Tabuik Festival in Pariaman, West Sumatera

Tabuik Festival in Pariaman, West Sumatera

Tabuik Festival is one of the annual traditions in Pariaman society. This festival has been going on since tens of years ago and is estimated to have existed since the 19th century AD. Tabuik event is part of the anniversary of the death of the Prophet Muhammad's grandson, Hussein ibn Ali on 10 Muharram. History records, Hussein and his family died in the war in the field of Karbala.

Tabuik itself is taken from the Arabic word 'tabut' which means wooden crates. The name refers to the legend about the appearance of a winged human-headed horse-like creature called a buraq. The legend relates that after the death of the Prophet's grandson, the wooden box containing the remains of Hussein's body was flown to the sky by a buraq. Based on this legend, every year Pariaman people create a clone of buraq who was carrying the ark on his back.

According to the story received by the people from generation to generation, this ritual is thought to have appeared in Pariaman around 1826-1828 AD. Tabuik at that time was still thick with the influence of the middle east brought by people of Indian descent Shiites. In 1910, an agreement emerged between nagari to match Tabuik's celebrations with Minangkabau customs, thereby evolving into what it is today.

Tabuik consists of two kinds, namely Tabuik Pasa and Tabuik Subarang. Both come from two different areas in Pariaman City. Tabuik Pasa (market) is a region located on the south side of the river that divides the city to the edge of Gandoriah Beach. The Pasa region is considered the origin of tabuik tradition. The subarang tabuik comes from the subarang area (opposite), which is the area on the north side of the river or the area called Kampung Jawa.

Initially, there is only one tabuik, namely tabuik pasa. Around 1915, at the request of a community, a different tabuik was made. Upon agreement of the nagari elders, this tabuik should be made on the other side of the Pariaman River.

Therefore, this second tabuik is named tabuik subarang. One history of the elders of the community records the events estimated to occur in 1916, but there is also a history that mentions the year 1930. Subarang tabuik making is still following the procedures that previously been applicable in the Pasa region.

Starting in 1982, tabuik celebration became part of the tourism calendar of Padang Pariaman regency. Because it happens a variety of adjustments one of them in terms of time the implementation of the peak event of this series of tabuik rituals. Thus, although the initial ritual procession of Tabuik remained begun on the 1st of Muharram, during the celebration of the Islamic New Year, but the execution of the peak event from year to year varied, it no longer had to be on the 10th of Muharram.

The series of tabuik tradition in Pariaman consists of seven stages of tabuik ritual, which are taking the land, cutting down banana stems, spinning, fingering the fingers, parading turban, tabuik up pangkek, tabuik hoyak, and throwing tabuik into the sea.

The procession of taking the land is carried out on 1 Muharram. Cutting down the banana stems was carried out on the 5th day of Muharram. Mataam on day 7, followed by mangarak fingers at night. On the next day performed the ritual mangarak saroban.

On the peak day, performed ritual tabuik rose pangkek, then proceed with taboo hoyak. This peak day first fell on the 10th of Muharram, but this time every year changes between 10-15 Muharram, usually adjusted to the weekend. As a closing ritual, before the maghrib tabuik paraded to the beach and dilarung to the sea.

Every year the peak of the event is always watched tabuik tens of thousands of visitors who come from various parts of West Sumatra. Not only local people, this festival also received the attention of many foreign tourists who make it a big event that is eagerly awaited every year.

Gandoriah beach which became the center of attention as if it were a sea of ​​people, especially before the procession tabuik paraded to the beach. Therefore, if there is a chance, there is nothing wrong if this tabuik festival becomes an alternative to your tour agenda in the coming year.