhun) heritage with the religion. This creates a religiosity and cultural dynamism within Sundanese society.

IMPACT STATEMENT

The study discusses the mikul lodong ritual by focusing on the meaning of symbols and belief systems. In so doing, the study addresses the question of how Sundanese people interpret the mikul lodong ritual associated with their belief system. The study notes that despite the modernization of the nation and the advent of technology in Indonesia, ritual practices have always existed and will more likely continue to exist within Indonesian societies including the Sundanese society, in West Java, Indonesia whereby mikul lodong ritual is used to educate the youth and to protect the environment.

Keywords:

• Sundanese ritual practices
• Sundanese society
• mikul lodong ceremony
• environment
• religiosity

REVIEWING EDITOR:

• Norena, Malaysia

SUBJECTS:

• History
• Religion
• Cultural Studies

Introduction

Sundanese society, when viewed from the tribe and the pattern of life, has cultural roots that are the subjects of continuing interesting studies. Various philosophies from traditions, beliefs, beliefs, customs, and other practices always have noble characteristics and points of view. Islam became the religious identity of Sundanese society; Islam was Sundanese and Sundanese was Islam. This created an integrated relationship between religion and local culture in Sundanese society. The relationship between religion and local culture depends on people’s understanding of the teachings of Islam itself. Therefore, in Sunda, Islam has a distinctive character, one of which is seen in the practice/implementation of rituals. This is in line with the results of research conducted by Mulyadi in Sumenep, Madura (Muslim) in revealing traditions in local rituals related to determining the calendar in Islam on a local basis with certain meanings, such as the sonat ritual, the death ritual and the peret Kandung (birth) ritual which are always associated with Islamic preaching media (Mulyadi, 2018).

The practices and beliefs of the Sundanese people are interesting to examine to reveal the meaning of their rituals in depth. One of the rituals that strongly depicts how religion (Islam) and the Sundanese culture are intertwined is the mikul lodong ritual practiced in both Parakansalam and Nyalindung in the district of Cipatat, West Bandung Regency, Indonesia. Understanding the meaning of the cultural symbol in the mikul lodong ritual is very important as it allows people to know the intentions and implied messages of the ritual. This highlights not only the importance of the present study. Ritual symbols need to be explained because infrastructure facilities and tangible objects used are often interpreted differently and are even considered contrary to the beliefs held by the Sundanese community which is predominantly Muslim. Therefore, the issue will be laid whether this ceremony is contrary to the beliefs of the Sundanese community, which is predominantly Muslim, and how the ritual practices in Sundanese society, related to the mikul lodong tradition related to its belief system and symbolic meaning in the ritual. So, the purpose of this study is to explain the mikul lodong ritual by focusing on the meaning of symbols and belief systems in the context of local environmental wisdom.

In terms of existing literature, there hardly are any studies on the ritual of Mikul Lodong ritual in the district of Cipatat, West Bandung. There is only one study related to mikul lodong dance seen from ethics and aesthetics. Therefore, the present study aims to examine symbols and meanings in the practice of mikul lodong rituals by the people of Cipatat in West Bandung. The theory used is the interaction of Herbert Mead’s symbolism (Fisher & Strauss, 1979). According to Mead, man acts based on symbolic meanings that arise from the interaction with his mind, society, and the environment. This implies that the human mind functions symbolically when some components of its experience evoke awareness, beliefs, feelings, and images of other components of its experience. The preceding component devices are symbols and component devices that then form the "meaning" of the symbol. The organic function that causes the transition from meaning will be called the reference that becomes the reference of life. Symbols that exist in human life are revealed through verbal and non-verbal forms (Maslow, 1973; Whitehead et al., 1982).

Related to the theory of symbolism interaction in the study of symbolic meaning, Anthropologists (Garna, 1996: 75) state that symbols have meanings or signs that are meaningful to their users or communicators, as well as other people as communicants. The symbol is contained in the form of (1) words, which represent objects of ideas, values, physical and feelings; (2) treatment, which includes what is done, told, thought, seen, or intended; (3) objects, which have the qualities of symbol and (4) language, which is rich in symbols. These experts’ statements show that symbolic interaction is a frame of reference for understanding how humans together with others outside themselves create the symbolic world and how this symbolic world shapes human behavior. In this case, George Herbert Mead further details the meaning of this symbolic world through three concepts of symbolic interaction, namely the concept of mind, self, and society. In the concept of mind, Mead reveals how important the ability of the mind is in developing symbols that are seen and felt to understand their meaning. In this concept, to think of something one can position oneself as another person or as a certain object, to be able to interpret and interpret the thoughts of others or the thoughts of people who make a certain object. In the concept of self, Mead states the importance of an individual’s introspective ability to the views of individuals outside himself.

Self-concept is a manifestation of a person’s awareness of his abilities so that the actions taken by the person are not only based on words in the heart but also actions based on self-awareness of the views of others. The third concept of Mead, society, reveals the relationship between individuals and their society. As social beings, human beings are incapable of living alone, needing the presence of others to share the meaning created by one individual or group and mutually agreed upon. The network of social interaction that exists in society will place meaning for actions together using symbols, and communication between individuals and this society will be established through the exchange of symbols that produce various meanings. Symbols are always associated with ideas, ideas, and references that pass through the dimensions of space and time. Symbols are not only rational ideas but also have elements of belief (religious), containing horizontal, and vertical relationships and metaphysical dimensions. Similarly, the mikul lodong ritual can be interpreted as a way for humans to communicate through symbols that are inseparable from the local wisdom of the people of Cipatat District, West Bandung Regency.

