Difficult for us to "Officially" Get Married

Despite all the various awards they have received, the Sunda Wiwitan community in Cigugur, Kuningan regency, West Java, are still experiencing discrimination. One of them is marriage not being recognized by the state.

KOMPAS/RINI KUSTIASIH

Dozens of dancers performed Buyung Dance in front of the Paseban Tri Panca Tunggal courtyard, Cigugur District, Kuningan Regency, Tuesday (6/10), at the peak of the Seren Taun event held by Sundanese Wiwitan followers.

Ahead of their wedding, Ajat Sudrajat, 26, and Anih Kurniasih, 21, were overcome with worry. The pledge of the couple, both Indonesian citizens, is in danger of not being recognized by the state.

"If the marriage cannot be registered at the Religious Affairs Office (KUA), we will be disappointed. It\'s the right of all citizens. Why is it made difficult for minorities such as us? In fact, we carry out our obligations as citizens," said Ajat, Saturday (29/5/2021). Ajat and Anih are followers of Sunda Wiwitan, a belief system that follows the spiritual teachings of Sundanese ancestors. Even though it existed before the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia (NKRI), the Karuhun Urang Customary (Akur) community of Sunda Wiwitan has not been fully recognized by the state.

That is why Ajat and Anih\'s wedding, which is planned for next year, almost certainly will only be registered according to the customary practice. Just like the marriage of his brother two years ago and his parents about two decades ago. There is no marriage certificate.

Also read: ‘Native-faith’ Followers Still Marginalized

It has far-reaching implications. For example, both of them will have difficulty obtaining their family card and birth certificates if they have children. Even if there is a certificate, in it there will be written sentences such as "the child of a woman who has been recognized by a man as his father".

Not infrequently, the processing of their marriage is like a ping pong ball, being thrown between the district office and the Population and Civil Registration Office of Kuningan regency. "The question is always the same, ‘What does Sunda Wiwitan mean’?" said Ajat, whose ID card shows only a flat line in the “religion” column.

Kompas

Women representatives of survivors of native faiths pray together at the Constitutional Court, Jakarta, Wednesday (3/8).

The stigma later emerged because the marriage was not recognized by the state. Without a marriage certificate, Ajat will also not enjoy a family allowance after marriage.

In their daily life, the Akur community of the Sunda Wiwitan live in harmony with Cigugur residents of different religions. In one house sometimes there are several beliefs.

Various awards are evidence, such as the Appreciation of the 2019 Pancasila Achievement by the Pancasila Ideology Development Agency and the Award Certificate from the Education and Culture Ministry to the Sunda Wiwitan elder, Pangeran Djatikusumah, as the preserver of the custom. Unfortunately, these awards do not necessarily mean that the marriage of Ajat and Anih, as well as other believers, will be registered by the state.

In fact, according to Dewi Kanti, girang pangaping (advisor) of the Akur community of the Sunda Wiwitan, marriage in her community is a sacred thing that can only be separated by death. There are many stages before the marriage. It will take at least six months to complete, longer than the prenuptial guidance at the KUA.

Separated due to religion

Junedi Suprianto, 25, a young Kaharingan worshiper from Tumbang Saan village, Murung Raya regency, Central Kalimantan, once experienced depression when his lover left him. They separated because of differences in religion and belief.

When he studied at university, Junedi met a girl who had different beliefs. When they started dating, the girl did not have a problem with Junedi\'s background. She was even willing to go to his village to join his family to worship at home and Balai Basarah, where Kaharingan followers do their worship services.

KOMPAS/DIONISIUS REYNALDO TRIWIBOWO

The basir or Kaharingan religious leaders, who are the indigenous Dayak religion, are performing balian or traditional ceremonies calling the spirits of their ancestors to join in the thanksgiving ceremony and also refusing reinforcements, Thursday (8/8/2019), in Tangkahen Village, Pulang Pisau Regency.

As time went by the relationship continued seriously. Disaster struck when the girl\'s parents refused their marriage plan. They wanted their daughter to marry a man who shared their beliefs.

Junedi insisted to go on, the girl gave up. The two separated. Unfortunately, the girl chose to separate by accepting the proposal of another man without notifying Junedi. Junedi was confused.

This is my religion, Moho Tara my God. If I want to change religion, getting married cannot be the reason.

For two years he could not bear the heartache. He had asked whether this was due to his beliefs.

"In the end I still didn\'t want to change my religion. This is my religion, Moho Tara my God. If I want to change religion, getting married cannot be the reason,” he said.

For Kaharingan adherents, especially Dayak Siang, Moho Tara is God. Just like the Dayak Ngaju who know it as Ranying Hatala Langit, which means the same, God Almighty. They have a holy book called the Book of Panaturan.

Years ago, the chairperson of the central board of Puan Hayati, Dian Jennie Cahyawati, was also forced to marry in a religious manner. As a believer, that is the only way to legally marry. Marriage based on belief in God the Almighty had not been recognized at that time. "This was done by many believers, including myself. That was before the Constitutional Court\'s decision in 2017 [regarding an instruction for inclusion of data on native-faith followers as part of population data]," said Dian.

The difficulty in registering marriage legally is only one of the problems faced by the believers. There is still a series of other dark memories of them, ranging from the burning of places of worship, sealing and bullying, to community rejection. There is still much work to be done to eradicate intolerance of minorities in Indonesia.

This article was translated by Hyginus Hardoyo.