West Lombok, Indonesia Herald - The Bepupek Ritual tradition took place again in Sesela Village, Gunungsari District, West Lombok Regency, Saturday (11/16). The implementation of the Bepupek Ritual took place at the sacred tomb of Sesela a grave site believed to be a trace of Dende Siti Fatimah, the princess of Selaparang land.
The Bepupek ritual was flooded with people from all walks of life, from children, teenagers, and adults to the elderly. In this activity, religious, community, customary, and local policymakers were also present.
Bepupek itself is an effort to ask the Almighty for protection to be kept away from all dangers. By saying prayers while wetting the head with water from the sacred well of the Jamiq Nurussalam Sesela mosque.
The event was coupled with a recitation on the history of Sesela village delivered by TGH. Munajib Kholid is a religious figure. In his speech, Mr. Munajib Kholid invited the community to be proud of being a Sesela villager who has various cultural loci and treasures of local knowledge.
"We must be proud to be citizens of the Sesela village community filled with scholars who are a light in the community and all the richness of its traditions and culture," he said.
In addition, residents enthusiastically followed the torch parade from Sesela Village to the sacred tomb to invite residents to flock to the Bepupek activity at the Sesela sacred tomb.
This activity is carried out every year and has become an annual agenda for residents initiated by the Ampure Sesela Community since 2018. This cultural space is also a vehicle for preserving and maintaining the next generation about its treasures.
Ahmad Ijtihad, Chairman of the Committee, explained that "Bepupek is a tradition and wealth owned by the Sesela village community, through this tradition, we try to build collective awareness that the wealth of cultural treasures must be preserved," he concluded.
The Bepupek ritual is one of the series in the opening ceremony of Sesela's 143rd Village Anniversary in 2023 as a form of honoring the ancestors by visiting their graves and offering dhikr and prayers.
With this kind of cultural movement every year, the religious leaders, youth, and those involved in the cultural action in Sesela hope that it will be an inspiration for other groups and especially for local residents so that they always have awareness and pride in preserving their culture and maintaining a good history that is stored full of meaning in their homeland. (Ahmad Ijtihad)