www.mastoni.com
Tedhak Siten
STEPPING THE GROUND CEREMONY
Mastoni
| The Tedhak Siti, or "stepping the ground"
ceremony, is a tradition unique to the Javanese
culture. This time honoured ritual, carried
out with children during their first year,
is symbolic of their future - a future that
we hope will see them grow into strong, mature,
and self-supporting adults. The ceremony is usually conducted in the morning hours, and family members and other invited guests participate. Each activity performed during the ceremony symbolizes an aspect of the child's future development. At the ceremony's outset, the child is led by the hand as he or she walks on a flat basket made of bamboo, decorated with seven colours (red, white, black, yellow, blue, pink, and purple). The multicoloured basket signifies the various obstacles that the child will have to overcome throughout life. In the second part of the ceremony, the child is guided up the steps of a short ladder constructed from crimson sugarcane. The ladder represents the child's commitment to follow his or her aspirations. Next, the child is directed into a vacated chicken coop, in which has been placed a copper or silver bowl containing items such as a gold bracelet, a ring, stationery, and cotton. Each item symbolizes an occupation, and the item that the child chooses indicates what occupation he or she might have as an adult. If the child chooses the stationery, for example, it is believed that he or she will aspire to be an office worker. The chicken coop symbolizes the child's ability to mature into a valued contributor to the community. Finally, the child is bathed in a basin of water filled with flowers, meaning that he or she will bring future honour to the family. Mastoni - New York
|
