Annual ritual of gembel hair cutting was held yesterday 1st July 2012. The ritual was led by Mbah Naryono, the head of local adat. There were 5 children cut in this ritual. Many enthusiasts come to Dieng Plateau to see this event.Gembel hair cutting ritual is held to help parents with gembel hair to hold ritual which is considered as expensive and as well to boost local tourism.

Gembel or natural dreadlock or rasta hair is a one and only phenomenon in the world. Gembel starts to grow when Dieng children is one or two years old followed by fever until the gembel hair grows. Gembel hair is believed to be commended by Nini Ronce Kala Prenye for girl and for boy is commended by Ki Kolodete. On cutting ritual usually the children will have request which should be prepared parents on the cutting day.

The ritual was started from the head of local adat house and then proceed to Darmacala site at Dieng Plateau nearby Pandawa temple complex. At Darmasala complex, the five gembel children were bathed with flower. Afterwards the cutting ritual which was held at Pandawa temple complex, notably in front of Yudhistira temple.

When the cutting process was ongoing, the children was umbrella-ed as in that very time, and the children are considered in a spiritually danger situation. The gembel hair then cut by local figures. In front of the temple, there are various offering and provision such as bucu or tumpeng with local crops, ayam ingkung, traditional cookies, various water in cups, rice, fruits and many more. Including the main condition, the request of the children such as bicycle, goat, and rooster.

Tumpeng made of local crops then was then contested by the audiences. They believe that the offering could give them blessing. Few people having children asked for rice of offering to elder for blessing.

After the cutting ritual then few village elders brought fruit, rice, and hairs to Warna Lake to be drown. This final sequence was started by a prayer and incense lighting.

Gembel Hair Cutting Ritual Exclusive Photos

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