Bengkulu Oral Tradition

The definition of oral tradition is the tradition that appears around the group of people, and this tradition work out through the oral conversation between the people in that society. I have one example of oral tradition of Bengkulu’s people (Bengkoelen). This oral tradition is called as the Purity of Sin and Disasters. Bengkoelen usually do this tradition after turn of the year, for example last year, 2011, on December, 31th 2011, Bengkoelen did this tradition in the evening at 18.30 p.m.

            What are the processes of doing this kind of tradition? As I know from my real experience in doing it, the first process is a ceremonial process. In this process, a group of people called themselves as volunteers to represent their expectations. This happens in the edge of a beach. The purpose of this ceremonial is to deliver their hopes and the main process as an obligation to do the next process. The second process is taking the sand on the beach near the ceremonial place. The sand is put into a box that has been written a statement “Our Wishes to You”. Then, a woman stands up in front of the box, and is followed by a man besides her. As I know, a woman represents women’s wishes and a man represents men’s wishes. Both of them say a statement that “The Purity of Sin and Disaster come to us this year”.

            The third process is people spread the flowers on the beach cheerfully while they are saying their wishes in their heart. In this process, people have thought that the next year would be their best year. It means, Bengkoelen will get good life, out of danger on this year, and become free from sins that they had been done last year.

            Actually, this oral tradition begins to work among Bengkulu’s society after the influence from Hindu-Buddha’s belief. Thereby, between people of Bengkulu begin to speak out about that tradition. From mouth to mouth, this tradition was delivered, then become an oral tradition of people in Bengkulu.