Saturday (4/6/2016), 15 international students of Yogyakarta State University (YSU) attended Mitoni ceremony, that is a traditional Javanese ceremony held to celebrate the 7th month of pregnancy. The ceremony was held for a couple of Fikriatun and Wilis. In fact, Fikriatun was the daughter of Suwarsih Madya, Ph.D Professor at the Faculty of Languages and Arts that was also the former Vice Rector IV of YSU.
The agenda took place in the house of Suwarsih Madya, in Seyegan, Sleman. In the agenda, there were several processions to follow, starting from pengajian, then the taking and mixing of water from 7 different springs (wells). The mixed water would be used as the medium of siraman¸or showering for the mother-to be. Next, the procession reached at the stage of pantes – pantes, where the mother-to be wore kebaya (a special traditional Javanese blouse for women) and batik cloth for 7 times with different clothes. Every change in cloth, the MC would ask the attendees, whether the cloth has suited the mother to-be or not. The attendees were only allowed to say “Yes, it suits her perfectly” on the 7th clothes; this symbolized the 7th month of pregnancy.
This procession had a goal to bear a child who could unite the parents, and could devotee to God Almighty. The other procession was Brojolan, a procession to replicate the birth of a child. Hopefully, the infant would be born normally and safely. Moreover, in the past time, this stage of procession was often employed to determine whether the infant was male or female.
Minh thi, one of YSU international students from Vietnam showed her salutation and amazement of such a traditional Javanese ceremony. “ In the ceremony, there are many hopes and prayers in order the child could be born safely and healthy. This ceremony is also a means of preserving Javanese culture” as revealed by Minh thi. (Wulan)
