Slametan / Wilujengan

Slametan or Wilujengan is an important ceremony from almost all Javanese rituals.
Slametan usually held at guest room in a house attend by male family members, neighbors and relatives. Slametan starts around 18:30 or after Bakda Maghrib. The guests sit with sila position on tikar. The process starts with greetings from the owner of the house, thanking for the guest participation, reason of slametan and apologizes if there are any wrongdoings during slametan. Modin then requested to lead the pray from Qur’an. The guests on sila position, rest the back of the hand on the knee, closed eyes, and on certain period saying ”amin” altogether. The praying then continues with dhikir by saying la’illaha Illallah repeatedly altogether within one hour. When finished, food tumpeng and water to drink will be present on tikar. They eat muluk on a banana leaves. When it finished, they went home carrying berkat.

The number of guest invited is depends on the importance and financial capabilities of the person who held slametan. The woman not allowed to attend slametan but they are the ones who has important roles in slametan. They decide the date, the guest to be invited, helper in cooking the food, and who gets berkat.

According to Harsja W Bachtiar (1973) slametan is divided into religious slametan, cultural slametan, sacred slametan and non sacred slametan. Mitung ndinteni, nyekawan ndasani, nyatus, nyewu are consider as sacred slametan. Living in new house, Family moving into another home, changing birth name, going to another city or country for works, janji kaul are consider as non sacred slametan.

Glossary:
Tikar = wooden mat
Sila = cross-legged position. It’s considered taboo and uncivilized to show the toes.
Donga = pray
Modin = a person who lead a religious ceremony
Tumpeng = rice cones with vegetables surrounding the rice
Muluk = eating with bare hands, without fork or spoon
Berkat = tumpeng in wooden box (tumpeng in small portion, enough for one person)
Janji kaul = a promise if a wish came true