9

Islam Wetu Telu’s “Pantang Melupakan

Leluhur” as a Cultural Strategy
of Nation-building based on
Historical Consciousness

Fitria Yusrifa* and Muhammad Faisal Nur Ikhsan**

“Pantang Melupakan Leluhur” is one of devotion’s act from Islam Wetu Telu’s believers in
Desa Bayan, Kecamatan Bayan, Kabupaten Lombok Utara, Nusa Tenggara Barat, for the ancestors,
at once as the way of life which makes them survive until now. This study was aiming to seek the
cultural strategy behind the long lasting ancestor values and analyze the historical consciousness of
Islam Wetu Telu’s “Pantang Melupakan Leluhur” by using philosophical hermeneutics method.
The cultural strategy and the historical consciousness in Islam Wetu Telu community relies on the
feeling of fear and responsibility to what have been achieved an inherited by the past ancestor. The
systhesis of spiral and God’s destiny indicate that “Pantang Melupakan Leluhur” in Islam Wetu
Telu Community is an ideal concept that is suitable with the historical movement of Indonesia
contained in the Pancasila as the nation’s identity.
[Keywords : “Pantang Melupakan Leluhur”, Islam Wetu Telu, Philosophy of
history, Historical consciousness, Cultural strategy]

1. Background
Zuhdi (2014 : 27-28) explain that before Islam came into Nusantara, various
local beliefs become the breath of life for the community. The activities
undertaken by people it is not far of belief in the power beyond human beings,
* Faculty of Philosophy, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta (Indonesia) E-mail:
<fyusrifaay@gmail.com>
** Faculty of Philosophy, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta (Indonesia) E-mail:
<mfaisalni@gmail.com>
CONTEMPORARY SOCIAL SCIENCES, Vol. 25, No. 2 (April-June), 2016
86 Fitria Yusrifa and Muhammad Faisal Nur Ikhsan

whether embodied in object or in the universe. Islam was then brought by Arab
and Persian traders which at the time had a pretty good relationship with the
kingdoms of Hindu-Buddhist in Nusantara. Mixing culture and Hindu-Buddhist
religions that came before Islam was inevitable. Similarly, the local beliefs that
existed long before the Hindu-Buddha brought to Nusantara. All the rituals and
practices of worship suffered acculturation between local beliefs and religion
that came afterward. Acculturation is intentionally done, given at the time, local
beliefs and Hindu-Buddhist influence still attached in public life.
Lombok as one of the trading center in the eastern part of Nusantara at that
time, cannot be separated from acculturation between local culture and Islamic
religion brought by the Walis of Java. On Lombok island, there are two variants of
Islam which is diametrically separated, namely Islam Wetu Telu and Islam Waktu
Lima. People over there categorized as Islam Wetu Telu as traditional religion,
while Islam Waktu Lima categorized as samawi’s religion – a religion that came
from God directly. Both of them experienced a strong clash, both in terms of
worship, religious rituals, and the traditional value. Islam Wetu Telu that evolved
in Bayan, North Lombok, lived until today while sticking to the norms and
traditions handed down by their ancestors. Islam Wetu Telu not only using a basis
of Islam as the foundation of their lives, but also run the indigenous tradition and
spiritual values inherited from their ancestors.
Term Wetu Telu is widely known by public through the book of Dr. J. van
Ball which was written in 1940 under the title Pesta Alip di Bayan. Pesta Alip is a
traditional event held once in eight year aimed at preserving the existence of the
tombs of Bayan’s ancestors in the ancient mosque of Bayan. Wetu Telu often
called as ‘sesepen’ by locals, derived from the word ‘sesep’ which means
knowledge or a complete taught. Sesepen often called as a secret knowledge
because not much people can understand it. They who are ready and has a good
intellect is taught and given an early understanding, so they can provide further
thorough understanding for future generations (Budiwanti, 2000 : 8-11).
In the early days of its appearance, Islam Wetu Telu born in the middle of a
traditional society of Sasak, then developed in the middle of the bustle of the
global community. On the other hand, globalization is shaping the paradigm of a
more modern life, and consequently the teachings of the ancestors through the
tradition began to fade. This view of “outdated” is more dominant than the belief
in the advancement of the culture of respect for what has been achieved by an
ancestor in the past and must be conserved. However, Islam Wetu Telu through
Islam Wetu Telu’s “Pantang Melupakan Leluhur” as a Cultural Strategy 87

