Fardan Mahmudatul Imamah

Seeking for Berkah: the Celebration of Kiai Slamet

Introduction

Seeking for berkah: the celebration of kiai slamet. Explore the Javanese Kirab Kiai Slamet ceremony in Surakarta, its celebration of new year, and the diverse interpretations of "berkah." This paper offers an indigenous religion perspective to enrich religious studies and contemporary issues.

Abstract

One of many annual traditional Javanese ceremony for celebrating the new year is Kirab Kiai Slamet. This ceremony was held in Surakarta, Central Java by one of greatest Javanese Kingdom, Keraton Surakarta Hadiningrat. A thousand visitors who have come from all over of java just to see this ceremony bring various motives. This paper will elaborate how the perspective of Javanese people interprets their attendance on Kirab Kiai Slamet? One of their motives is berkah, then how they perceive this concept of „ngalap berkah‟? While berkah is one of the most prevalent religious practices in Indonesia, there are various meaning on it from a diverse group. In an effort to reveal the various interpretation of the concept of „berkah‟, this paper offers an alternative perspective of the study of religion. Because the study of religion is more dominated by world religion paradigm that rigidly defines „religion‟ as the structured form of religious tradition, an alternative perspective will be needed. After elaborating the experiment of Kirab Kiai Slamet and framed by some theories of religions, this paper will show how „indigenous religion paradigm‟ have a positive contribution to the enriching of theories of religions in contemporary issues.

Review

This paper, titled "Seeking for Berkah: the Celebration of Kiai Slamet," proposes an insightful exploration into the Kirab Kiai Slamet, an annual Javanese New Year ceremony held by the Keraton Surakarta Hadiningrat. The study aims to uncover the diverse motivations of attendees, particularly focusing on the concept of *berkah* and the practice of *ngalap berkah* (seeking blessings). Beyond merely describing a cultural event, the abstract positions this research as a significant contribution to the broader field of religious studies, promising to challenge conventional paradigms by offering an "alternative perspective of the study of religion" that moves beyond the limitations of the "world religion paradigm." A key strength of this proposed research lies in its focus on *berkah*, a concept deeply embedded in Indonesian religious practices yet often subject to varied interpretations. By examining how Javanese people perceive and seek *berkah* within the context of Kirab Kiai Slamet, the paper is poised to provide a nuanced understanding of indigenous religiosity that extends beyond the rigid definitions often imposed by a "world religion paradigm." The stated ambition to demonstrate how an "indigenous religion paradigm" can positively contribute to enriching contemporary theories of religion is particularly commendable, suggesting a potential for significant theoretical advancement in the study of local religious expressions. While the theoretical ambition is clearly articulated, the abstract could benefit from a more explicit outline of its methodological approach. Phrases such as "after elaborating the experiment of Kirab Kiai Slamet" (which might be better phrased as "the experience or observation of Kirab Kiai Slamet") and "framed by some theories of religions" leave room for greater specificity. To fully realize its potential, the paper should clearly detail the empirical methods employed (e.g., ethnographic observation, interviews, textual analysis) and precisely identify the specific theoretical frameworks that will be engaged. This clarity will strengthen the bridge between the rich empirical data derived from the ceremony and the proposed theoretical contribution to the study of religion, ensuring that the "indigenous religion paradigm" is robustly supported by the case study.

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