Eid al-Adha Unique Celebrations in Indonesia

Like Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Adha is also Islam’s most important holiday celebrated by Muslims worldwide, including Indonesia, one of the countries with the largest Muslim population.

This holiday is related to the Hajj, the Muslim’s annual pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Muslims who do not conduct the Hajj are suggested to slaughter livestock such as cows, buffalos, and sheep as an act of sacrifice.

The meat will be distributed afterward to people living nearby to show gratitude for the blessings God Almighty gave. Then, the meat would be processed into numerous dishes like satay and meat curry to be enjoyed together.

Did you know that, apart from the festival of sacrifice, many places in Indonesia also have unique ways to celebrate Eid al-Adha?

These celebrations are long-standing and have become lasting cultural heritages. If you do not know where you should spend this long holiday, below is a list of regions along with their unique Eid al-Adha celebrations that you can visit. Do you recognize any of the regions? Let’s find out!

5 Unique Eid al-Adha Celebrations

Gamelan Sekaten, Cirebon

This celebration presumably came from Sunan Gunung Jati’s legacy of spreading Islamic teachings in Java, specifically in West Java. Gamelan Sekaten parade is always held to celebrate Eid al-Adha and other important religious holidays in Cirebon.

If you want to go to Cirebon, don’t miss out on the great fun of this legendary celebration live. Gamelan Sekaten is held around Keraton Kasepuhan Cirebon after the Sultan leaves Masjid Agung Sang Cipta Rasa.

Apitan, Semarang

Best known for its history, Semarang has many celebrations to check out. One of them is Apitan which is held during Eid al-Adha.

Apitan comprises a series of prayers to express gratitude for blessings and fortune given by the God Almighty. This celebration also entails a procession in which people carry livestock and crops.

For a more immersive experience, you can join the crowd to fight over the crops and livestock carried during the procession. That said, do stay safe while having fun!

Grebeg Gunungan, Yogyakarta

Having legendary rich culture and being known as the city of education, Yogyakarta is another city with unique Eid al-Adha celebrations. Akin to Apitan tradition in Semarang, the people also hold a procession of carrying crops to show gratitude for God’s blessings.

The difference lies in how they arrange the crops and fruits. They are put into three interesting gunungan or mountain-shape offerings. These offerings are carried in a procession, starting from the palace and ending at the Kauman Great Mosque.

Jemur Kasur, Banyuwangi

People in Banyuwangi, East Java, also uniquely celebrate Eid al-Adha. Such a celebration is held before Eid al-Adha. Jemur Kasur, which means placing mattresses under the sun, constitutes a tradition to repel calamity and maintain the family’s harmony.

This tradition is carried out, particularly by the Osing, an indigenous ethnic group from Kemiren Village, Glagah. Also known as Mape Kasur, the tradition starts with the Gandrung dance and then follows up with placing the mattress under the sun. So unique, no?

Meugang, Aceh

The last celebration comes from the westernmost province of Indonesia, namely Aceh. The people of Aceh perceive Meugang, or cooking together, as their way of expressing gratitude towards God’s blessings.

This celebration has been done for a long time, since the era of the Aceh Kingdom. In this celebration, livestock is slaughtered and the meat is evenly distributed to the people. Afterward, people cook the meat and then enjoy the dishes together. Sounds like a lot of fun, don’t you think?

Those are some of the unique, popular Eid al-Adha celebrations in Indonesia. Have you decided which celebration to attend during this Eid al-Adha? Wherever you go and whichever celebration you want to attend, you can use car and bus rentals from TRAC to keep you safe and sound during your trips.

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