By Syamsidar

Villagers of Pangkalan Kasai, Seberida Sub District, Indragiri Hulu District begins reactivating a long ritual known as Menyanggah. Menyanggah is a procession to protect the village through the help of a tiger shaman. This ritual had not been performed for more than ten years as the last tiger shaman had died, and at 29 July 2011 was set off. This moment is used as an inauguration for a new tiger shaman that is believed to be able to protect their village.

Samsuri, a community leader told that within more than ten years time, their yield like paddy has been lacking. He believes that it may cause by the inexistence of tiger shaman who protect their village. However in a couple of months ago, he and his relatives observe that their nephew, Atan acts differently as he likes to be secluded. His relatives assumed that Atan has got dream from his late grandfather who was used to be a tiger shaman. According to their belief, this power cannot be inherited to the son but to the nephew or grandson. Atan says” I don’t fancy having this thrust but it just comes to me.”

To inaugurate the tiger shaman, a custom structure known as adat need to be established as this ritual cannot be done if there is not any adat leader. Samsuri is selected as the chief of adat leader and is dubbed Bathin Muke-Muke who he is helped by several assistants.

Tiger shaman is officially entitled to Atan since that night. The last tiger shaman was entitled to his grandpa who died in 1998 when since that time the tradition of Menyanggah was not performed. Samsuri who is also Atan’s uncle told that in the past, this ritual was performed every year. This tradition is aimed to provide food to the tiger shaman in the hope that he can protect their village from outsider who may do bad things to the villagers. This shaman is also believed to be able to cure illnesses of his villagers.

Inauguration of Tiger Shaman
To begin the procession, the herb blend maker known as Penginang rubbed Atan’s body with lemon water inside the house. Meanwhile, an offering arena called Sanggaran located in the front yard is prepared. Sanggaran is made of bamboo which is decorated with some kinds of leaves and flowers. The bamboo is shaped into canopy shaped like in which on top of it is placed offering consisting of among others roasted chicken and living chicken. A camp fire is also prepared around the Sanggaran.

The herb blend maker names Jahara (103 years) who has become Penginang ever since began to set the herbs accompanied by the custom leaders. Offering is put on top of the bamboo fence. Atan who would be inaugurated as the tiger shaman that night was brought from the house to the Sanggaran arena. The custom leaders blow smoke to Atan’s body, they then blanketed Atan with white fabric from head to shoulder. And in quick sudden, Atan was in trance. His hand fingers gripped the ground firmly and he crouched just like a tiger. He then suddenly jumped into the camp fire and played in the fire for a moment.

The tiger shaman who was under unconsciousness crouching back to the sanggaran then walked around the sanggaran. Arriving at the entrance door of the bamboo fence, he roared like a tiger. He then went back to the place where he sat at first when the procession began. He then suddenly jumped over the bamboo fence and grabbed the offering placed on the top of the bamboo fence and ate them.

Atan then crawled back on the ground. The adat leaders asked him whether he has felt tired of walking, he then nodded. The adat leaders then began the procession to revive Atan. The white fabric was blanketed to Atan again, a bunch of beetle leave bud were swept to Atan’s body. The adat leader then hit Atan with the beetle leave bud and not long after that, Atan was back to his conciousness . The ritual ended.

Believe it or not, this is only a tradition of local people in Indragiri Hulu District who live around the Bukit Tigapuluh forest block. No body knows when this tradition firstly began. In one side, tradition and belief grow up in local people has local wisdom value. In this tradition, local people believe that tiger is the king of the forest which is strong and wise, he is respected and honored that ‘s why local people have no courage to distrub this animal and its habitat. If people do not do anything to bother him, the tiger will not bother human being too. Again this is only a tradition, one thing for sure that God creates nature and all its contens and conquers everything, only to God human being give in.