To address the research issues, the study begins by providing an overview description of the mikul lodong ritual practiced by the Sundanese people in West Java. This part explains what means and how it is performed. The second part of the study deals with the role/functions of the Mikul Lodong ritual while the third part is concerned with interpreting the different symbols of the ritual for a better understanding. The fourth and last part of the study provides further explanation of the key concepts used in the mikul lodong ritual.

Sundanese ritual practices: a literature review

Despite the modernization of the nation and the advent of technology in Indonesia, ritual practices have always existed as local wisdom and will continue to exist within Indonesian societies including the Sundanese society in West Java. Local wisdom can be understood as a human effort to use reason (cognition) to act and behave towards things, objects, or events that occur in a certain space, according to Diem (2012) who claims that local wisdom is a pattern of relationships between humans and their physical environment. He also claims that local wisdom is a way of life from ancestors and that produced values that have become the basis or reference for human behavior (Diem, 2012). It is worth noting that so far, no studies have been conducted on the meaning and interpretation of the mikul lodong ritual in Cipatat, West Bandung. Only a few papers have been published that only deal with the dance moves contained in the mikul lodong ritual from an ethical and aesthetic perspective. Among the authors of such papers are Ria and Galba (2005) and Suherman (2022) who created a dance move that considers the water used in this ritual sacred, as explained in the text Amanah Galunggung (633) which means the source of life. This ritual dance is viewed as a way to maintain the balance between nature, humans, and God. The author considers this as an artistic creation derived from the strength of local traditions.

Even though it was noted above that no studies explicitly deal with the mikul lodong ritual in Cipatat, it is important to note that Sundanese rituals have always been the subject of many studies and debates regarding their contribution to shaping the Indonesian tradition and identity. Discussing the Sajen Ritual practiced by Sundanese Wiwitan (a belief held by traditional Sundanese society or native Sundanese religion) adherents, Melina and Azeharie (2020) claim that Sundanese offering rituals have existed since the Stone Age. This view is also shared by Mulyana, (2017), Mulyana and Setianingsih (2020). Melina and Azeharie (2020) also claim that the Sundanese ritual is a legacy from the ancestors handed down from generation to generation of Sundanese Wiwitan through communication. Sucipto et al. (1996), Sucipto and Limbeng (2007) on the other hand argues that in the Sundanese ethnic group, humanity is based on a balance of religion and society that prohibits Sundanese from treating each other unfairly. Echoing Sucipto, Ahmad Ripa’I (2012) and Jaenudin and Tahrir (2019) argue that Sundanese culture is significantly influenced by religion and morality. In a study conducted on the people of Baduy in West Java, Masykur Wahid (2011) claims that the Baduy people’s faith and obedience to God appear in the ritual consisting of taking care of forests, rivers, and mountains to live in harmony. Maykur also claims that Sundanese worship rituals practiced by working in the fields under custom rules are meant to bring about successful harvests and prosperity to the community.

The present study shares some similarities with the studies discussed above as it argues that ritual practices displayed by the Sundanese in West Java are based on ancestral values and teaching and are meant to protect and preserve moral values. The present study agrees with the studies mentioned above by arguing that Sundanese culture is influenced by Islam. However, many of these studies, including that of Melina and Azeharie (2020) only focus on naming the practices and their objectives without providing deep analysis and interpretation of these rituals. Melina and Azeharie (2020) claim that the sajen ritual is a way to communicate with the creator but offers little explanation of the substance of such a communication. Unlike these studies, the present study takes a step further by arguing that harmonization between nature, humans, and God is the key to protecting the environment.

Research methods

This research uses a qualitative approach combined with a descriptive case study method. The qualitative approach used draws on the observation of community members during ritual proceedings (Zuriah, 2007). This approach is considered suitable for examining processes and meanings (symbols) that do not use statistical testing, but analyze data obtained from research results without using numbers (Moleong, 2007; Sugiyono, 2010). The descriptive approach used in this study aims to make a systematic, factual, and accurate picture or oral description of the facts, properties, and relationships between the phenomena investigated (Nazir, 2011; Kaelan, 2012).

The results presented in this study are not in the form of percentages but in pictures that closely depict reality because the data obtained are not from questionnaires, but from discussions conducted in the form of observations and in-depth interviews with four traditional/religious, and four community elders/leaders such as Abah Otib, a leader of the Mekar Putra Penca silat school in Parakansalam Cipatat, West Bandung, who are knowledgeable of the meaning of the mikul lodong ritual. Respondents also include two martial art (pencak silat) trainers and 20 of their students/trainees, who have succeeded in mastering martial (silat) teaching moves at a certain level or strata at the Mekar Mandiri Pencak Silat School at Cikurutug Village and Tagogapu Village. Respondents’ ages range from 72 to 15.

Secondary data, on the other hand, consists of historical and cultural journal articles, History textbooks, and magazines dealing with Sundanese rituals, hence the use of the data triangulation method which implies the use of existing data for review and analysis. Rather than concluding a single study (Patton, 1999). Through data triangulation, multiple data sources were used to examine the meaning of the Mikul lodong ritual and the implication of Islam in its practice by the Sundanese people. This study is the result of the collaboration between different scholars having expertise in different fields including History, Anthropology, and cultural studies. The study was carried out through observations and the direct involvement of the authors in the mikul lodong ritual process to obtain as accurate data as possible from the conception of the study to its implementation. A descriptive analysis of data using expressions of words, phrases, and sentences was also used in this study to collect data (Sugiyono, 2013).

