Tradition of Celebrating Lebaran Ketupat - West Nusa Tenggara

After Idul Fitri: Residents jostle to grab ketupat (rice cones) during Lebaran Topat (The seventh day after Idul Fitri) at Duduk Beach, Senggigi area, West Nusa Tenggara on Monday. Many Indonesian Muslims celebrated Lebaran Topat or Riyoyo Kupat (in Javanese) by eating rice cones and various condiments. JP/Panca Nugraha

In an expression of gratitude for completing the Ramadhan fasting month, thousands of Muslims across the country gathered on Monday to celebrate Lebaran Ketupat, which is held to commemorate the conclusion of an extra six days of fasting following Idul Fitri.

The word ketupat refers to steamed rice cooked inside a diamond-shaped container made of plaited coconut or palm leaves. It is served as the main dish during the celebration.

In West Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), thousands of Muslims celebrated Lebaran Ketupat — or Lebaran Topat as it is locally called — by visiting the graves of Muslim preachers before partaking in recreational activities together with other families.

“Lebaran Topat is celebrated in some regions in Indonesia, but in Lombok, especially West Lombok, it is special because it is well-preserved. This is true even though the regency administration does not coordinate it,” West Lombok Deputy Regent Fauzan Khalid said on Monday at the official opening of the ceremony at Duduk beach, just a kilometer to the south of Senggigi, the popular tourist center.

This year’s ceremony centered on three locations; Duduk beach in Batulayar district, Cemara beach in Lembar district and Kuranji beach in Labuapi district.

Entertainment ranging from music performances to ketupat cooking competitions to shared meals were on offer during the celebration, where ketupat was served as the main dish. Side dishes at the events varied, ranging from pelecing kangkung (stir-fried water spinach) to the local dish of Taliwang chicken.

“Apart from its value as an expression of gratitude, Lebaran Topat is also an occasion for building friendship,” Fauzan said.

Local religious figure Tuan Guru Syamsi said that the essence of the Lebaran Topat celebration was to show gratitude to God after successfully completing the monthlong fast during Ramadhan and the six-day fast following Idul Fitri.

Separately, local cultural observer Jalaluddin Arzaki said that the celebration was part of “adat dwirgami”, a local tradition that had been passed on by ancestors living in a time that predated the arrival of Islam.

“In the past, Islamic preaching was resisted if it did not accommodate local culture,” Jalaluddin said.

Meanwhile, in Semarang, Central Java, Lebaran Ketupat, or as it is called locally, Bada Kupat, was celebrated by cooking and serving ketupat and lepet (steamed sticky rice cooked in plaited palm leaves).

Ahmadi, a ketupat container seller at the Bulu market in Semarang, said that a collection of 10 ketupat containers were selling for between Rp 7,500 and Rp 10,000.

In Kudus regency, Central Java, Bada Kupat had become a tourist attraction. There, celebrations were held at number of places, such as in Colo, Bulusan and Lomban in Mejobo district.

In Colo, the celebration featured a parade of gunungan (cone-shape offering) made of ketupat, lepet and other food items on the slope of Mount Muria near the grave of noted Muslim preacher Sunan Muria.

“This is a tradition that shows respect to Sunan Muria,” said Kudus Regency Tourism and Culture Agency head Sancaka Dwi Supani, adding that the celebration was entitled ‘The Parade of A Thousand Kupat”.


On the slope of Mount Merapi in Boyolali regency, also in Central Java, the celebration featured a parade of livestock wearing ketupat as necklaces.

source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/08/05/muslims-celebrate-lebaran-ketupat-a-week-after-idul-fitri.html

Tradition of Celebrating Lebaran Ketupat - Gorontalo

Celebrating Idul Fitri: Jockeys compete in a bull race in Java Tondano village, Gorontalo regency, on Monday. The three-day race event, which was organized to celebrate Lebaran Ketupat (the seventh day after Idul Fitri) in the Javanese community, ended on Wednesday. JP/Syamsul Huda M. Suhari

Some Muslim communities have their own traditions to celebrate Lebaran Ketupat, which is held a week after Idul Fitri to commemorate the conclusion of an extra six days of fasting following Idul Fitri.

The Tondano Javanese (Jaton) ethnic community in Gorontalo, for example, celebrates by conducting annual horse races and cow races. This year the three-day race event that ended on Wednesday was held at the racing arena and golf course in Yosonegoro subdistrict, Gorontalo regency.

