Begito Ceremony

The word “gito” is derived from Sanskrit word “gita” that means song. A song is always performed in this traditional ceremony that purposes to strengthen brotherhood between two families. While the song itself, as believed by the local residents, would bring safety to all participants of the ceremony. Therefore, whenever and wherever the ceremony is held, the song, called lagu or gito, must be accompanied it until the end of rites, and eventually the ceremony is called begito.

There are two important concepts of the ceremony, namely gito and begito. At the beginning of its emergence, gito means lagu (song), but later it was changed into relative, while begito referred to the process during the gito ceremony (the ceremony held to adopt one person or more to be a relative). Thus, begito is a person who participates in such ceremony of adat (ethnic tradition) to adopt brothers or sisters who have no blood relationship before. Despite no blood relationship among them, after conducting the ceremony, the two sides of participants will become one relative as if they were born in one family. This ceremony is only found in the adat (ethnic tradition) of Pelalawan district, the province of Riau, Indonesia. This portal explains the details of the adat ceremony of begito upheld regularly until this present day

1. Equipment

• A bowl to hold blood from two sides of the participants.
• A plaited mat and a pillow.

2. Way of Performing the Ceremony

There are two ways that one of which is elected to be performed in the begito ceremony:

1. Exchanging the blood within which the participants pierce their fingers to make them bleeding and to mixture their blood as a symbol of loyalty in the world and hereafter. Sometimes the ceremony takes another form whereby the participants drip the blood into the bowl. The blood is then stirred together, and washed to their body, and even drunk despite just a little.
2. Another way is practiced in a distinctive form. Both participants sit on one pillow laid on the plaited mat. This phase is called “selapik seketiduran, sebantal setali darah”. The two persons then say an oath, called pergitoan, to promise to each other to be intimate brothers. This phase strengthens their brotherhood as mentioned in the following saying: “apabila sudah bergito, yang jauh menjadi dekat, yang renggang menjadi rapat, yang kawan menjadi kerabat, yang saudara bertambah erat” (bergito makes a distant man to be close friend; a loose person to be intimate friend; a friend to be relative; and a relative to be intimate brother). In other words, “apabila gito sudah diikat, di situlah saudara dunia akhirat” (if the gito is tied, the two persons become intimate brothers of the world and hereafter).

3. Cultural Value

Begito is an inherited tradition practiced by all levels of social class whether kings, aristocrats or ordinary people. This tradition can be revealed by studying the history of Pelalawan kingdom. It is noted in historical legacy that Sultan Assyadisyarif Abdurrahman, the ruler of Pelalawan kingdom (1798-1822 CE), conducted the begito ceremony with the previous king, Maharaja Lela II (1775-1798 CE). The sultan then titled the only son of Mahareja Lela II with Datuk Engku Raja Lela Putera that was eventually used by his descendents. This begito ceremony brought the leadership within the kingdom running harmonically. The two families lived in strong brotherhood by which a bad prejudice was ignored from both sides. The relation between the two families was strengthened by marriage relation among their descendents.

There are some taboos and prohibitions that should be adhered by both sides after conducting the begito ceremony:

• One side should not hurt another
• One side should not disturb another
• One side should not slander another
• One side should not be envy to another

Begito suggests both sides to help each other, to encourage practicing good deeds, and to be loyal whether in sorrow or happiness. They have very beautiful saying in describing the mutual relation within the begito brotherhood, “hidup seaib dan semalu, hidup senasib dan sepenanggungan, seiya sekata muka belakang, tolong menolong tiada berkelang” (we live in one destination, one word, and never ending help).

All above indicate that the begito ceremony places a central dynamic ethnic tradition of Pelalawan community. Cultural values involved within the ceremony have a deep meaning; the brotherhood relation is perceived as strong and sacred as that of the real brother. Although there were not born in one family, the members of both families are prohibited to marry each other. But if one intends strongly to marry one member of his begito family, he should conduct a certain rite in order to redeem his marriage. It can be said that the begito ceremony is a means whereby the members of Pelalawan community strengthen their cultural and emotional brotherhood by which the solidarity, harmony and security within the community could be actualize comprehensively.

4. Prayers

The data of this sub-title have not still been found

Sources :

1. www.sinarharapan.co.id
2. …., Upacara Adat Begito dan Peletakan Batu Asas Istana Sayap Pelalawan,…., Pangkalan Kerinci, 2003.

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