It is familiar to us that Indonesia is very rich. Yes, Indonesia is rich in islands, tribes, characteristics, traditions, language, culture, and natural resources. One thing that cannot be forgotten about Indonesia is its rich history and culture. In Pancasila, as a guideline for our country, people are required to be religious. There are 6 religions officially recognized by the state, such as Islam, Christianity, Catholicism, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Confucianism. However, before the spread of this official religion, various beliefs had been practiced in different regions in Indonesia. This is due to the influence of geography and history. Can you ensure that all these local beliefs are well known in Indonesian society? And is this local belief recognized by the government? Let’s discuss it!
Baca juga: Religion – Local Beliefs and Their Lack of Recognition.
What Local Belief is
Local belief is a legacy of faith from previous people for future generations. Regional views exist because of the influence of a habit in life in a different area in Indonesia. For that, Indonesia, which stretches from Sabang to Merauke, will automatically be rich in trust. Many local beliefs exist in Indonesia. We will discuss 3 of the biggest ones: Sunda Wiwitan, Kejawen, and Kaharingan.
First, let’s discuss the Wiwitan Sundanese belief. Sunda Wiwitan is a belief that has been held by the Sundanese people for hundreds of years ago. This belief can currently be found in Kuningan, Kanekes area: Banten, Naga village, Cirebon, and Cigugur. Sunda Wiwitan believes in and worships the spirits of their ancestors as sacred figures. Besides, they also have a God called Sang Hyang Kersa. Some of the traditions of this belief are also influenced by elements of Islam and Hinduism.
Next, the belief held by the Javanese community is called Kejawen. Unlike the Sundanese Wiwitan, which has One God, the Kejawen faith still adheres to the main religion that is recognized in Indonesia. So the Javanese people still have religion in general and carry out the beliefs recognized by the Javanese as Javanese natives who are obedient to their ancestors. They believe that their faith is not a religion. 4 things must be done when they are alive: a Javanese man must be able to be a gift for himself, they must also be a blessing for his family, humans as a gift for others, and the universe.
Apart from the belief in Java, Kaharingan is one of the beliefs originating from Kalimantan. The followers of this belief mostly come from the Dayak tribe. Kaharingan has a God called Ranying. They also have their own place of worship, which is called Balas Basarah. Kaharingan is still the scope of Hinduism, but they cannot be equated with other religions because they still have original traditions.
What Should We Do
However, not all people in Indonesia knows about this diversity of beliefs. And also, in previous years, the government still did not pay attention to people who had religions other than the 6 great faiths in Indonesia. Thus, it is difficult for followers of local beliefs to mingle and find state facilities such as education, employment and recognition of their thoughts. However, after the decision of the constitutional court Number 97 / PUU-XIV / 2016, the Constitutional Court decided that local beliefs were recognized by the state and could be included in the KTP column. So, for those who have local beliefs, their KTP will be written “Kepercayaan Kepada Tuhan YME.”
Now, with this regulation, it is our duty as Indonesians to respect each other. Living with tolerance in society must be instilled from yourself. With an attitude of tolerance, the Indonesian state itself will be safe, peaceful and prosperous. It is permissible to justify our own beliefs but not to consider other beliefs to be wrong. Because in truth, no religion or belief will mislead the people. All religions must lead their people to goodness. If there is a problem involving religion, it must only be a politics involving religion. Actions like this are not right. For that, live our lives according to what we believe but must not forget to respect each other. Smart humans are those who are wise and appreciate something.
Writer: Atikah Rahmi
Student of Sampoerna University
