Tradition "Makmeugang" which is hereditary in Aceh

Dear Steemians. Hopefully healthy and successful always.
Only one day left will all Muslims celebrate the day of their victory after a whole month of fasting.
But as before before Lebaran especially in Aceh area there is one tradition that is very unique is Megang Tradition (Makmeugang) which is actually a form of awareness of leader (King) to his people at the time to welcome the big days like Welcoming the coming of Ramadan, Hari Raya Idul Fitri and Eid al-Adha day by distributing meat to be enjoyed by the community with the family, especially for low income people (poor people). Several days before the coming of makmeugang day, the king enlisted families who were considered less able through their representatives. The tradition until now is still done, run by aceh people in accordance with the times although the way is much different. Leaders are no longer distributing meat as the former leaders did, but there are also leaders of both leaders of government agencies and leaders of companies that provide some money in the form of money.

The people of Aceh are now celebrating the tradition of meugang by way of buying meat to the traders or buying oxen by collecting money in a community group with the number of group members adjusted to the member's budget ability to buy a cow to be slaughtered and the meat divided according to the amount of money collected.

How to buy cows by collecting money even this, according to historical figures, is now beginning to be abandoned because people prefer to buy meat in a more practical way to meat traders and seasonal meat traders who appear on the eve of those makmeugang days.

The tradition of eating meat on the day makmeugang done by almost all the aceh people both low-income society and society is capable, because for the aceh people celebrate the day makmeugang assume it is not something to be calculated in terms of cost because they have a belief or term makmeugang is a day to eat delicious after a year of work.

the Atjehnese preferred to buy meat by raising money and buying cows for subsequently divided by piling up because in that way they would get all the parts of the cow's body even though the amount was limited according to the amount of money collected be it pure meat, fat, and bones already cut into pieces including the skinnyapun cut into pieces to be divided according to portions so that the meat is brought home ready for cooking.

Just to know the price of beef in Aceh is the price of meat is the most expensive in Indonesia even in the world though, although almost 100% of the population of Aceh is a farmer who on average participate in raising livestock as one source of income. When welcoming day meugang beef and buffalo prices rose drastically and miningkat very sharp on that day. Which is usually the price of meat per kg of about Rp.130.000, / kg to Rp.160.000, / kg but the people of Aceh are not problematic with the high price of important meat is available. Meat traders in Aceh are both sedentary traders and seasonal meat traders who show up on the eve of meugang day for this year 2017 fix meat prices above 160 thousand / kg. However, not all meat sellers have the same price, here is sometimes a price war between sellers in attracting buyers. In a day meugang, for a certain area many cows are spent can reach a hundred more, very different from ordinary days that just need 3 or 4 cows for sale.

There are several values ​​of the meugang are:

• Religious Value
  Meugang performed before the fast is a sign to be grateful for the coming month of Ramdhan full of blessing.
  Meugang on Eid al-Fitr is a form of celebration after a whole month of purifying themselves during Ramadan.
  While Meugang ahead of Eid al-Adha is a form of gratitude because the people of Aceh can carry out the Qurban.

• The value of Channel or Fellow's sharing value
  Since the time of the Kingdom of Aceh Darussalam, the celebration of Meugang has become one of the precious moments for the philanthropists and court officials to distribute alms to the poor. Meugang meat sharing habits are still done by the benefactors in Aceh. Not only the benefactors, the moment comes Meugang day has also been used as a campaign by candidates of candidates, candidates for local leaders, and parties at the time of the election.Selain utilized by the benefactors to share fortune, Meugang celebration also became a day right for beggars to beg for markets and beef sales centers. These beggars ask for a piece or a few pieces of meat to the merchants. It deals with the building up of social values ​​or togetherness.

• The Value of Tradition Meugang Tradition involving market sectors, nuclear and widespread, and social families make the atmosphere of government offices, private companies, and educational institutions will usually be quiet because the employees prefer to gather at home. People who migrated will come home to gather to eat beef with the family. The celebration of Meugang becomes important because on that day there will be a meeting of silaturrahmi among the siblings who are at home and who have just returned from the overseas.

The importance of the Meugang tradition, making this celebration seem to have become a cultural obligation for the people of Aceh. However expensive the price of meat to be paid, but the people of Aceh will still seek it (either by saving or even forced to owe), because in this way the people of Aceh can celebrate togetherness in the family. In other words, through the Meugang tradition the people of Aceh always foster a sense of brotherhood among their families.

• Respecting parents
  The tradition of makmegang not only represents togetherness in the family, but also become the arena for the daughters to respect the in-laws. A particularly newly married man will morally be required to provide a few kilograms of meat for his family and his father-in-law. This is a symbol that the man has been able to provide for the family and respect for his father-in-law. Not only the son-in-law, on the day Meugang the santri (students who study the religion) will usually go to the home of the teachers of the ngaji and the teungku to deliver the cuisine of beef as a form of reverence. Once the importance of respect for the elderly has conditioned the tradition is impossible to abandon.If the abandonment of life becomes incomplete and there is a feeling of isolation.
  The implementation of the Meugang tradition has clearly shown how the people of Aceh appreciate the coming of the big days of Islam.Tradisi this also significantly strengthen social relations and kinship among the citizens, so factually the people of Aceh on that day preoccupied with various activities to obtain meat, cooking , and enjoy it together.

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