“This year’s event was merrier because we had more participants,” said Alwin Dunda, chairman of the Gorontalo Horse Sport Association (Pordasi) and member of the race’s organizing committee.

He said 43 horses joined the race. They came from Gorontalo and other neighboring provinces, including Central Sulawesi, North Sulawesi and South Sulawesi. 

The prizes varied, ranging from cash to some racing horses and cows. 

Alwin said the annual horse races were first introduced in the 1960s and continued to expand in the 1980s after the regency administration decided to include them in the official calendar of events. Today, the races have become a tourist attraction. 

“Most Gorontalo people have indeed long been lovers of horse races,” he said.

The first day of the horse race was attended by thousands of enthusiastic spectators who cheered the jockeys and called out the names of the horses. 

Krisman and Nurhayati Limonu, a couple that lives in Gorontalo, said they have never missed a single horse race held for the Lebaran Ketupat celebration. 

“We feel as if something is missing if we do not come to the race,” Krisman said.

The Jaton ethnic group live in a number of subdistricts in Gorontalo, which include Yosonegoro, Reksonogoro, Kalioso and Mulyonegoro. 

During Lebaran Ketupat, they usually open their homes for guests to enjoy various special dishes with ketupat (steamed rice cooked in a diamond-shaped container made of plaited coconut leaves) taking center stage as the main course.

“Everyone is welcome to take all he or she can eat. This has been a tradition for years here,” Hassan 

Pulukadang, a resident of Yosonegoro said.

The Jaton ethnic group initially came about as the result of marriages between Javanese men and Tondano women. 

The community was formed after the arrival of Indonesian hero Kyai Mojo and his followers, who 

were exiled from Java by the Dutch colonial administration. Mojo and his followers finally settled in Tondano and their descendants grew into the ethnic group currently known as the Jaton.

The ethnic group developed a unique language that is actually a mixture of the Javanese and Tondano languages. The new language, however, can barely be understood by either the Javanese or the indigenous Tondano people.

Anthropologist Basri Amin of Gorontalo State University said the descendants of Kyai Mojo and his men, who originally came from Yogyakarta, Surakarta and Demak, had spread almost evenly across Sulawesi Island since 1902. They moved to Gorontalo for the first time in 1925. 

He said Lebaran Ketupat was a legacy from the Yogyakarta and Surakarta kingdoms, whose traces could still be found in the Jaton villages in Gorontalo.

“Ketupat unites many things beautifully, peacefully and deliciously. Rice, coconut milk and various spices are united in plaited coconut leaves,” he said.

source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/08/07/horse-race-gives-color-lebaran-ketupat.html

The McCaugheys: An Unusual Family (Report Text)

The McCaugheys: An Unusual Family

       Kenny and Bobbi McCaughey live in Iowa.  They have a big family. In fact, they have eight children. But this family is also very unusual. Mikayla is the oldest child in the family. She is 6 years old. The other children are Brandon, Joel, Kelsey, Kenny, Natalie, Alexis, and Nathan. They are all 5 years old. Why they are all the same age? Because they are septuplets! Septuplets are seven children who are born together.

            It is hard work to take care of seven babies at the same time. But Kenny and Bobbi did not take care of the seven babies alone. In the beginning, many people came to the McCaughey house to help them. Their friends and families helped to feed, clean, and dress the babies. Every week, the septuplets used about 170 diapers! They drank a lot of milk, too.

            Now the children are older. Bobbi says, “It’s easier to take care of the children now. They feed and dress themselves, and they don’t need diapers anymore!” the septuplets started school this year. But they do not leave the house. Why? The children go to school at home, like their big sister, Mikayla. When Mikayla was ready for school, Kenny and Bobbi decided to teach her at home. “Homeschooling” is popular. Many families in the United States teach their children at home. The children do all their schoolwork at home. Last year, Bobbi was Mikayla’s teacher. Now, Bobbi is the teacher for all eight of her children.

                                                                                                                          Source:Themes for Today

Do the tasks for understanding the materials in the following site:

file:///C:/Users/Public/Documents/Documents/CALL/index.htm

for your current information about the septuplets, watch this video about the septuplets turning 13 last year:

Abu Nawas: Saved by Stilts (Spoof Text)

The king wanted to test Abu Nawas’ smartness. So he invited Abu Nawas to the palace. “You want me, your Majesty?” greeted Abu Nawas. “Yes, you have fooled me three times and that’s too much. I want you to leave the country. Otherwise you will have to go to jail” said the king. “If that is what you want, I will do what you said” said Abu Nawas sadly. Then “Remember, from tomorrow you may not step on the ground of this country anymore” the king said seriously. Then Abu nawas left the king palace sadly.

