Wonogiri

Regent of Wonogiri, Central Java, Danar Rahmanto has withdrawn government funding and recognition for three Javanese cultural practices, under pressure from orthodox Islamic groups, they being:

• Jamasan Pusaka (sword cleansing ceremony)
• Larung Ageng (procession to Sembukan beach)
• Sedekah Bumi (agricultural fertility ceremony)

Rahmanto cited political reasons for the move, as his election campaign had been supported by the Partai Persatuan Pembangunan (PPP), Majelis Tafsir Al-Quran (MTA), Lembaga Dakwah Islam Indonesia (LDII), Muhammadiyah, Majelis Mujahideen Indonesia (MMI), the Ikatan Persaudaraan Haji Indonesia (IPHI) and the Pemuda Kabah, and he felt bound to carry out their wishes on the matter.

Larung Ageng procession

The regent said citizens remained free to carry out the rituals, but that the government would no longer support them financially in its culture and tourism budget. The Larung Ageng ritual however, for one, remains featured on the local government's website.

Anding Sukiman of the local PPP said the regent was under an obligation to not support mystical and superstitious beliefs and practices, and to uphold the correct forms of religion. [1]

Tulungagung

Meanwhile not far away in Tulungagung, East Java, possibly feeling emboldened by the success of Islamic orthodox groups in Wonogiri, the local branch of the Majelis Ulama Indonesia (MUI) has condemned the "manten kucing" ceremony.

The happy couples

The manten kucing ceremony involves a procession to a well where two cats are symbolically paired up, or 'married' by a man dressed as a Muslim cleric or kyai, and is done by local people when the area is suffering water shortages.

Maskur Kholil of the MUI said:

It's superstitious and it hurts the feelings of Muslims.

Culture was fine, he went on, but it should not be mixed up with religion, and clerics especially should not be insulted. [2]