The Sambatan Tradition that Warms the Slopes of Mount Merbabu
Entering the middle of the year, Ngaduman residents prayed for their tobacco harvest to be successful. The tobacco harvest season will make them happy, because at that time it is not only about the quality of the leaves. But a moment that is awaited not only by tobacco land owners, but by all villagers who will be involved in the post-harvest process of tobacco.
Starting from harvesting tobacco leaves in the field, the process of sorting and selecting the top leaves to the very bottom. Then arranging each leaf neatly and rolling it in strong bundles. Then shredding it on cold nights, arranging it in a widig, a two-meter long and one-meter wide bamboo weave for the drying process. Until they all lift the widig in a drying location that gets maximum sunlight so that the shredded tobacco leaves can be immediately sent to a cigarette factory or deposited to a collector in the city.
When the moon begins to peek in September, when the tobacco leaves widen to their maximum. The green leaves on the land seem to call the landowners to immediately harvest them. The aroma of tobacco leaves that wafts along the Merbabu mountain wind, is a sign for all villagers to prepare to welcome the Sambatan tradition. A tradition that requires them to prepare a tough physical and mental condition, living in peace with the mountain nature.
Yes, the tobacco harvest season is proof of the strength of the bonds and the beauty of the togetherness of the Ngaduman Village residents living side by side with nature. When the sun is still shy to show its light and the cold air bites the bones, the landowner and several residents go to the fields located on the slopes of Mount Merbabu. From morning until evening, they cut tobacco leaves, then carry them to the landowner's house. Although there are motorbikes to help the journey home, the narrow roads require extra physical strength and a high level of concentration to pass through.
Arriving home, their wives rushed to greet them with warm drinks and beautiful smiles as a form of gratitude for the abundant harvest. Their agile hands immediately selected leaves with good quality and the same size. Stacking them one by one carefully, then rolling and tying them. Then, some of the neighbours' wives who came to help, would arrange the rolls of tobacco leaves in a large room prepared for the "Sambatan" event.
The main purpose of sambatan is to strengthen the bonds of brotherhood between members of society and create a sense of togetherness and mutual assistance. In addition, sambatan also reflects the value of mutual cooperation which is an important aspect of Indonesian culture, where social solidarity .
The Meaning of the Sambatan Tradition
The tradition of sambatan in the literal sense can be understood as an activity or tradition of mutual cooperation carried out by the community. The word sambatan comes from Javanese which means "communal assistance" or "voluntary work." In a broader context, sambatan refers to an activity in which a group of people help each other in completing work or solving problems together, without expecting anything in return.
This tradition is usually carried out in a village environment or community that has close family ties. The form of sambatan can vary, from helping with household chores, building houses, repairing public facilities, to helping with certain events, such as weddings or traditional parties.
And cooperation are considered the key to achieving common goals. So, literally and broadly, sambatan describes the values of cooperation, mutual assistance, and togetherness in society.
Ngaduman Residents Enjoy the Sambatan Tradition
Sabato Kaliwuan described this moment as a celebration, because the atmosphere created in this village is like all the villagers have a big celebration that is celebrated with great fanfare, eating big meals and lasts for days. And what is very interesting, travellers who come to visit Ngaduman Village can be directly involved in this tradition. Local residents will always be happy to welcome them, and invite travellers to enjoy the different atmosphere created at every moment.
The sound of music from the sound system turned up loud, filling the empty space and streets of the entire village every day towards evening until early morning. The position where the sound system is located indicates that it is the turn of the house to cut the tobacco from its harvest.
The roar of the tobacco shredding machine is a sign that the event will soon begin. Residents begin to arrive with cheerful faces in jokes and warm greetings between them. An experienced man, deftly lifts one by one the rolls of tobacco leaves and then inserts them into the shredding machine. Other men, swiftly collect the shredded leaves in a large container to be transported out of the room. Widigs is prepared, skilled and agile hands begin to "njereng" sheet after sheet of tobacco leaves neatly, so that the shredded results dry evenly when dried the next day.
The story weave flows from each person present in between their hands squeezing tobacco leaves. At this moment, the simplicity and friendliness of the locals will be seen in establishing close communication with the travellers who join. For travellers themselves, the first experience of squeezing tobacco may be difficult. But believe me, they will never complain or complain about the arrangement of travellers. In fact, there is a lot of knowledge and simple ways that local residents will teach so that travellers feel comfortable and can enjoy this empirical experience.
When a widig is full, suddenly a command shout is heard together to lift and stack on top of another widigs, making the night atmosphere even warmer. Smiles, warm greetings and funny stories will continue to roll during the process of slicing and drying the tobacco. As the night goes on, the cold temperature of the Merbabu mountains can melt away by the familiarity that is created in an instant.
The smoke from the kitchen of the house that was assigned to cut tobacco tonight, was seen billowing since morning. The women were busy preparing food and drinks in large quantities to be enjoyed together when the break came. The menu they prepared was actually simple, but the togetherness while enjoying it amidst the roar of the tobacco cutting machine and the cold air that pierced the body made the taste very delicious and appetizing. When the night crept towards early morning, the roar of the cutting machine would stop. The sambatan ended because they had to rest and go home to their respective homes, and prepare energy for the fields tomorrow morning.
The next night, the sambatan was held again until the rolls of tobacco leaves were finished being chopped and jereng. In turns, the sambatan was held alternately from one landowner's house to another by mutual agreement. Because they were one big family, who wanted to lighten each other's heavy work that they could not possibly complete alone.
In the Sambatan tradition, travellers will feel how beautiful it is to find a new family, new experiences and new activities that are hard to forget. These memories are missed by many travellers and they plan to return. Because of the warmth and togetherness of the extended family in this village, it will call to record the peaceful, beautiful, calm atmosphere again.
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