Kondangan

KONDANGAN

Strange word? Haven’t heard it, right?

This is a tradition still be kept by people in Tasikhargo.

It is similar with genduren, Javanese tradition.

WHEN? WHERE? And HOW?

When they get close to Ramadhan, fasting time, they will hold kondangan. When they get close to Idul Fitri, they will also do it. When they have been in the 21^st day of Ramadhan, kondangan will also be held. So, this is the part of their activities.

Kondangan will be held in the house. People will invite their neighborhood to come to their house to hold it. They will pray together, asking for blessing. They will eat together, and they will bring the food back home. This tradition will be done by everyone there. Well, some people will not do it because they think this is a strange tradition in modern era. They will think “what’s the use of this such thing? It’s useless”.

Yet, the elders will think differently. It is still about belief. They believe in their ancestor. They believe in what they taught to them. This is a culture they kept and for some reasons hthey believe if they leave this kind of thing, there will be bad things happen. Since they don’t want bad thing happen, they will hold this tradition.

As the time has changed, the culture has changed too, yet only a little bit. There is an acculturation here. If in the past, they pray by pronounce some spells, magic spell maybe, now they pray in Islamic ways. This is because the syncretism of Javanese culture and Islam. Besides, in past there will be dupa, menyan when they hold kondangan, but now it is rarely found. There will be only food, and food. The food is simple that is rice, noodles, egg, apem (Javanese traditional food) and ingkung (chicken). This food will be placed on a big tray. There will be jati leaves too to wrap the food if they want to bring it home.

This tradition keep the people stay closer each other as they always meet and socialize when they hold this kind of tradition. That is why it is good to keep this tradition, no matter what “new generation” says, each culture always have several aims. Sometimes it cannot be understood, but there is something hidden on it. Bad impact, good impact, it is something ordinary. That is how this life balanced.