Results and discussion

Mikul lodong

The Mikul Lodong ritual is one of the traditions of the communities in both Parakansalam and Nyalindung in Cipatat District, West Bandung Regency. In Sundanese, mikul lodong means shouldering bamboo (awi) and it consists of carrying water from the spring source to the prepared water reservoir (Suherman, 2022). Lodong, which is used as a water container, is made of bamboo (Gombong) and measures about 10–15 cm in diameter and about 1.20 meters (approximately three segments) in length. The insulating layers on the bamboo segments are removed and only the bottom layer is left as a base so that water can be accommodated. The purpose of the mikul lodong ritual is not just to bring water from the place of the spring, but to confirm an achievement in the education of martial arts students (pesilat) who have completed their training at a certain strata level (Inilahkoran, 2022). According to Otib (2023), Chairman of Mekar Putra Pencak Silat School, the mikul lodong ritual is carried out from generation to generation and has become a rule set by the ancestors (elders) of pencak silat (Idris, 2023). A common thing in Pencak Silat school is that at the end of their study, students must go through stages of physical and mental strength (Otib, 2023). The initiation ritual is usually performed through the mikul lodong which begins by collecting and carrying holy water from a sacred spring by students after reciting prayers (Sari, 2019). The mikul lodong ritual cannot be done by random people, it must be carried out by either martial teachers or local traditional leaders who are considered to have spiritual abilities.

From a cultural perspective, the existence of the mikul lodong ritual is indirectly related to the characteristics of Sundanese people who love water as a source of life. Local wisdom that appears is the preservation of spring water sources that are left natural and not exploited using water pump technology. The impact of this ritual is the preservation of the sacred water sources Cikarahayuan and Cikahuripan which are used as ritual locations look preserved because they are often cleaned. The trees are not carelessly cut down and new trees that are still small as evidence of reforestation are always carried out by the Parakansalam community around the spring. This fact has shown that the state of the natural environment determines the pattern of culture. Therefore cultural symptoms can only be explained and analyzed based on environmental influences (Adimihardja, 1989).

Preparation and implementation of mikul lodong ritual

The mikul lodong ritual is an initiation ritual for level advancement for Pencak Silat students by taking karomah water from the river so that the knowledge gained can be used for good (Idris, 2023; Otib, 2023). It is carried out in two locations, namely in the yard where students are initiated and at the sacred waters of Cikarahayuan and Cikahuripan. Before performing the ritual, traditional leaders and the parakansalam village community prepare ritual equipment and offerings (Otib, 2023). The equipment consists of Lodong Gombong, a large bamboo to bear, and lodong kele, a small bamboo to carry, and a rancatan (rant). Offerings, on the other hand, include bamboo, wood charcoal, and clay pot (gentong buyung). The offering facilities consist of young coconuts (dowegan), fruit and bread salads (rurujakan), food from tubers (beubeutian), tea, sweet coffee, eggs, snacks (hahampangan), black frankincense, cigars (siong, duke), comb mirror pairs, thread needle pairs, and Hanjuang leaves (see Picture 4).

In addition to ritual equipment, the community also provides various dishes to eat together after the ritual is over. The main dish is usually tumpeng rice in which there are a variety of side dishes such as chicken, boiled potatoes, and boiled eggs. All ritual equipment and offerings are collected at the location where silat students are initiated i.e., the sacred water Cikarahayuan and Cikahuripan (Otib, 2023).

The mikul lodong ritual is implemented as follows:

• The ritual procession of Mikul lodong begins with a prayer with the ritual participants consisting of silat students and community members at the location of the initiation for safety and the smoothness of the ritual. The prayer is said in Arabic and Sundanese, and it reads as follows: "talari paranti mipit kudu amit ngala kudu bebeja kanu ngersakeun inhale huripna ieu alam" meaning that "the rule of taking things and asking for anything must be permitted by God who animates and gives life in this realm". Prayer in Sundanese is often called a mantra which has connotations with the concept of Sunda Wiwitan belief. Words used in the prayer always refer to the presence of deceased Sundanese ancestors. The form of prayer delivered usually revolves around prayers to Hyang Rumuhun (the Ruler of the Universe) and the nobles of the deceased Parakansalam community figures.

• After praying with ritual participants, the community splashed holy water on traditional leaders before bringing ritual equipment, to flock to the location of the palap stone ritual to ask permission from the ancestors (mama idris or ayah katmah) to take water. After obtaining permission at Papangkuan Stone ritual performers proceed to the sacred water (uripan) on foot for 20 minutes.

• Upon arrival at the Cikahuripan and Cikarahayuan sacred waters site, all ritual equipment is presented in front of the spring and the traditional leaders begin the ritual by burning incense and tubes while reciting prayers to God (Sang Pemilik Semesta Alam) to grant permission to use the site and to bless the students who have reached the end of their training.

• After praying, the lodong are filled with water from the Cikarahayuan and Cikahuripan springs and the ritual participants return to the village to perform the Mikul Lodong dance known as adeugkeun rengkenekna.

• The presentation of Mikul Lodong dance "Adegkeun Rengkenekna" is an expression of the movement of the lodong bearers when pouring the water from the lodong into the water barrel. The presentation of the dance is accompanied by kendang penca music with pencak silat kembang dance moves (pencak movements without energy for dance performance needs not for martial arts) such as golempang and mincid movements. The dance is performed by circular movements around the water barrel covered with hanjuang leaves in which participants spill water one by one. After all the water from the lodong is poured into the barrel, the traditional leaders start the initiation by gathering all the students (pesilat) to bathe them under the supervision of the trainer (ema paraji)(see Picture 1). Students bathe while holding a stone on their heads to show strength and resistance. Prayers are used in the bathing to ask God for blessings (barokah) and a better use of the knowledge gained by the students and the community hence the splashing of water on the students and around the ritual site (see Picture 2).

