KBRN, Semarang: In the heart of rural Java, a time-honored tradition continues to thrive. Wiwitan, a pre-harvest ritual, is a testament to the Javanese people's deep-rooted spirituality and agrarian heritage.

The ritual is carried out as a form of gratitude and thanksgiving to God Almighty, who grew the rice before the harvest. This hereditary tradition expresses gratitude and prayer for safety and protection from danger.

It is called wiwitan because wiwit means 'to start,' cutting the mature rice before the full-scale harvest begins. For the Javanese farmers, the earth is considered a sibling that must be respected and preserved for life, as quoted by rri.co.id.

This wiwitan custom has existed since before the arrival of Abrahamic religions in the region of Java. As the harvest season arrives, numerous farmers in countryside regions engage in the wiwitan ritual.

The wiwitan ritual takes place in the fields of the rice paddies and is led by a village elder or spiritual leader.

The ritual begins with a prayer, followed by the symbolic cutting of some paddy rice, which signifies the readiness of the harvest. Following the prayers, meals were shared among the attendees of the wiwitan ritual.

The wiwitan ritual begins with a prayer, followed by cutting some paddy rice as a sign of readiness for harvest. (Photo: official website of Bangunjiwo Village Government)

A traditional feast accompanies the ritual, featuring traditional foods consisting of savory rice, free-range chicken, jackfruit dishes, crackers, tofu, tempeh, and anchovies.

In addition, it also complements with boiled eggs, peyek, traditional chips made from rice flour mixed with other ingredients like peanuts, soybeans, or even anchovies, and other traditional snacks. These feasts are usually wrapped in banana or teak leaves.s

The village elders started the procession with a prayer and then cut some rice to indicate it was time for harvesting. Following the group prayer, meals were shared among the attendees of the wiwitan ritual.

Rural communities that continue to maintain the values of local wisdom are powerful testaments to the strength of a cultural fortress's principles that deserve appreciation.

In this fast-paced era, they continue to explore and embrace ancestral traditions, believing in their ability to sustain life. ***