The following morning the king ordered his two guards to go to Abu Nawas’ house. The guards were very surprised found Abu Nawas still in his house. He had not left the country yet. Instead leaving the country, Abu Nawas was swimming in small pool in front of his house. “Hey Abu Nawas, why haven’t you left this country yet? The king ordered you not to step on the ground of this country anymore, didn’t he?” said the guards. “Sure he did” answered Abu Nawas calmly. “But look at me! Do I step on the ground of this country? No, I do not step on the ground. I am swimming on the water” continued Abu Nawas.

The guards were not able to argue with Abu Nawas so they left Abu Nawas’ house and went back to the palace. The guards reported what they had seen to the king. The king was curious on Abu Nawas’ excuse not to leave the country. Therefore the king ordered his guard to call Abu Nawas to come to the palace.

Abu Nawas came to the palace on stilts. The king wondered and said “Abu, I will surely punish you because you haven’t done what I have said. You have not left this country”. The King continued “And now, look at you. You walk on stilts like a child. Are you crazy? The king pretended to be furious.

“I remember exactly what you said, Your Majesty” Abu Nawas answered calmly. “This morning I took a bath in the small pool in my house so that I had not to step on the ground. And since yesterday, I have been walking on this stilts. So you see, Your Majesty, I do not step on the ground of this country”. The king was not able to say anything.

Generic Structure Analysis
Orientation: Introducing Abu Nawas and the King on the counteracts about leaving and staying in the country

Event 1: Abu Nawas was swimming on the pool

Event 2: Abu Nawas was walking on the stilts

Twister: Abu Nawas explained that swimming in the pool and walking on the stilts meant not stepping on the ground of the country.

The question for you guys,
"What is the moral truth of the story?"

The Tsunami Memorial Ceremony in Gampong Lamhasan (News Item Text)

The tsunami that happened on 26 December 2004 is always celebrated by the people of Aceh, especially in the areas that has hit by the tsunami. Gampong Lamhasan, located in Peukan Bada subdistrict, Aceh Besar, is one of the areas which was severely damaged by the tsunami. The people of Gampong Lamhasan have their own way to celebrate the tsunami memorial ceremony.

The main difference of the Gampong Lamhasan ceremony than others is the celebration date. Unlike the others that celebrate at every 26 December each year, the people of Gampong Lamhasan celebrate it based on the Hijriyah (Islamic year) date. In Hijriyah year, the tsunami in Aceh happened on 14 Dzulqaidah 1425 H, meaning that the resident of Gampong Lamhasan celebrate the tsunami every 14 Dzulqaidah that is different in BC date. In this year, the ceremony of tsunami memorial in Gampong Lamhasan was held on 30 September 2012.

“We deliberately choose to celebrate the memorial based on the Hijriyah’s date because we agreed that it is more accurate than the BC’s date beside because we are Muslims.” said the Imam Meunasah (religion leader of the village) of Gampong Lamhasan, Tgk. Ishak (57), explaining  the unique date to celebrate the tsunami memorial.

The ceremony itself is held at the Meunasah Gampong (village’s small mosque). There is a miniature ship made by the residents and it is put it in front of the Meunasah as a symbol of safety from the disaster. The ceremony is held in a one full day. In the morning, the people pray together at the Meunasah and then they eating together as the symbol of thanks to Allah that they are safe from the disaster. After that, they go home and wait to the night event, a religion speech from a famous orator that comes from various pesantren (Islamic school boarding).

The orator’s speech is about how to reflect the tsunami as a warning from God to not prioritizing the world life than the Hereafter and to be a better person in many aspects. “It is always an exciting moment to hear the religion speech because the way of the orator delivering his speech is very attractive. We love it!” stated one of the resident of Gampong Lamhasan, Hasanuddin (42), commenting about the religion speech event.

“This ceremony should be always be held considering that this is a big thing happened to us and also to inform our next generation that this tragedy is ever happened.” Mariati (34), stating about the necessity of this ceremony. Moreover, the Geuchik (leader of the village), Buchari MY (38), hoping that the ceremony can strengthen ties among its residents. “With all activities in memorializing the tsunami that happened 8 years ago, I personally hope that the bond of residents can be strengthened and the residents can reflect what the tsunami has taught us to get closer to God.”