• The carrying out of the ritual with the participation of the community dancing along the Mikul Lodong dance as shown in Picture 3. After the dance and thanksgiving comes the murak tumpeng where everyone who attended the ritual eats tumpeng rice.

Pictures 1, 2, 3. Lodong and Otib harness dance by traditional leaders praying in the Cikahuripan River.

Source: Primary Data collected by the authors.

Mikul lodong ritual functions

As social beings, humans always interact with each other to meet their needs. They also interact with their natural and cultural environments. Maslow’s concept of needs claims that humans have both biological and psychological needs which include the needs for affection, appreciation, and self-actualization (Maslow, 1973). Referring to Maslow’s concept, the mikul lodong ritual falls into the fourth level of psychological needs, namely the need for appreciation. Maslow’s concept claims that some psychological needs are realized directly while others are realized indirectly through various cultural expressions such as the initiation ritual of students who pass the martial art test mentioned earlier. The granting of a graduation certificate is not only a ceremony but it is also followed by a graduation ritual (Maslow, 1973).

The theory of function in culture from Malinowski and Radcliffe-Brown revealed that the function of an element of culture is to meet social needs, namely the resilience of society caused by good cooperation of the elements in it (Kluckhohn, 1943). The cultural expressions displayed in the mikul lodong ritual not only benefit the students and their families but also the Sundanese society in general. The social functions manifested in the mikul lodong ritual are threefold: educational, social, and environmental (Otib, 2023).

The educational function refers to a learning process carried out both formally and informally to provide knowledge and develop self-potential to community members. In terms of informal education, the mikul lodong culture is beneficial to the pupils and the society. A ritual such as pencak silat education that accommodates mikul lodong culture is a practice that teaches students how to be responsible and how to care for themselves and the environment. Another benefit of this martial arts education is that students are given martial arts training and allowed to develop their potential through martial arts skills, in life in the community. As for social benefits, martial arts education has indirectly fostered a sense of community responsibility to always protect the environment from threats and destructive human behavior, such as acts of delinquency, violence, and all other forms of crime (Otib, 2023).

In its function as a social institutionalization, the mikul lodong ritual is a cultural attraction that is beneficial to the social environment. According to Koentjaraningrat (1987), social institutions are a system of behavior and relationships that are centered on activities to meet the complexity of special needs in human life. In human life, social institutions certainly have a variety of functions and some of them are to guide community members on how they should behave or behave in dealing with problems in the community as well as to maintain the integrity of the community and establish a social control system (Koentjaraningrat, 1987). In addition, the social institution function of the mikul lodong ritual is related to family, education, and culture (Sutisna, 2023).

The next function of the mikul lodong ritual is the function of preserving the environment. Environmental preservation associated with the mikul lodong ritual is a function that refers to the impact of the use of bamboo media as a cultural means in this ritual. Bamboo is a plant that can thrive in the Parakansalam Village area and is a plant icon that helps maintain water in the soil, which in turn contributes to the preservation of the environment.

Haji Hasan Mustafa, one of the Sundanese cultural figures symbolized bamboo from both a literary thought and a religious point of view. He also wrote about the Sundanese language, outlook on life, insight, and soul. Some of his writings are in one of his poems from Kinanti Gusti Yang Kawung: Urang dipasihan iwung, iwung ilmuning sang awi, iwung kersaning awina, iwung kawasaning awi, rungu paningal awina, iwung andikaning awi, urang dipasihan iwung, ku awi nu maha suci, lahang dipasihan lahang, ku kawung nu maha suci, mayang dibere mayang, ku jambe nu maha suci (Koentjaraningrat, 1987; Rosidi, 2003). This is where bamboo has a high value in expressing gratitude to those who created it.

Symbol in mikul lodong ritual

In the mikul lodong ritual procession, various cultural phenomena are loaded with meaningful symbols, either in the form of ideas, visualizations, activities, or cultural forms. Some of these phenomena are presented, and some are in the form of artifacts or cultural objects that are used as ritual facilities starting from preparation, and implementation to post-implementation. This symbol is interpreted through the study of symbolic interactions. The interaction of symbolism occurs in the mikul lodong ritual because the human mind functions symbolically when some components of its experience evoke awareness, beliefs, feelings, and images about other components. The previous component is the symbol, and the next component forms the ‘meaning’ of the symbol (Whitehead, 1982: 9). According to Herbert Mead (1863–1931) humans act based on symbolic meanings that arise from interaction with their mind with the minds of others and with their environment (society). The symbol itself is something that has mutually been agreed upon and used to achieve a common meaning. Symbols in human life are revealed through their verbal and non-verbal forms. In bamboo, for example, the properties and characteristics of tics are revealed in proverbs as follows:

1. "Leuleus jeujeur liat tali" which means that one must take consideration and must not rush in punishing the guilty.

2. Lodong kosong ngelentrung: meaning a fool who talks a lot.

3. Sirung ngaluhuran tunggul: meaning that children’s knowledge is superior to their parents.

4. Moal ditarajean: meaning not afraid or afraid even though the opponent is tall.

In the mikul lodong ritual, several cultural ideas are seen in the initiation ritual of pencak silat students using bamboo; mikul lodong dance and put Cikarahayuan and Cikahuripan water sources as places for the mikul lodong ritual. The meaning of symbols that arise from the ideas above can be seen in the following Table 1:

Table 1. Meaning of ideas in mikul lodong ritual.