his philosophy of life: “Pantang Melupakan Leluhur” stays afloat amid the swift
currents of modernity. Based on the background above, this study aims to
explore and explain the history of the early days of Islam Wetu Telu and analyze
the cultural strategy through historical consciousness of Islam Wetu telu on
philosophy of life “Pantang Melupakan Leluhur”.
Research on Islam Wetu Telu is not the first research done. Previous studies
have been done, but no one has addressed the study of the philosophy of history,
specifically “Pantang Melupakan Leluhur” in Islam Wetu Telu. Previous studies
mostly explore the concept of Islam Wetu Telu as a local religion, then analyzed it
through theories of religion and socio-cultural studies. One of them is the
research conducted by Budiwanti (2000) which refers to the ethnographic
approach to look at the facts of social, cultural and community diversity
Bayan. The study also clarified the views that had been circulating in the
community about the clash between Islam Wetu Telu and Islam Waktu Lima.
Another study conducted by Wijono (2009) describes the history of the Boda
Society who occupy Lombok before Islam. The linkage between boda‘s ancestral
with Islam Wetu Telu give significant illustration in exploring Islam Wetu Telu in
Lombok. However, historical studies on research conducted Wijono not been
able to answer the question of the meaning of human history and historicity of
the social structure of Islam Wetu Telu. In other words, this historical study only
refers to the tracking history of the emergence of Islam Wetu Telu
itself. Researchers believe no single research that tries to answer the Cultural
Strategy through the Historical Consciousness “Pantang Melupakan Leluhur”, the
following exploration and its relevance to the concept of development in
Indonesia. Thus, this study is original.
This study can be useful in terms of theory, which is an inventory of the
diversity of cultures that exist in Indonesia, as well as enrich scientific and
philosophical studies on Islam Wetu Telu. Through the undestanding of the
philosophy behind “Pantang Melupakan Leluhur” a practical benefit can be gain to
make a relevance into a nation-building concept based on the human historicity.
For the sake of achievement of the objectives and benefits, as well as the
originality of the work, excavation efforts on the philosophy of “Pantang
Melupakan Leluhur” Islam Wetu Telu in Bayan comunity use the Philosophy of
History as a knife analysis, which of course, in contrast to studies that have been
done before. Philosophy of History analysis is used to explain the theory of
human historicity and view the historical continuity.
88 Fitria Yusrifa and Muhammad Faisal Nur Ikhsan

2. Methods
This study use a hermeneutic-philosophical approach. Researcher collect a
qualitative data through interview and a review of the literature. Interview
techniques aim to obtain data and information of “Pantang Melupakan Leluhur”
Islam Wetu Telu. The literature review led to find supporting data in the study.
Speaker to the interview techniques are divided into two categories, the
primary source and supporting source. The main speaker is the chief or
traditional leader of Bayan comunity, Amaq Riyajim. Raden Sawinggih, as Juru
Kunci of Bayan Beleq ancient mosque and Karyawan as local guide are
interviewed too as the primary source. Some relevant agencies such as
goverment of North Lombok, Head of Tourism, and Head of North Lombok’s
Culture, Youth, and Sport is interviewed as supporting source. This interview
was done on 21 – 26 April 2016.
Another method that held in this research is literature study. The data that
retrieved through literature study then add and compared to related
information. The primary source for this literature study gathered from Islam
Sasak: Wetu Telu versus Waktu Lima written by Erni Budiwanti and article from
Radjimo Sastro Wijono titled Rumah Adat dan Minoritasisasi Masyarakat Buda di
Kabupaten Lombok Utara, Nusa Tenggara Barat. This literature study was
conducted on 1-5 May 2015 and held in Yogyakarta. The processing of all data
can be shown in a table below.
Table-1 : Data Processing Phase

