MEGENGAN TRADITION AS THE PEKALONGAN BATIK LABOURS’ HOLIDAY

Abstract

Megengan is characteristic of Muslims in Java as a form of respect for Islam. There is no special order regarding the use of Islam itself. But the order to share, maintain friendship, and do dhikr or prayer is exemplified in Islam. Megengan is the essence of Islamic values which are packaged in a tradition with the name megengan. Each region has its own procedures for carrying out megengan. Until now Megengan continues to be preserved and is inherent in Javanese society because Megengan has an important meaning to hold back the passions during the month of Ramadan. East Java cannot be separated from Megengan's culture. In the Magetan area there is a Kenduri culture which is held in conjunction with Islamic holidays such as Mauludan, 1 Muhharam (suran), and of course Megengan, as well as other Islamic holidays. In Surabaya Megengan is carried out towards the last week of the month of Sya'ban and carries out various activities ranging from pilgrimage to the tomb of elders. In Tulungagung, Megengan is called the Megengan slametan. This Slametan Megengan was held for the last 10 days in the month of Sya'ban / Ruwah to ask Allah to be given physical and spiritual strength in facing and carrying out fasting in the month of Ramadan. Just like in Surabaya, Slametan Megengan was carried out to send prayers or pray for the ancestors who died. As the time goes by, the tradition itself has begun to be a bit abandoned and experienced changes. The change was caused by the development of science, as well as from the environment in the area where it was held. Because most of Pekalongan residents work as laborers, whether they are factory workers, or batik laborers, well, they have a habit of taking a holiday every Friday, but in an invisible way it is misused by their batik investors. In fact, they cannot use their wages to have fun on Friday which is an ineffective day to be used as a holiday, this is because on Friday the Muslims conduct Friday prayers. On Sundays which are generally an effective day for holidays even workers cannot use their wages to have fun because they have to work. This is discrimination for workers who do not have the opportunity to use their wages to please themselves. So in the celebration of Megengan, the workers were 'revengeful' by using their wages to the maximum to buy all kinds of necessities, Therefore, this research is aimed at examining workers' discrimination by investors, where this gap makes the people of Pekalongan look different from other cities in carrying out celebrations of the tradition of megengan.