No	Ideas	Discourse	Symbols	Meaning
1	Initiation rituals Increased martial arts skills	Aiming to fill water in an empty lodong.	1. Empty sling 2. SpringWater	The empty soul must be filled with knowledge and must be able to bear the responsibility.
2	mikul lodong Dance	Dancing mikul lodong Adegkeun Rengkenekna	mikul lodong Dance moves	The responsibility that martial arts students must bear and utilize their skills for good.
3	Ritual Locations at Cikarahayuan and Cikahuripan Springs	The water of God’s creation is the source of life	Water and springs	Water is a part of the human body that must be replenished with energy from its source, the spring.

The idea of mikul lodong ritual culture in the table above gave rise to a meaningful symbol that reveals that this ritual has been carried out for a long time and has been passed down from great-grandparents, grandfathers, and parents. The martial arts teachings taught at Mekar Mandiri Silat School are not only physical strength but also inner health. Mental health is carried out by students fasting for 40 days, tirakat mutih (eating only clean and white things such as rice and drinking water), and mati geni (asceticism does not meet people and does not eat within the specified time depending on the desired knowledge).

The meaning of the mikul lodong ritual idea is the human process of interacting as a reference to understand how humans together with others outside themselves create the symbolic world and how this symbolic world shapes human behavior. In this case, the ancestors saw natural objects, namely bamboo, which can be associated as symbols in the initiation ritual of increasing martial arts. According to George Herbert Mead, we can interpret symbolic formation through three concepts of symbolic interaction, namely the concepts of mind, self, and society. These three concepts reveal how important the ability of the mind is in developing symbols that are seen and felt to understand their meaning. In this concept, a person can position themselves as another person or as a certain object, to be able to interpret and interpret the thoughts of others or the thoughts of people who make a certain object. In addition to ideas, rituals are also related to a variety of activities in their implementation. Ritual activities are accommodated by three social institutions, namely the field of martial education, the field of cultural arts, and the field of environmental conservation. From the three social institutionalizations above, Table 2 below shows the merging symbols:

Table 2. Meaning of symbols in mikul lodong ritual.

No	Social institutions	Activities	Symbols	Meaning
1	Education	Filling the lodong with water and praying.	Ethics Exams/Norms Religion / Faith	Study earnestly. Responsible for the knowledge gained, and communication with the creator of the universe
2	Art and Culture	Fetches water, dance, and provide shared meals.	Social Ethics Aesthetic Cultural Ethics	Togetherness Expression of artistic talent Social interaction and integrity
3	Living Environment	Maintaining bamboo trees, Cikarahayuan and Cikahuripan springs mikul lodong Ritual	Ethics Ethics Culture	Enculturation Environmental conservation Live

The symbolic meanings that arise from the mikul lodong ritual are based on the relationship between individuals and their communities. An important element that community members must possess is the ability to introspect for self-understanding. A person’s actions are based on self-awareness of the views of others. Through Mead’s third concept, society, the relationship between individuals and society is revealed. In this case as social beings, human beings are not capable of living alone, needing the presence of others to share the meaning created by one individual or group and mutually agreed upon.

Symbolic meaning in the form of mikul lodong ritual culture

Cultural forms are cultural products produced by humans to fill their lives. Some cultural forms appear tangible (tangible), and some do not appear in form (intangible). Cultural forms are formed from many complex elements such as religious and political systems, customs, language, tools, clothing, buildings, and works of art. Related to the Mikul Lodong ritual, tangible cultural forms consist of cultural objects (artifacts) and culture in the form of actions/activities presented in the ritual such as ngukus activities, water fetching activities, offering artifacts, and tumpeng. The form of culture (intangible) presented in the mikul lodong ritual is cultural concepts that are intertwined with culture in the form of artifacts. Cultural forms in the mikul lodong ritual, some come from past cultures such as ngukus, offerings, fetching water, and murak tumpeng (eating together), there is also a new cultural form resulting from the creativity of individuals and today’s society, namely the mikul lodong dance. After being observed and analyzed, the cultural form presented at the mikul lodong ritual implies many symbols as shown in Table 3 below:

Table 3. Meaning of cultural form symbols in mikul lodong ritual.

No	Cultural forms	Discourse	Symbols	Meaning
1	Ngukus	A cloud of smoke floats on the stage	Smoke	Transcendent communication
2	Offerings	The Study of Nature and Self	The Paradox of Opposition	Learn from natural objects and paradoxical concepts
3	Taking Holy Water	Talari paranti mipit should be very good to do with some work and try to inhale huripna	Religious Ethics	Be aware of nature and realize all things in the possession of the Almighty
4	Murak Tumpeng	Bead tops	Tumpeng	Togetherness reaches the peak of happiness(gratitude)
5	Mikul Lodong Dance	Ibing Dance of mikul lodong gets bigger	Dance, and Mikul Lodong	Dance is a cultural creation and mikul lodong is a dance for initiation.

The symbol of cultural form in the mikul lodong ritual, as shown in Pictures 1, 2, and 3 illustrates the characteristics of local ancestral culture during changing times and globalization. The following is a detailed explanation of the symbolic meanings contained in the mikul lodong ritual.