Processing Data Identification Categorization Sintesiation

Stage
Definition Identifying data to Sorting each unit into a Historically seek the link
provide a code on each section which have a between one category to
unit in order to explore common. Then labeled another with methodical
the data unit derived each category. element of historical
from which sources. continuity (Bakker and
Achmad, 1990).
Application Conducting the Data categories in this Wetu Telu periodization
on research transcript of interview study refer to the from their early
and mark the literature exploration of Islam emergence, in Orde
data associated with Wetu Telu and “Pantang Baru, post Orde Baru,
the concept of Melupakan Leluhur” by until today. Then
“Pantang Melupakan considering the data excavated the historical
Leluhur”. obtained from interview linkages to refer its
and literature study. historical significance.

Once data processed, then the data is analyzed using a methodical-

philosophical element consisting of :
Islam Wetu Telu’s “Pantang Melupakan Leluhur” as a Cultural Strategy 89

Verstehen, a method to understand the object of study through insight,

einfuehlung, and emphaty to capture and understand the nature of human
culture, values, symbols, ideas and behavior (Kaelan, 2005: 72). “Pantang
Melupakan Leluhur’s” data is understood in advance by capturing the reality
perceived by the human senses.
Interpretations, is a method for making a meaning contained in reality so
an object of a research can be captured and understood (Kaelan, 2005: 76).
Excavation and interpretation of the meaning of “Pantang Melupakan Leluhur”.
The reality of the ritual system, pilgrimage for example, not merely visiting
ancestral graves, but also appreciate its existence as cultural actors and bequeath
noble values in life today.
Hermeneutics, is a method to search and find the meaning contained in the
object of research in the form of phenomenon of human life, through
understanding and interpretation (Kaelan, 2005 : 80).

3. Results
Budiwanti (2000 : 8-11) explains that based on historical searches, prior to
the entry of foreign influence in Lombok, Boda is a genuine belief Sasak people.
Followers of the teachings called the Sasak Boda. Boda religion of the Sasak
patterned animism and pantheism. The main focus of religious practices of
Sasak-Boda is the worship of ancestral spirits and other local deities.
In the 7th century, Majapahit Kingdom of East Java, expand and
interact with Lombok and introduced the Hindu-Buddhism religion. After the
fall of Majapahit dynasty, Islam enter in the 13th century from the northwest
through the Muslim kings of Java. Makasar people in the 16th century arrived in
east Lombok and propagation the Sunni Islam. They managed to convert almost
all Sasak tribe into Islam, although most of them are still mixing Islam with
non-Islamic local belief.
Balinese Kingdom occupied West Lombok around the 17th century. Bali
government show great wisdom and tolerance to the Sasak tribe by allowing
them to follow their own religion. Nevertheless, under the rule of paganistic
kingdom, Sasak nobles who had converted to Islam was joined together to lead a
lot of small rebellion against Bali.
Tuan Guru as one who lead the rebellion defeated and pushed the nobility
of Sasak to request a military intervention from Dutch Kingdom. When the Dutch
conquered and expelled the kingdom of Bali from Lombok, instead of restoring
90 Fitria Yusrifa and Muhammad Faisal Nur Ikhsan

the political power to Sasak nobles, they just become the new occupiers of Sasak
tribe. At this point, Tuan Guru eventually make Islam as a basis for the
ideological struggle against the Dutch colonialist who considered as an infidels.
Along the Dutch colonial government, Tuan Guru divert their missionary
movement into a local uprising ideological nuances of Islam to beat the Dutch.
Insurgency led by Tuan Guru gained followers increased, and gradually
reduce the influence of nations Sasak largely basing their authority on the
heritage of local traditions. During the era of Dutch colonization, missionary
movement leader Tuan Guru further increase the polarization between Wetu
telu and Time Lima.This polarization is getting narrowed when 30 September
1965 Movement/PKI erupted. The situation that occurred at the time of
cornering existence as a religionWetu telu locally for some communities Lombok
Islamic law has not been able to run perfectly. The situation is triggering a shift in
the ideology of the ancient telu Wetu Wetu towards Islam telu more modern.
This ideological shift can be explained through periodization or
pembabakan era in Islamic societies Wetu telu then analyzed the shape
differences of each period and values of local traditions are still maintained. The
difference of each era can be seen in the following table :
Table-2 : Growth Period Wetu Telu

