In every culture a wedding is always an extraordinary event, as it is in Javanese culture. Traditionally, in Javanese culture, before the wedding day a bride has to stay apart from the bridegroom for 40 days. What a long period of time! It is called “pingitan”. What are these suppose to do? The girl particularly, has to keep her body and face clean by using a kind of traditional herbal powder called “lulur” so that on the wedding day her skin will look bright and soft.
On the last day of her “pingitan”, there is a ceremony called “siraman” in which seven elderly relatives will bathe bride. On this occasion, the bride is bathed in water with certain kinds of flowers, that is, the “kembang setaman”. Then, she dressed up by a “dukun rias”, a beautician. A part of the “siraman” water is sent to the bridegroom for his bath. In the evening, the bride’s family holds the other ceremony so called “malam widodaren” (the fairy’s night) as a farewell party for her. It is a symbol before she leaves home and begins her new life. Many of her friends and relatives come to the party.(*)
From MIMBAR magazine May 2010 edition
Glossary:
Wedding : pernikahan
Ceremony : upacara
Extraordinary : khusus
A bride : mempelai laki-laki
A bridegroom : mempelai perempuan
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