Meaning of ngukus

Ngukus is one of the rituals in the Sundanese belief that is done by burning incense which is sprinkled on a small brazier called parukuyan. Parukuyan in Sundanese culture expresses the following concept: Silokaning acining seuneu nu nyerebung kumedalna haseup menyan putih wawangi alam satukebing semesta buana suci, meaning siloka from a fire that carries smoke burning white frankincense, thus bringing fragrance throughout the sacred nature of the world. Ngukus kefrankincense (burning incense) in this process produces billowing smoke and causes a fragrant smell accompanied by prayers offered. This prayer sends greetings to the ancestors asking for their protection from evil. The essence of ngukus lies not in burning incense which produces smoke soaring upwards but in the words of incantations spoken by the ngukus perpetrator. The recitation of incantations in ngukus is usually in the form of a prayer of salvation for the perpetrator involved in a ritual. The concept of ngukus is the same as offerings, namely for salvation (ngalap barokah). Ngukus is used to carry out rituals, but some people use it to increase concentration or asceticism (semedi). Others use it to implore the presence and blessing of the ritual by supernatural beings. In other terms, Ngukus is used to summon supernatural beings to bless the ritual.

Anthropologically, the ngukus ritual is one of the religious activities of humans in their relationship with God or invisible beings. The effect of ngukus activity is the presence of billowing smoke moving upward. The essence of the billowing smoke shows the existence of a medium to connect the human world with the world of roh (spirit). This phenomenon shows that in ngukus it is expected that transcendent communication between ritual performers and those who are trusted, to provide miracles and blessings to the purpose and purpose of the ritual performed. Ngukus is generally done to initiate a ritual such as the initiation ritual of mikul lodong. Along with ngukus activities, prayers are usually chanted. One of the incantations used for ngukus in Sundanese is as follows:

Bul kukus ngelun kamanggung—a cloud of smoke flies up (sky)

ka manggung neda papayung—– to the sky, please provide protection.

Ka batara neda suka————-to the godness, please provide happiness.

ka pohaci neda suci————–to the angel for chastity.

Pun paralun ka sang rumuhun—-begging the Almighty.

ka batara kabatari————–-to the godness.

ka batara nagaraja————– to the king of the country

ka batari nagasugih————-to the rich dragon godness

batara pangraksa jagat———the ruler of the universe

batari panghurip bumi———–the goodness that created the universe

ampun paralun—————–-Please, forgive.

Meaning of offerings

Sesajen (offering) is the presentation of several natural objects in one place/container. It is usually a pair of natural objects such as threads and needles, mirrors, combs, and so on. The offerings in the mikul lodong ritual are not much different from offerings in general which are served when there is a celebration or there is an art performance. The concept of offerings in pre-modern cultures is a visualization of paradoxical natural phenomena (Sumardjo, 2006) in which each other must be given harmony so as not to kill each other. This concept implies that the purpose of offerings is none other than to conjure up the blessing of salvation. The term sesajen (offerings) is the presentation of several objects in one place/container. Offerings are usually pairs of natural objects that have opposite functions to each other such as threads and needles, mirrors and combs, bitter coffee, sweet coffee, and so on.

According to Koentjaraningrat (2002), offerings are one of the ceremonial facilities that cannot be left behind and are also called offerings that are celebrated at certain times in the context of belief in subtle beings, are in certain places". Offering equipment is usually a mutual agreement that should not be abandoned because offerings are the main means of a ritual. This is corroborated by Abah Otib’s statement, that what is available in offerings is a rule that has been outlined by the ancestors of Parakansalam Village (Picture 4). The following are the meanings of offerings used in the mikul lodong ritual:

• Hanjuang Tree; A symbol of the supernatural realm that is always planted in the tomb, meaning that the body of the deceased will disappear, but the spirit is still alive in the decree of Allah SWT.

• Rujakeun; Saripatining rasa nu manunggal pucuk ing rasa gustina alam, which means uniting and combining all spices to provide natural richness with new flavor nuances.

• Curutu; nyeuseup rasa eusi bako, meaning to go from being to the origin and ashes and that we who are tangible will be lost.

• Organic chicken eggs: Endog dara mangka baranah, meaning seeds that are the beginning of a process of being tangible and living and developing.

• Cikopi Amis: a symbol of human piety, fishy ethics, and fishy morals kalakuannana. It means that we must have good ethics, and good morals because man is the noblest creature of God.

• Water: clik putih, clak herang bersih hate kudusna dijero garba, meaning that humans as the noblest creatures, must maintain the cleanliness of the heart to survive the world and the afterlife.

• Tea water: Sanaos benten warna rasa mah iman kana kagungan, meaning that even though it is from white to brown, it does not change the human character to worship Allah with a sense of faith that is always attached.

Picture 4. Offerings in mikul lodong ritual.

Source: Primary data collected by authors.

The meaning of taking holy water

The mikul lodong ritual, which is carried out in Parakansalam Village, is a rite that uses natural elements such as the bamboo media which has a cultural symbol that refers to the utilization of natural environmental resources (Idris, 2023; Otib, 2023; Sutisna, 2023). The ritual procession is closely related to lodong, an object made of bamboo (awi) and water from the sacred springs of Cikarahayuan and Cikahuripan. This cultural procession directly and indirectly encourages community members to preserve the environment (Idris, 2023; Otib, 2023; Sutisna, 2023). Activities that have been carried out include cleaning the source of the spring, not cutting trees carelessly, cleaning the environment, and planting trees around the spring so that water is always there and maintained. It is possible that in the future the effects of the existence of the mikul lodong ritual will contribute to a culture of more effective and intensive use of bamboo trees. The cultivation of bamboo plants is a way to preserve groundwater for land fertility given that a great majority of the Sundanese population relies on agriculture for sustenance and building community welfare by utilizing nature has existed in the Sundanese society since ancient times (Warnaen, 1987).

