Nadran culture in Mertasinga village

Nuralizah-Traditional ceremonies are part of the cultural practices in traditional societies. They hold values that remain relevant to the communities that observe them. These rituals not only connect people with their ancestors but also reflect human adaptation to nature and the environment.

1. NADRAN

The Nadran ceremony is usually held as the dry season ends and the rainy season begins. Its timing depends on community agreements, particularly regarding the availability of funds. These funds are collected from fishermen, fish collectors, fishing gear sellers, donations, and especially sponsors. In Cirebon, the ceremony typically takes place in April, July, August, or September.

In Mertasinga Village, the Nadran tradition has deep religious and cultural significance. The community has celebrated it annually for generations. Preparations are long and thorough. Fishermen are the main organizers. At the village level, the fish auction cooperative leads the event. In smaller neighborhoods like Blok Jenawi Lor, Blok Jenawi Kidul, Blok Kemudinan, Blok Depok Lor, Blok Depok Kidul, and others, residents organize it themselves.

Before the ritual, leaders from various groups including traditional and community leaders, village and sub-district officials, and the fishing community hold a meeting. They determine the schedule and form a committee, assigning roles like chairman, vice-chairman, secretary, treasurer, assistants, and others. They also appoint the lebe (who slaughters the buffalo) and the pemangku kapalan/jelon (who prepares the offerings on the replica boat).

Once the committee is formed, members start raising funds from sponsors and fishermen to ensure the event’s success.

A week before the ceremony, a night market called the maleman market is held in front of SMP Negeri 1 Gunung Jati, across from the village hall. This market brings entertainment and excitement to the community and boosts the local economy by supporting vendors during the festival.

The people of Mertasinga are highly enthusiastic about the Nadran tradition. Not only fishermen but the broader public also actively participate.

All collected funds, which usually total around IDR 70–100 million, are used to purchase offerings and equipment for the rituals.

Offerings that must be present in Nadran :

1. A buffalo head decorated with various beauty tools.
2. Tumpeng Jeneng, tumpeng ugup-ugup sida lancing, tumpeng poleng.
3. Bekakak ayam (roasted chicken
4. Tampa (wadah) A place that contains snacks
5. Dugan (young green coconut)
6. Gesek petek (salted fish)
7. Rujak wuni (small portions of buffalo meat).

Offerings for the kidung Budug Basu ritual :

1. 2 bunches of bananas as an offering
2. 4 black sugar cane stalks and four coconuts
3. Branches and leaves of the yellow bamboo tree.
4. A hollowed-out pumpkin covered with brown sugar.
5. A jug filled with water (a type of small jug made of white cloth measuring 3 meters long) to wrap the budug basu doll.
6. Kembang setaman dan kembang rupa bawur (meaning various types of flowers sold in the market, such as roses, jasmine, and champaca).
7. Incense.

One day before the main event, the community holds a tahlilan prayer to honor deceased ancestors. Afterward, the buffalo is washed and slaughtered. A sadaqah ceremony follows, where the meat is distributed to the poor. The buffalo head is placed on a miniature boat (jelon) and later released into the sea as a symbolic offering.

2. Nadran Mertasinga Procession

On the day of the ceremony, participants decorate fishing boats with food and drinks and gather at the Mina Waluya Jati Bondet Cooperative Fish Auction Site (TPI) in Mertasinga. There, they wait for the rituals and prayers to begin.

At 8:00 AM, traditional and religious leaders lead the event. It begins with receiving and arranging the offerings on the jelon. Before releasing the buffalo head into the sea, they perform the ruwatan lakon kidung Budug Basuh.

The ruwatan ritual aims to cleanse and remove misfortune, hoping for safety, peace, and happiness. The Budug Basuh story, taken from the Pustaka Raja script, is performed briefly by the puppeteers to fulfill this ceremonial obligation.

After the ruwatan, another tahlilan is held, with dhikr and prayers offered to Allah SWT and the ancestors, asking for blessings and smooth proceedings. This marks the holiest part of the Nadran ceremony.

An additional procession called buang tembuni may also take place. In this ritual, a baby’s placenta is placed in a small jar (blotong) and thrown into the sea. Though not mandatory, families with newborns often choose to perform it, hoping the child will grow to be broad-minded and benefit society. According to local belief, throwing the umbilical cord into the sea symbolizes a child’s future growth, independence, and positive impact on the world.

Finally, after the buffalo head is released, fishermen and their families share a meal together on the boats in the middle of the sea.