Narration by : Busranto Abdullatif Doa
Photography by : Maulana
Translated by : Bobato

Every 1st date of Syawal and the date 10th Zulhijjah month in the Hijriah year, all Muslim group a world carried out Sholat Idul Fitri religious duties and Idul Adha. In spite of that for the available Muslim community in Ternate also had an obligation to carry out these religious duties after a month beforehand carried out the obligatory fast in the Ramadhan month.

The Procession

Gotten by an unique habit that only was in the Ternate environment of the sultanate palace was the activity procession of Sultan who descended from the Palace to carry out id prayer religious duties in the Ternate sultanate mosque that be at a distance around 500 m. from the palace building.

Seen from the corner of this activity report, was a ceremonial habit on the departure of Sultan from the Palace headed towards the Mosque of Ternate Sultanate to carry out the Idul Fitri and Idul Adha holiday . This activity has taken place in the Ternate environment of the sultanate palace for hundreds of years. This procession was in the Ternate language mentioned with the term of “Jou Kolano Uci Sibea”.

Jou Uci Sibea was still continuing to be carried out by the Ternate community till at this time, with the note if at the time of the implementation of the Idul Fitri Holiday and Idul Adha Sultan of Ternate now was in the palace or in the Ternate city. However when Sri Sultan Haji Mudaffar Shah - II in the two public holidays had not been in the place, then this procession was not carried out. The core from the implementation of this procession was the presence Sultan in the middle of his people who was loyal and was ready always to accompany Sultan’s party headed towards the mosque. (the people was meant to be the Ternate community of the traditional environment, they are usually mentioned with the term of “Bala Kusu se Canoe-Kano”).

Usually, three or two days before the implementation of the Id Prayer, all equipment and all the requirements that were needed in this procession has been prepared fully by the Sadaha Kadato that was led by a person of Sowohi that also was helped by Morinyo (the Adjutant the Sultan) and Alfiris (the Task Force). The preparations activity that they were done take the form of:

1. Carried out the co-ordination with Mahimo (the Village Head) to make an announcement that Sultan at this time was in the palace and will carry out the id prayer in the Mosque of Ternate Sultanate including the community in the Hiri island and the Jailolo coast.
2. Ascertained the official that carry out tabuh the gamelan and the gong to accompany the party’s trip towards the mosque.
3. Chose the male child totalling 12 people to bring a set of equipment of “Kabasarang Kolano”.
4. The completeness that was imposed (greatness clothes) Sultan.
5. The greatness umbrella of the Sultanate (3).
6. The special seat that was used to carry Sultan (ditandu).
7. Gamelan equipment to accompany Sultan’s party towards the mosque.
8. The Khatib stick to be used when rising to the platform during delivered preached.
9. The tray to place the text book of the sermon.
10. The white tablecloth the cover of the Tray.
11. A set of equipment of “Kabasarang Kolano”, that consist of:

a). The Greatness stick of the Sultanate.
b). The Kesultanan flag, that was acknowledged as “Paji Goheba Ma-Dopolo Romdidi”.
c). The place of Sultan’s saliva.
d). Sultan’s Copper helmet.
e). The Greatness sword.
f). Bross Sultan.
g). The place washed Tangan from Copper.
h). The Penang place/Betel. I). Etc.

12. Carried out the co-ordination with the side of the palace chef to prepare ate adequate in accordance with the need to eat just sufficient after the implementation of the id prayer in the sultanate mosque.

The Procession to the Mosque

The determination of the attendance of the date 1 month syawal in the Hijriah year in Ternate was appointed with produced by Ruk’yat that was done since the evening. Traditionally, ruk’yat was monitored from the Ruwa village the Ternate island that appear before to the west, because of the Ternate city was in the east coast the Ternate island. The Ruk’yat implementation was carried out by the combination of several officials from the Ternate sultanate mosque, the official from the Heku mosque and several other mosques in Ternate.