In addition, a rite is certain to have certain rules that have been passed down from generation to generation. These rules can be understood as the local wisdom of the community. One practice involved in the mikul lodong ritual is taking sacred water in Cikahuripan through the following ancestral expression: talari paranti mipit kudu amit ngala kudu bebeja kanu ngersakeun inhale huripna ieu alam banyu karamat Cikarahayuan and Cikahuripan, which means that the rules in taking something and asking for anything must be permitted by Allah SWT who creates and gives life. This is a picture of cultural ethics in the manner of asking the owner of this nature. Nature must be maintained, respected, and valued by humans because it provides enormous life benefits to humans (Idris, 2023; Otib, 2023; Sutisna, 2023).

In the Sundanese dictionary, the word water corresponds to the word "kabuyutan" which has several meanings, including upstream water, forests, human habitation, and goods. The sacredness of kabuyutan does not lie in its magical power but in its vitality for human survival (KBBI, 2016). In other words, the sacredness of kabuyutan is intended to ensure that everything needed by humans is available in nature (Danadibrata, 2006).

In this ritual, bamboo and sacred water are used as ceremonial media. Sacred water, according to the Old Javanese, is referred to as ‘tirta amerta’. Tirta means water, and amerta is a form of negation of merta, mortal, or mort which means death. So, tirta amerta is anti-death water commonly known as the water of life (kahuripan) (Oetama, 2009). Water is a blessing, and every blessing is transcendent, not from human experience and knowledge. Therefore, water is sacred, holy, pure, core (sari), subtle, and invisible (Picture 5).

Picture 5. Sacred water (Karomah) fetching at the Cikahuripan River by students and prayers by traditional leaders and Abah Otib.

Source: Primary data collected by authors.

Meaning of Murak Tumpeng

Murak Tumpeng comes from the Javanese ethnic culture. Etymologically, tumpeng is a Javanese word and an acronym for the sentence ‘yen metu kudu mempeng’, which means "when you come out, you must be excited". In Javanese philosophy, metu-mempeng implies that humans must always walk straight with a straight mind. In the Sundanese concept, this is known as ‘tigin gumati pengkuh pamadegan’. The cone shape of rice tumpeng has a concept associated with divinity as something big, high, and at the top. The shape that towers upwards can be interpreted as a prayer of hope to be answered and the level of human life is getting ‘higher’ reaching the peak called the bead peak. Murak Tumpeng includes the following:

1. Rice: Some tumpeng are white and some are yellow. The meaning white connotes something clean, kosher, and holy, while yellow connotes something eternal, wealth, and honor, all of which refer to well-being.

2. Chicken: Side dishes p a uk ayam in tumpeng usually use roosters. The meaning referred to is that it must mainly be chivalrous and must avoid the nature of the rooster, which is sometimes less commendable such as arrogance, winning, arrogance, always crowing loudly, and impoliteness.

3. Fish: In addition to chicken, the side dishes used in tumpeng are fish, such as catfish which means tenacious to perseverance, and anchovies which means always getting along.

4. Egg: The meanings contained in the egg include the symbol of the dratullah which means having the same nature as God’s creature derived from the egg; The symbol of Perilaku hati which means every action must be peeled first good and bad (peeled egg); the symbol of the peak of the bead which means the highest hope that must be achieved by humans is the whole form of the forerunner of living things (eggs placed at the top of rice tumpeng).

5. Urab Vegetable: Urab vegetable is a combination of tumpeng rice with different types of vegetables each of which has a meaning. The rice is mixed with spinach (interpreted as ayem tentrem) and kangkung vegetable which symbolizes protection. Sprouts mean to grow and string beans are interpreted as far-sighted thinking.

6. Red Chilli: Red chili is used as a decoration in the form of flower petals and is a symbol of fire meaning energy that provides encouragement and illumination for others.

Murak Tumpeng or eating tumpeng is a symbol of divinity that refers to the cone upwards and is used as a life guide for anyone who eats it.

The meaning of mikul lodong

Tarian mikul lodong Adeugkeun Rengkenekna is a dance creation that is allegedly inspired by the tradition that individuals do when carrying water in a lodong with martial arts movements. According to Abah Otib, this dance has long existed, which is a hereditary inheritance and is used as a rule during the mikul lodong ritual, there must be a procession of dance movements (ibingan pencak silat) with the accompaniment of kendang penca music. Her dance pattern makes a circle with a diameter of 3 meters. In the center of the circle is placed a barrel where water is collected. They danced around the barrel 7 times and spilled water in the lodong into the water reservoir. The concept of the number 7 in the mikul lodong dance movement contains symbols with various meanings in it. In Sundanese ethnic philosophy, the number 7 can mean 7 stages of the human journey in life (lulurung kadalapan milampah); the number 7 can also be interpreted as the number of days; Even from a religious perspective, the number 7 connotes the existence of 7 layers of heaven and hell. Of the various meanings of the number 7, what is more relevant to the mikul lodong dance is the Sundanese concept of seven lulurung kadalapan milampah which means we must strive for seven stages of journey/improvement of education, 7 stages of facing challenges/tests before becoming perfect people of mind and reason at the eighth stage. Related to the number eight this number 8 is a number that has no broken line, and when a circular line is made, the number eight shows an image that is almost close to a circle or perfection.

Mikul lodong ritual is a tradition developed in Parakansalam Village, Nyalindung Village, Padalarang District, West Bandung Regency. This ritual aims to initiate Paguron Pencak Silat Sinar Mandiri martial arts students led by traditional leader Abah Otib. This ritual is seen from its structure and purpose, including the ritual of initiation of transition in the field of education/knowledge. The initiation ritual of students carried out by a pencak silat school in Parakansalam refers to the confirmation of a martial arts tradition passed down from generation to generation. The ancestors established that martial arts culture knowledge must continue to be cultivated and the success of students absorbing martial knowledge is confirmed in the form of cultural rituals. This is expressed by the Parakansalam community through the initiation ritual known as the mikul lodong ritual(Idris, 2023; Otib, 2023; Sutisna, 2023).

