By Universitas Budi Luhur
Muhammad Ady Nugeraha
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The Dieng Plateau
The Dieng Plateau in Central Java is part of a giant volcanic complex that sits at 2000 metersabove the sea level to the west of Mount Sindoro and Mount Sumbing.
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The Dieng Plateau
The plateau houses eight ancient Shaivites Hindu temples and the name Dieng derives from the Sanskrit word “dihyang”, meaning “the place of ancestors”.
Although the majority of today’s population are Muslim, the Dieng communities is one of the fewcultural groups that still practices their ancestral Kejawen tradition, a Hindu-Javanese syncretic beliefs.
Ruwat Gimbal: The Sacred Dreadlock of Dieng (2022-10-18/2022-10-18) by Widi dan RizkiUniversitas Budi Luhur
Native Dieng communities possess unique genetic traits. Some of their children would grow dreadlock hair or gimbal as the locals call it.
It occurs randomly between infancy to early childhood and is marked by several days of fever before their hair turns.
The locals believe that these dreadlock children are the descendants of Kyai Kolo Dete and his wife Nini Roro Rence. Kyai Kolo Dete was an emissary of the Mataram kingdom and beloved for his compassion towards common folks.
Ruwat Gimbal: The Sacred Dreadlock of Dieng (2022-10-18/2022-10-18) by Widi dan RizkiUniversitas Budi Luhur
Legend has it that he obtained his power from KanjengRatu Kidul, a powerful deity who rules the Indian Ocean. Thus, the dreadlock children areconsidered as sacred figures within the community.
Ruwat Gimbal: The Sacred Dreadlock of Dieng (2022-10-18/2022-10-18) by Widi dan RizkiUniversitas Budi Luhur
Every first day of Suro month, which marks the new year in Javanese calendar, the Dieng communities hold a ceremony to trim the hair of dreadlock children at Arjuna Temple. Known as ruwat gimbal, the ceremony is meant to cleanse the soul and avoid sukerta or misfortune.
Ruwat Gimbal: The Sacred Dreadlock of Dieng (2022-10-18/2022-10-18) by Widi dan RizkiUniversitas Budi Luhur
Before the ritual begins, the dreadlock children may ask for a gift of their liking. Some asked fora simple gift of fried fish, while others had asked for an iPhone.
At the end of the ceremony theirhair is dropped into Telaga Warna, which flows to the Indian Ocean, as offering to its owner Kanjeng Ratu Kidul.
Ruwat Gimbal: The Sacred Dreadlock of Dieng (2022-10-18/2022-10-18) by Widi dan RizkiUniversitas Budi Luhur
The annual ceremony has become a popular tourist attraction and in 2016, the Ministry ofEducation and Culture established the ruwat gimbal as one of Indonesia’s Intangible Cultural Heritage.
Article : Muhammad Ady Nugeraha
Photo : Widi and Rizki