The official who carried out the task of the observer ruk’yat this usually spent the night in the Ruwa village and came back after the sunrise prayer by the morning. The latest news from results ruk’yat this was sent in by the morning all through the village in order to be known by the community by using the symbol of the sign. If their observation brought results then the symbol language that was sent was “Kate-Kate” (= the date 1 Syawal month came), whereas the monitoring did not bring results, including because of the overcast weather, then they mentioned him “Moa” (= straight, his intention not there are those that could be seen).

The community that wants to carry out the id prayer in the sultanate mosque usually after the direct subuh prayer in a crowd departed from his house headed towards the palace. Pakain that is put on by the traditional community in Ternate usually coloured and plain without the motive or illustrated. The cover of the head that was used to carry out the id prayer in the sultanate mosque berfariasi, there were those who used the black cap, the pilgrim’s cap (white), Tuala Lipa Batik, but most that used Tuala Lipa Kuraci (was yellow, that was the identity of Ternate sultanate heroism that already eksis since hundreds last year).

Around struck 06,00 WIT, Bobato Akhirat (the Moslem Council) that was headed by a person of Kadhi or was often greeted by Jo’ Kalem as well as his subordinate that consisted of 5 great priests in the sultanate mosque (the Priest Jiko, Imam Java, Imam Sangadji, Imam Moti, and the Priest the Nation) by continuing to express the echo of Takbir, while rising to the ladder of the palace to appear before the Sultan while reporting that all readiness has for the implementation of the id prayer been prepared fully, was kept being waiting for the presence of Sri Sultan.

Now the other officials and the community that already since earlier gathered and waited in the yard of the page of the palace faced the palace balcony so that could with the party headed the mosque. As was explained above, after reporting they were given 1 stick that was used by the preacher when rising to the platform to send his sermon and a Tray that were covered white cloth contained the text of the sermon that will be sent in the mosque platform as well as three greatness umbrellas of the sultanate.

After accepting this equipment, the Sultan afterwards ordered them to precede and be waiting in the ladder. Whereas the stick and the Tray that were covered white cloth at once by the official was carried to the mosque before.

Instantly began to be able to be heard the voice dentingan the gamelan and the gong solved the quiet atmosphere of the community that since for some time was full of wisdom joined this procession. The gamelan that was used till at this time was the only legacy from Zainal Abidin Shah Sultan who governed from the year 1486–1500. The official of the gamelan hammer was the past inheritance, namely them who became the descendants from penabuh the generation beforehand.

Around five minutes after boys the preacher’s stick and the tray descended from the right-hand ladder of the palace balcony, several male children aged 8–12 the year, that dressed very white and the headband was black (lastar) one after the other menuruni the ladder of the palace by bringing Kabasarang Kolano equipment.

That led most front used coloured clothes oranye that led kepompok the bearer Kabasarang Kolano this. He carried the Kebesaran Stick of the Sultanate, along with behind carried the Flag of Kesultanan Ternate that is “Paji Goheba Ma-Dopolo Romdidi”. Afterwards following behind that carried the Place of Sultan’s Saliva, behind still put on the Helmet of Tembaga Sultan, following behind still brought the Place of Penang Betel, afterwards a Pedang Kebesaran et cetera lined up behind as many as 12 children, that symbolised 12 months in the calculation of the Hijriah year.

After the Kabasarang Kolano line of the group of the equipment bearer, just Sri Sultan left the palace, while slow investigated the ladder descended by being guarded by the palace senior figures, and the official who sheltered him for the trip. At the time of walking down the ladder of the palace, all the audience especially to the Kusu Army se canoes took the attitude gave the honour to the Sultan. The position gave the honour to the Sultan and the palace family according to the person’s Ternate tradition was by means of taking the sit position in a focusing manner on the end toes while lifting the two hands that were united in front of the face in a second manner the thumb or the two index fingers was stuck at the end the stick of the nose. The position gave respect like this almost the uniform to each kingdom that once exist in the Indonesian Archipelago. (see the picture in Indonesian posting, before).