Traditional rituals have been revitalised in terms of meaning and function in this globalisation era. This includes the barong ider bumi ritual (travelling the earth) among the indigenous people from Kemiren village, Glagah sub-district, Banyuwangi regency, East Java.
Ketut Darmana, lecturer in Anthropology of Faculty of Literature and Culture of Udayana University said the revitalisation in the rituals was made to survive and grow dynamically in line with the time. This ritual functions as a tool to resolve crisis in man’s cycle of life.
"The barong ider bumi ritual is believed to be able to guarantee life free of epidemics, such as incurable diseases , sudden death without a clear reason, fatal pests, and other diseases,” he said during his open doctoral examination at Faculty of Cultural Sciences of Universitas Gadjah Mada.
The ritual is also believed to be able to overcome epidemics coming from the real world, such as conflicts in the neighbourhood, household conflicts, and other social problems that lead to the loss of harmony between society.
"The hosting of this ritual is seen as able to revive the spirit of sharing and harmony as a tool to resolve social conflicts,” he said.
Darmana explained the ritual was able to record all values adhered to by the local people that use them as a reference for life. Thus, in this modern context, the stance to sustain and revitalise rituals in line with the changing time is understandable.