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Launching Padaw Tuju Dulung Procession at XIII Iraw Tengkayu Festival
WINDONESIA October 13, 2024
The Padaw Tuju Dulung procession ready to head to the land and sea border on the coast of Amal Beach in Tarakan City, North Kalimantan. (Tribun Kaltara/Andi Pausiah)
The procession of lowering and launching the Padaw Tuju Dulung vessel at the peak of the XIII Iraw Tengkayu Festival at Amal Beach in Tarakan City, North Kalimantan Province on Oct. 6, 2024, has the meaning of a party at sea party in remembrance of the Tarakan Kingdom's glory.
There were seven people each carrying the left and right sides of the Padaw Tuju Dulung during the procession, as well as 12 people each carrying banners who came from four districts in Tarakan, namely North, West, Central, and East Tarakan. The launching of the boat was accompanied by 30 hadrah players from East Tarakan District and five shamans from the Tidung Ulun Pagun Tarakan Traditional Customs Institution.
"The Iraw Tengkayu event in celebration of [Tarakan City's] anniversary has a lot of philosophy in relation to the calendar, including the number seven for seven days, the number 12 for the number of months, and the number 30 for the number of days in a month," Datu Norbeck, a Tarakan cultural figure and director for the Padaw Tuju Dulung launching ceremony, stated.
He added that Padaw Tuju Dulung is a boat with a distinctive shape. The vesselhas a part on it that resembles a house called Meligai, which is used to put in crops and expressions of gratitude.
The shape of the Padaw's bow is three-pronged. The middle bow is stacked in three, while he right and left bows are each stacked in two. There are seven bows for seven days in a week, signifying how human life goes from day to day.
The colors of the boat consist of yellow, green, and red. The top and middle bow of the boat and other equipment above are yellow.
Yellow according to Tidung cultural tradition symbolizes an honor, or something that is exalted or glorified. There is only one yellow bow, simbolyzing that there is only one God as supreme ruler of the universe.
On the boat there are five pillars symbolizing the five daily prayers and the five pillars of Islam. The pillars are where the roof of yellow cloth called pari pare is tied. On the right pole, yellow cloth is attached to the right bow and also to the left bow extending down to the left bow.
Datu Norbeck said the lowering procession went smoothly. At the end of the event after the launch, Jepen Pagun and Beselingkung were performed, a united dance indicating that the lowering procession of the Padaw Tuju Dulung was completed well.
He explained that Iraw itself is a party in a limited sense. In the context of Iraw Tengkayu which was held yesterday, it means a celebration of Tarakan City's birthday on Oct. 8, 2024. That said, the Iraw procession follows the Tarakan City seawater calendar.
From the Tidung cultural perspective, Iraw is an expression of gratitude in celebration of a birthday. In terms of the procession, not much has changed, with the boat launched to the sea then followed by a colossal dance performance, and there are many supporters for the festival.
"When the boat reaches the boundary of land and water, the banners spread out. The ones who carry them then enter the water up to their thighs to put the banners in the water, and then turning them to the left thrice. That procession symbolizes a departure, or the ship being ready to depart," Datu Norbeck explained. The Padaw Tuju Dulung is then launched.
Datu Norbeck also elaborated that yello is the main color, as the most glorified one locally.
"The color green has the meaning of belief or trust, and red means firmness," he continued.
Datu Norbeck also gave his gratitude for the inclusion of Iraw Tengkayu into the Tourism and Creative Economy Ministry's Karisma Event Nusantara Event calendar, adding that competent parties and stakeholders can help preserve and develop the festival in the future.
Source: kaltara.tribunnews.com