Aspects of Life Early emergence The New Order Post-New Order

(1400 - 1965) (1966 - 1998) (1998 - present)
Practice Worship Worship prayer done in Worship prayers per- There is no clear
(Salat, Fasting, less than five times a day. formed five times a day. distinction between the
Hajj) followers of Islam and
Some practices of worship The existence of a formal
Islamic telu Wetuformal.
can be represented by clash with Islam that
religious leaders. originated from G30S /
PKI.
Religious Ritual There are shades of Determination of religious Ditto with the new
(Ascension, Eid previous religious holidays by the order.
al-Fitr, Eid al- traditions (Boda). government.
Adha)
Centralized activities in Celebration held at Bayan
Bayan, precisely in Masjid mosque.
Bayan.
Calendar and the
establishment of religious
holidays warige based
board, which is sourced
from the horoscope Tapel
Adam and Tajul Muluq,
as guidelines (Wijono,
2009 : 151).
Islam Wetu Telu’s “Pantang Melupakan Leluhur” as a Cultural Strategy 91

Indigenous Ritual Implement various
(Ceremony Birth, traditional rituals, such as
Death Ceremony, the ceremony of delivery;
Wedding) mating hold- up man;
funerals: burial (nusur
ground), the third day
(nelung), the seventh day
(mituk), the ninth day
(nyiwak), the fortieth
day; and pilgrimage to the
ancestral graves.
Social Structure Three indigenous
stakeholders have an
important role in
governing Bayan.
Bayan society completely
insulated and isolated
from the outside world.
Traditional rituals are still Traditional rituals are
maintained by a still maintained by a
procession of the same and procession of the same
has not changed. and has not changed.
The position of traditional Traditional authorities
authorities replaced the only served to lead the
local government. way traditional
ceremonies.
Traditional authorities Some migrants enter the
only take care of area Bayan.
indigenous issues, not the
rule.
Bayan community began
to migrate out of the area.

Based on what has been stated above, it can be seen that Islam Wetu
telu undergoing a transition to the new order, such as religious practices were
originally just praying three times a day to five times a day. According to one
source, at the time of the G30S/PKI in Lombok, throughout the Wetu telu
isolated and threatened. If not pray five times a day, they can be prosecuted for
being a sympathizer of the PKI. Therefore, the Wetu telu move the bow to Lima
Time in terms of religious rituals through peaceful diplomacy.
Prince of the local Indigenous confirm that at this time, adherents of
Islam Wetu telu run Islamic law as Muslims in general. Only the traditional
rituals and daily life, they still cling to the teachings of the ancestors. At the
ideological level and the cosmological community Wetu Bayan telu not easily be
coupled with the belief in the oneness of God. Their religion recognizes the
ancestral spirits and the spirits who occupy inanimate objects called
gatekeepers. Even so, all it has supernatural powers that are subject to God.
Bayan community considers that the ancestors as intermediaries who can
represent their relationship with God. They believe that ancestors can bring
God’s blessing, as well as providing protection against descendants are still alive,
especially in their welfare. As an intermediary, the ancestral function closer
relationship with God. Thus, it also increases or carry further the needs, demands
and goals of man to God. Sanctions if forgetting or ignoring the ancestors, is the
92 Fitria Yusrifa and Muhammad Faisal Nur Ikhsan

