Homecoming is a sacred phenomenon for lower-income groups. They feel obligated to return home during Idul Fitri to release homesickness as well as show their achievements.
By
REBIYYAH SALASAH, AYU NURFAIZAH, STEPHANUS ARANDITIO
·5 minutes read
FAKHRI FADLURROHMAN
Homecomers are crowded when they enter the ship at Tanjung Priok Port, North Jakarta, Saturday (15/4/2023). The Ministry of Transportation and PT Indonesian National Shipping (Pelni) are holding a free Lebaran 2023 mudik (homecoming, exodus) from Jakarta to Semarang. Until now, around 8,078 passengers and 3,568 motorbikes have been registered as participating in the free mudik program.
Like other nomads, the underprivileged people who live on the outskirts of the city also go on traditional mudik or homecoming trips to celebrate Idul Fitri in their villages. Money accumulated over a year of hard work can be used up in a week. But it does not matter because gathering with family members and relatives, paying respects to parents and tasting food in the village are priceless.
As the sun began to fall on the western horizon, Tamsari (47) rested for a moment at a shop near the Kramatjati Market vegetable stall, East Jakarta, on Saturday (8/4/2023). While stretching his legs, the porter counted the money he earned after working for four hours starting at 12:00. Three of his fellow porters sat next to him.
He estimated that each porter in his group had pocketed Rp 50,000 (US$3.50) since morning. The amount may increase because they work until midnight.
"It's just counting the days to go home. Now I focus on collecting money to buy small gifts and provisions for the trip," said the porter who will go on mudik (exodus) to his village in Batang, Central Java.
According to the plan, the father of two children will go home together with about 50 other porters from Batang who also work in the Kramatjati market. They will depart on Wednesday (19/4) by renting a bus. Each person is charged Rp 200,000 as a fare to go to their hometown. They have been going on mudik together for several years, except during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Tamsari will bring about Rp 5 million, which he has saved for a long time. However, this amount does not include expenses for bus fares, other public transportation costs to their villages, buying travel provisions and small gifts. For these, he has to spend at least Rp 500,000.
REBIYYAH SALASAH
Tamsari (47), a porter from Batang, Central Java, carries the vegetables purchased by the buyer to the buyer's vehicle at the Kramat Jati Central Market, East Jakarta, Wednesday (8/3/2023).
The money he will spend is not that much considering his wife and children live in the village.
“Usually I bring fruit home. Buy a box of Santang oranges and longan. Later the fruit will be shared with relatives and neighbors," said Tamsari.
Apart from collecting money and buying small gifts, said Tamsari, there were no other preparations for the Idul Fitri celebration in his village. He acknowledged he was always enthusiastic about going home because he would be reunited with his family members, whom he has not seen for two months.
“Returning home for Idul Fitri is different. Idul Fitri celebration in the village is always crowded; everyone gathers, everyone meets each other," he said.
For Leni Suryani (39), a domestic worker who has lived in Jakarta for 10 years, going on mudik for Idul Fitri in her village in Rawalo, Banyumas, Central Java, is her annual agenda. These days, her mind is already in the village, even though she will only be allowed to take leave by her employer on Tuesday (18/4), at the peak of the homecoming trips.
This year, Leni and her two siblings who also work in Jakarta will go on mudik together by renting a car. They intend to leave for Banyumas before maghrib time to avoid traffic jams, which often occur after iftar.
The mother of one child has experienced going home with various modes of transportation, from trains, buses, rental cars, to motorbikes. In fact, she experienced 16 hours on the road during the Brexit traffic jam tragedy in 2016. Only the COVID-19 pandemic could keep Leni from going home; and even then, only in 2020 when the outbreak started.
STEPHANUS ARANDITIO
Leni Suryani (39), a domestic worker when met at the Jala PRT Office, South Jakarta, Sunday (16/4/2023).
Social obligations
"If you don't go home, it's not perfect. Idul Fitri is celebrated only once a year; even if you don't have money, you have to go home. This is the moment we have been waiting for after Ramadan. So just let the THR [holiday allowance] run out; come back later, look for more [money]," said Leni enthusiastically.
For Leni, the Idul Fitri prayers, greetings to parents and meeting with people from the same village are very precious moments. Therefore, going on mudik is a tradition as well as a form of respect for those who have cared for them from birth.
”Without their prayers and blessings, it would be impossible for us to make it to this point. While your parents are still around, go home," said Leni. She has also missed the tradition of cooking ketupat (rice wrapped in palm leaves), opor ayam (chicken stew with coconut gravy), curried goat and rendang with the women in her village.
If you don't bring something home, it's like something is missing, like you don't have Idul Fitri.
To make her mudik trip go smoothly, Leni sets aside her salary every month. She spends all the THR allowance from the employer for her homecoming trip. The money is used to buy gifts, such as new clothes for children, their parents and cakes. Some will be given to children in the village as presents.
“If you don't bring something home, it's like something is missing, like you don't have Idul Fitri. Every month I save and it will be used up in one week of Idul Fitri. It's okay; when it's finished, the fortune will come again," said Leni, laughing.
According to a sociologist at the National University in Depok, West Java, Sigit Rochadi, homecoming is a sacred phenomenon for lower-income groups. They feel obligated to return home during Idul Fitri to release homesickness as well as show their achievements.
“There is a kind of social obligation for migrants to return home to show their existence to their siblings. The pinnacle of their life in the city is homecoming. They feel guilty if they don't go home," said Sigit.
On the one hand, he added, from an economic point of view, the spending for mudik can actually be used to improve their economic condition. However, because of the strong social sense of Indonesian people, they are willing to go home anyway.
This article was translated by Hendarsyah Tarmizi.
