Commemorating World Earth Day every April 22 is not just about planting trees and throwing rubbish in its place. We can do many ways or forms of thanksgiving to the earth for everything it has given us daily. One of them is by carrying out cultural traditions to thank the earth for providing us with abundant blessings.

Protecting the earth and nature is an obligation for everyone because a well-maintained natural condition is essential to a tourist destination. In other words, well-maintained nature will attract many tourists.

The good news is that awareness of protecting the earth has become part of the lives of Indonesian people. Local people across Indonesia have been carrying out many traditions from every region, generation after generation, as a form of gratitude to the earth. One of them, which is quite popular, is the tradition of giving thanks to Dewi Sri.

According to Kompas.com, for the people of Java and Bali, Dewi Sri is the Goddess of Agriculture or Rice, also known as a symbol of life. Local people carry out the tradition of worshiping Dewi Sri as a form of giving thanks and asking for good and abundant harvests.

However, the tradition of protecting the earth and "giving thanks" to nature is not only related to Dewi Sri's rituals. Each region in Indonesia has unique traditions that are practiced to preserve nature and express gratitude to the earth. Here are some of them:

Wiwitan Tradition

The figure of Dewi Sri is closely tied to various traditions of Javanese society, including the Wiwitan tradition, which Javanese people observe before the rice harvest. According to belief, this tradition is performed to express gratitude for the bountiful harvest.

The Wiwitan tradition begins with saying a prayer and continues with cutting as a symbol of readiness for harvest. After that, this tradition continues by distributing the prepared food to the entire local community and eating it together.

Jatiluwih Festival

When we talk about Jatiluwih Village, Bali, we will probably only remember the beauty of Subak Jatiluwih, which UNESCO named an intangible cultural heritage in 2012. Another attraction of Jatiluwih Village is the Jatiluwih Festival.

This traditional festival combines traditional culture and the arts, performing arts, fine arts, and musical arts, and exhibits creative products typical of Jatiluwih. According to belief, the Jatiluwih tradition is carried out as a form of thanksgiving for the availability of food on earth, especially the rice supply.

Photo: Arrangements in the Ngertakeun Bumi Lamba Tradition (Shutterstock/dani daniar)

Nertakeun Bumi Lamba

Apart from giving thanks for food supplies and harvests, West Java also actively maintains a tradition of protecting the earth, which continues today. This tradition is known as the "Ngertakeun Bumi Lamba" tradition, or the ceremony of carrying out the elders' message by entrusting three mountains as natural nails (treated as holy places). The three mountains are Mt Tangkuban Perahu, Mt Wayang, and Mt Gede.

The Ngertakeun Bumi Lamba tradition manifests the harmonious relationship between humans, nature, and the Creator. This aligns with the Sundanese people's philosophy of life, "Mulasara Buana", or preserving the universe while maintaining natural balance from various behaviors that tend to overexploit nature.

Paca Goya

The tradition of caring for and thanking the earth that is no less interesting is the Paca Goya tradition carried out by the people of Kalaodi Village, Tidore. In Tidore, Paca Goya is considered a sacred cleansing place. This tradition has been upheld for generations as a form of gratitude to the Almighty for the abundant harvest. Apart from that, the Paca Goya tradition also reminds Kalaodi residents not to damage or overexploit nature. Local people adhere to the "Bobeto" oath as a form of commitment, which means "whoever destroys nature, nature will destroy."

Buka Egek

Another tradition of protecting the earth in Indonesia is "Buka Egek." This tradition, carried out by the Moi Tribe, Papua, protects nature by taking enough and not exploiting natural resources excessively.

Interestingly, in the Buka Egek tradition, several types of natural resources are prohibited from being exploited by anyone for a certain period, between 6 and 12 months. This prohibition was made so that several natural resources have the opportunity to develop and be well maintained.

There are many exciting ways to celebrate World Earth Day while maintaining traditions that have been practiced for generations, right?

Cover: The iconic statue of Dewi Sri in Jatiluwih Village, Bali (Shuttestock/Timmy L)