TEMPO.CO, Banyuwangi - The village community of Olehsari, in Glagah District, Banyuwangi, has a Seblang tradition that aims to avoid pageblug (all sorts of danger).
"Traditional Ritual of Seblang in Olehsari is one of the trademarks of Banyuwangi that will always be anticipated every year," said Tourism Minister Arief Yahya, Monday, June 18.
On that Monday, the residents celebrated a ritual held at every beginning of the Shawwal month. Seblang is a dance ritual in trance conditions (possessed). The dancers must be young girls, appointed by the ancestors through the mediation of spirits. While dancing, she uses a crown of strands of banana leaves and flowers, called omprok.
The girl who has been "appointed" will dance in the round stage to follow the traditional music of Banyuwangi. Seblang will dance with closed eyes starting at 02:00 pm until before sunset. Seblang lasted for seven days in a row.
For this year, the Seblang dancer is Susi Susanti, 17 years old, a local resident. Susi has been playing the role of Seblang for two years in a row.
The 52-year-old village leader of Olehsari, Ansori, said Seblang's ritual begins with a ceremony at four points, two of which are at the tombs of local village elders, Ki Buyut Ketut and Ki Buyut Cili. The Peak Ritual is leading the dancers to the Seblang arena, which is located in the center of the village.
After the handler offers offerings, the dancer begins to trance. With typical gamelan strains, the dancers dance around the round arena. Two accompaniments accompany the dancers.
During the dancing, dozens of special gending of Using language are sung by the mothers.
"This has been a tradition for generations. It is said to have started since the 1930s," said Ansori.
Ansori explained, Seblang means eliminating bad influences. Therefore, this dance style throws the hand to the right or left.
“Seblang, according to the language of Using, is the abbreviation of Sebele Ilang (losing bad luck). So, let all the unpleasant things like diseases and other unpleasant plagues disappear, and hope for prosperity,” Anshori said.
Seblang dancers, said Anshori, must be hereditary. Susi is the 29th generation where the dancers are the same as the previous year. At the end of the dance later, Seblang will distribute the flower embedded in a stick called Dermo Flower, which supposedly can bring prosperity to those who have it. On the last day, Seblang will be closed by Ider Bumi procession, clean village.
Tourism Minister Arief Yahya who has a hometown in Banyuwangi deliberately attended this tradition. The day before, he also came to Barong Ider Bumi ritual. Arief seemed to mingle with the residents on the edge of the round stage, waiting for the event to begin.
"Today I went to Olehsari specifically to follow this ritual and show it to my children," Arief said.
On that occasion, he also handed over the aid of the sound system to the traditional parish of Olehsari and bought 100 Dermo Flower which is believed to bring prosperity.
DAVID PRIYASIDARTA
