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Grand Ceremony: Uldaul Sheds Light on Madura’s Traditions
An unexpected treat of seeing new places is when their cultures and traditions suddenly reveal themselves.
Enter Madura. Enter Pamekasan. And then take one step further. Having done so, the visitor may well encounter Uldaul and its occult celebration of waterborne, godlike beings. Coastal communities honour their bond with the ocean and pay tribute of the goddess Nyai Roro Kudul, Queen of the South Java Sea.
Uldaul, or tong-tong, generates a raucous bombardment of sound, that comes from an orchestra of drums and gongs and trumpets and joyful choral singing. And yet, the sound carries at its core a serious message. In paying tribute to the goddess, fisherfolk and those who rely on the ocean hope to ensure safe waters, plentiful harvests and friendly currents.
Such gratitude often comes during the Petik Laut ceremony. Here, devotees float sesaji offerings out to the water on empty boats. This they do to express gratitude for all the ocean has provided. Beforehand, a colourful parade takes place, often soundtracked by the joyful blitz of an Uldaul ensemble.
During this excursion, the troupe heads through the village. And as they go, their bombast gathers crowds and generates excitement, in celebration of waterborne entities. The noise reflects the churn and toil of ocean currents. Furthermore, it imbues the sound with a divine essence that helps appease the fearsome might of Nyai Rioro Kidul. The audio-visual cacophony indelibly etches its way on to their psyche of even the most impartial observer.
Sign of thanks
But tradition comes in many shapes. Some may find it in songs and music and literature. Others, meanwhile, may locate it in cooking or art. And in each of its myriad forms, the tradition imbues its home with a symbolic depth and creates a symbiotic link with the practitioners. Furthermore, for the visitor, such activity brings their new destination to life. Lights and sounds and narrative combine to share an unspoken story drawn from aeons of history.
Read More: Mt Bromo: Power, Mystery and the Hammer of the Gods
It’s a sight familiar to all carnival-goers. The endless procession of floats, seemingly bypassing the boredom of repetition by utilising unique and colourful designs. Giant anthropomorphic beasts stalk in their wake, getting in amongst the audience, their crystalline eyes casting a ghostly pallor on shocked watchers.
The music is of a traditional Madurese structure, at once upbeat and traditional. Its cadence is of the jazzy, big-band variety while the call and response vocals – shared by scores of performers – point to the communal nature of the unheralded Uldaul festival.
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