Indonesia has been known for its wide kind of culture. Traditions, which are inherited by ancestors, live on the society up to nowadays. One of those traditions is the Dewi Sri cult in Java.
Dewi Sri is farming and fertility goddess. She is the name of prosperity, the keeper of paddy and rice field. Folktales mention his body turn out in to paddy, the holly plant, source of life in agricultural society.
People of Kasepuhan Adat Banten Kidul, di Sukabumi, Jawa Barat is one good example of Sri cult. They still maintain their tradition in respecting Sri, the paddy goddess, or in their language named Pwah Aci Sanghyang Asri or Nyi Pohaci. Once in a year, they, as agriculutral society who live on the foot of Mount Halimun, held a sacred ritual to honour Sri. It is a cultural event to thank for goddess? blessings. The ritual is packed as a series of spiritual processions, covered by art performances. Religious value and philosophy of life loaded the ritual.
Here and there, in their daily life as well as during the ritual, paddy goddess is symbolized. Golden paddy chain, mortar, and cluster of rice barns are not only symbolic, but also proof of her existance on marcapada (the earth). Those also mean that the ancient Sri cult preserved in Nusantara. It teaches its devoters to live simple life and to be wise in using the nature. Take from the nature without overexploiting it.
Over hundreds of years, this tradition still remains respectful. It is strongly held by sons of Adam who inherit paddy culture as well as keeping it wiped away from the modernization of outside world.
Photo and text by Ismar Patrizki