Symbolic meaning in the mikul lodong ritual includes ideas, cultural activities, beliefs, moral values, and local wisdom that reflect the superiority of the Sundanese ethnicity as its owner. The use of natural objects, bamboo, and water as the main medium in the mikul lodong ritual, communicates symbolic meanings that are most relevant to the superiority of Sundanese culture. For Sundanese people, the natural environment must be respected and maintained because it benefits life. In addition, nature also has two conditions, namely real nature, and unreal nature (metaphysical) which affect ethical and aesthetic examples. The example of the bamboo figure is manifested in the form of a lodong symbol that has an empty cavity in it. The empty lodong symbol is interpreted as an empty human body that needs to be filled with science which in this case is characterized by the filling of bamboo with water. The ritual is interpreted as a process of making students maintain and responsibly use the knowledge gained for the good of the community and the environment (Idris, 2023; Otib, 2023; Sutisna, 2023).

Conclusion

The mikul lodong ritual for the Parakansalam community, Cipatat District, West Bandung, is interpreted as a form of culture that contributes to moral values and education to improve the level of Penca Silat students and enable them to use and maintain the knowledge gained for their protection and to better serve the community. In addition to this, the ritual also serves to preserve and protect the environment to maintain environmental sustainability. Mikul lodong ritual practice, which uses bamboo plants and water as a ceremonial medium to enhance the skill of pencak silat students aims to ensure that the community continues to preserve the existence of bamboo plants which are very useful in controlling groundwater absorption for the fertility of their land and preventing landslides, so that the environment remains fertile. Essential to the ritual is the idea that harmony between nature, humans and God is the key to protecting the environment. In this context, the mikul lodong ritual practice takes its meaning in ideas, cultural activities, and cultural forms that contain local wisdom that reflects moral, religious, social, and educational values. Because this ritual is carried out with clear grounds and arguments, it has become a belief among Sundanese people (Parakansalam in particular) from a religious and sociological perspective. The implications of the mikul lodong ritual in the context of sustainable cultural development are new in this research, namely how this ritual survives and continues to develop in environmental conservation.

In Sundanese society, traditions around ritual practices are carried out in a unique way and form beliefs in spirituality based on inner experiences and continuing the legacy of karuhun (ancestors). The Sundanese adhere to Islam which influences their rituals. This faith in Islam is deeply lived and practiced and covers all aspects of the Sundanese people’s lives. Given the broad scope of the intertwined relationship between religion and culture (ritual) of the Sundanese, the present study, which only deals with the influence of Islam in the mikul lodong ritual, welcomes further studies to investigate the religiosity of the Sundanese people.

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No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Ani Rostiyati

Ani Rostiyati is a Principal Expert Researcher at the Indonesian National Research and Innovation Agency. Her fields of expertise include Socio-Cultural Anthropology and Cultural Studies. She has published several articles in various national and international journals on a wide range of topics dealing with Tourism and Development Potential in Lampung, Pamali as a Social Bond of Kuta Traditional Village Communities, the Functions of Traditional Ceremonies for Today’s Supporting Communities, Punk Women in Indonesia: Culture of Resistance to Normative Gender, and Women in Utilizing Free Time and Body Practices.

Kunto Sofianto

Professor Dr. Kunto Sofianto is a Professor of History at the Department of History and Philosophy at the Faculty of Humanity at Padjdjaran University, Bandung, Indonesia. His fields of expertise include History of Culture, Popular Culture, City History, and Religious Art. Among his many studies is the History of Garut City and his thesis was used as a reference to adjust the Garut City’s Anniversary from March 11^th to February 16^th. Professor Sofianto was appointed to a team of experts who succeeded in formulating the icon of Garut City, namely Garut City of Diamonds. The icon was named after the nickname given to President Soekarno during an official visit to Garut City in 1960.

Adeng

Adeng is a Principal Expert Researcher at the Indonesian National Research and Innovation Agency. His fields of expertise include Colonial History and Cultural History, with several notable studies including Studies on the Involvement of Kiai in the Struggle for Independence, the Social History of Bekasi City, and the Role of Garut Ulama in the Struggle for Independence in Indonesia.

Heru Erwantoro

Heru Erwantoro is an Associate Expert Researcher at the Indonesian National Research and Innovation Agency. His fields of expertise include Film History, Urban History, and Cultural History. Among his works are Mobile Cinema: Its Role in Popularizing National Films from Time to Time, Jakarta City Anniversary, and Betawi Ethnicity: A Historical Study.

Ria Andayani

Ria Andayani is an Associate Expert Researcher at the Indonesian National Research and Innovation Agency, Jakarta. Her fields of expertise include Cultural and Social Anthropology. Among her many studies published in many scientific journals is her study titled “Gerem Asem: Culinary Flavors of the Coast of Banten which was published in 2022. She also published a major study titled “Overtime Munar Ceremony in the Kasepuhan Cisungsang Traditional Community, Lebak Banten Regency”, which was published in 2016 as well as her work titled “Baritan Ceremony in the Betawi Community in East Jakarta” which was published in 2014.

Hernandi Tismara

Hernandi Tismara is the Head of the West Bandung Regency Department of Tourism and Culture. He oversees promoting regional culture in West Bandung and is the author of the famous book titled “10 Rites of Intangible Cultural Heritage in West Bandung Regency”.