The atmosphere of "Meugang" in Aceh. Photo by: Nurul Fahmi (@asianphotograph).
Aceh is an area rich in cultural values. Of the many cultures that exist in Aceh, almost all of them have their uniqueness, such as "Makmeugang" or "Meugang".
"Makmeugang" is a tradition that has been passed down from generation to generation from the ancestors of the Acehnese. This tradition will take place three times a year, ahead of the month of Ramadan, before entering Eid al-Fitr and when welcoming Eid al-Adha.
Every year, "Makmeugang" is celebrated with great fanfare and seems to have become a mandatory meat-eating day for the people of Aceh. It doesn't matter whether he is rich or poor, a kilo of meat is a must on "Meugang" day.
Based on historical data, "Makmeugang" has existed since the time of the Kingdom of Aceh Darussalam. At that time, Sultan Iskandar Muda ordered the palace officials to distribute meat to the people, especially the poor and orphans. This tradition then continues to be inherited by the next leaders, who are now hundreds of years old.
So it is not surprising if on the "Meugang" day we will find it easier to find meat traders along with city and village roads, such as beef, buffalo, or goat. Unlike normal days, meat is only sold in slaughterhouses.
People who can't afford meat will usually use livestock at home to be slaughtered or get meat from generous people to be cooked on "Meugang" day.
Even though it has been going on for a long time, the purpose of "Meugang" is still the same, namely distributing the meat to the community, especially the poor. In addition, "Meugang" is also a form of gratitude for the Acehnese people for the abundance of grace, prosperity, and welfare that has been given by the Almighty.
On "Meugang" day, every people cooks meat and eats it with their families. Meat that has been cooked in various preparations is also distributed to neighbors. Some people are also flocking to the beach and river to celebrate "Meugang" with their families by bringing various types of food from home.
The value of togetherness in the “Meugang” tradition lies not only in distributing meat but also in the way to obtain meat. In the past, before “Meugang” the Acehnese collected money in groups to buy a cow or buffalo according to the amount of money collected. The beef or buffalo that has been slaughtered is then distributed fairly to each member of the group. But now, this method is starting to be abandoned, people prefer to buy meat directly from traders.
The atmosphere of "Meugang" in Aceh. Photo by: Nurul Fahmi (@asianphotograph).
The tradition of eating meat on the day of "Meugang" is carried out by almost all Acehnese people, both low-income and wealthy people. Although the price of meat continues to rise every year, for this year alone, the price of meat is around Rp. 150,000 – Rp. 200,000 per kilogram, but this is not a problem for the Acehnese.
For the people of Aceh, celebrating "Meugang" day is not something that needs to be taken into account in terms of costs. This is clearly illustrated in the Acehnese statement "Tamita sithon, siuroe tapajoh" which means "A year of working to eat well in a day."
"Meugang" teaches the importance of gratitude and sharing with others, so that all people can feel happiness in welcoming the holy month of Ramadan, Eid al-Fitr, and Eid al-Adha.
Thank you for visiting and reading this simple post. Hope it is useful.
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Power of Love
@djunmul
Selamat Meugang!