existence of a supernatural sanction, which in the local language is called

the kebendon, ketemuk, and plague manuh.
Belief in the plague manuh implies that the ancestors rage and anger can
send them to their offspring though. This confidence makes people Bayan
maintain good all such ancestral land, the ancestral home, and Lontar leaf
manuscript containing their lineage. According Amaq Rijayim as indigenous
prince, palm-generation line in Bayan already contains seventeen offspring
renewal and will be held every three new generation emerged.
Another tribute to the ancestral form Wetu telu can be realized through
traditional ceremonies. Contacting ancestors is the preliminary acts committed
before all ceremonies (gawe) begins, both for those who are still alive or dead. All
of it is meant in the context of respect for ancestors and consider that the ancestors
are part of people’s lives Bayan, even if they had died.
Digging through the Cultural Strategy Historical Consciousness
“Pantang Melupakan Leluhur” Islam Wetu Telu
Historical consciousness “Pantang Melupakan Leluhur” Islam Wetu
telu can be extracted using a knife History Philosophy analysis with reference to
the theory of historical consciousness. In the introduction it was exposed about
four factors that allow for the historicity of the human being, namely the
Incarnation, Freedom, inter-subjectivity, and temporal or awareness of time.
Incarnation associated with the understanding that man is a spirit
incarnate and bersituasi, and actualize himself in front of others or in other
words, man presents himself to others (Bertens, 1987 : 193-194). In the philosophy
of Islam Wetu telu can be seen that each of adherents exist, either through daily
activities, religious rituals, and the practice of worship (worship
required). However, the presence of Muslims Wetu telu was not only present
itself, but there is free will of man (in this case Muslims Wetu telu).
Wetu Telu’s society or in this context referred to as community Bayan, have
a desire to go beyond the state of nature, such as how they read natural
phenomena, then poured through the almanac or calendar system. Then,
inherited from generation to generation without interruption. Thus, the task is to
preserve the teachings heir who has been there, as well as keeping the legacy of
their ancestors, not just a calendar system, but also other traditional rituals.
Mating hold-up man, for example, is a form of self-actualization of the
current generation in order to keep the authenticity of the tradition of the elders
Islam Wetu Telu’s “Pantang Melupakan Leluhur” as a Cultural Strategy 93

in the community telu Wetu. However, it is possible, the child found her match
outside the community. This may have been due to the freedom that generation
at the time, to find her soul mate outside the community. They have two options:
maintaining his soul mate through mating or break the hold-up
man marries the hold-up man.The children can take hold-mating bond, yet still
accept the consequences on his choice, namely diputusnya inheritance of
ancestral ties.
The question of the historicity also not spared in understanding a matter of
time. Humans historically with building and humanize him further and
further away.This is what makes people always bound by time (temporal). Man
in his duties as a human being in this world, accept the past as well as the
responsibility for the future (Leahy, 2001 : 234). Similarly happened to the
Muslims Wetu telu where they are aware of the future, which can be seen on their
calendar system for a hundred years into the future on board warige.
Muslims Wetu Telu didn’t ignore the past as part of the awareness of
time. It can be seen with a permanent watch over the heritage and ancestral
teachings without violating religious principles. They believe if contact with the
ancestors is lost, God’s blessings will be disconnected as well. Various rituals are
held by followers of Wetu telu describe a situation in which every element of life,
people really appreciate Wetu telu ancestral spirits and the history that
accompanies the dynamics of their lives. Thus, it can be said that “Pantang
Melupakan Leluhur” Islam Wetu telu is a cultural strategy that seeks built and
maintained by the community or the Islamic community Wetu Bayan telu until
today.
The relevance of a cultural strategy “Pantang Melupakan Leluhur”
Islam Wetu telu Indonesia in the context of nation-building can be formulated
through analysis ofthe movement of history on view “Pantang Melupakan
Leluhur”. As for the movement of history “abstinence Forgetting the Ancestor”
Islam Wetu telu can be seen in the chart below.
The concept of time or temporal exist in Pantang Melupakan Leluhur
departed from the understanding of man. Islam considers man Wetu
teluinterrelated and close relationship with time. The concept of time in the life of
Muslims Wetu telu divided into three, namely when people are in the spirit
world (the unborn); at birth and live in the world; and while in the hereafter
(died).
94 Fitria Yusrifa and Muhammad Faisal Nur Ikhsan

Motion view of Islamic history Wetu telu belong to the history of motion
spiral, which combines the history of cycles and linear motion. Munir (2014: 63)
explains that in the history of motion spiral, aspects of the past are not
abandoned. Instead, the past has a great influence in predicting what will happen
in the future.This can be seen in ancestral spirits involvement in aspects of the
lives of Muslims Wetu telu. Whatever is done by an ancestor in the past not only
they left, even they are maintaining the heritage of ancestors Wetu telu.
Motion linear history can be seen in the concept of the dynamics of life,
that Wetu telu believe life consists of three process forward. That process is when
people are in the spirit world (spirit), then born and eventually leading to the
hereafter or in a state of death. The movement of history is not static, but always
dynamic as a straight line that leads to progress.
The concept of death is believed by Wetu telu describe a motion history of
the cycle (as part of the movement history of the spiral), where humans are
derived from the four elements (Water, Earth, Fire, Air) and an element (Spirit /
Soul) and be back on original form. Then, in the next life, the elements are
reunited and the human form or the next generation.
Forgetting the Ancestor is done by people who never Wetu telu, because
they believe if just once the chain link was broken, then terputuslah also God’s
blessing brought by the ancestors. This view is also in historical forces directing
the Fate of God. This view believes that the movement of history is not only
determined by human beings as agents of history, but there is the intervention of
God in it. Thus, when examined from the standpoint of history of philosophy,
philosophy of life “Pantang Melupakan Leluhur” can be categorized into the
stream synthesizing spiral motion history and destiny of God.
Ideal view on historicity is a merger between the view and the view of
God’s will spiral. Merging both give the sense of a human historicity, where
development and progress are not only determined by what humans do, but
there is the intervention of God in it. This view provides an overview of the
synthesis between elements of human creativity and the will of God, which is in
accordance with the context of Indonesia, which is manifested through the
nation’s independence. Independence achieved by Indonesia in addition to the
results of operations of the fighters, also not free from God’s intervention (listed
in the Preamble of the 1945 Constitution) and this is also in line with the meaning
of developments in the philosophy of Pancasila, which balance the aspects of
Islam Wetu Telu’s “Pantang Melupakan Leluhur” as a Cultural Strategy 95

materiality and spirituality, or aspects of the outward and inwardly in the cause
of God (Munir, 2014: 64).
Islamic Cultural Strategy Wetu telu reflected in the persistence of local
elements inherited from ancestors and walk in harmony with Islam which is run
by them as being religious. Awareness of history as a form of cultural strategy
embodied in the philosophy of life “Pantang Melupakan Leluhur” who not only
understood as the identity of Muslims Wetu telu and forms of devotion to the
ancestors, but also the noble values ??that keep them afloat in the face of crisis the
nation’s history.

4. Conclusions
Based on the discussion and analysis has been presented, researchers can
draw the following conclusions :
1. Stigma about Islam Wetu telu opposite the Five Time slowly began to fade,
referring to diplomatic efforts by the two sides as fellow citizens of
Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara, after the outbreak of the G30S/
PKI. However, Islam Wetu telu keep running beside the ancestral
indigenous traditions run religious services conducted Muslims in
general. The figure is a figure of sacred ancestors in the life of the
indigenous Muslims Wetu Telu.
2. “Pantang Melupakan Leluhur” is a tradition that must be passed down
from generation to generation as well as a cultural strategy for the Islamic
community in Bayan Wetu telu. View of the movement of history “Pantang
Melupakan Leluhur” Islam Wetu telu explain the historicity in line with the
spirit of Pancasila as the nation’s identity. Philosophical values ??that exist
in the “Pantang Melupakan Leluhur” is very relevant when used in the
formulation of the concept of development in Indonesia which is based on
human historicity or “conscious of the nation’s history”.

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Article Received on May 01, 2016; Accepted on June 02, 2016