Celebrating Christmas in Indonesia is as vibrant and diverse as one eats Indonesian food. With an estimated 10 per cent of the population honouring the sacred day, including both Protestants and Catholics, various unique Christmas traditions are practiced. These traditions come from different regions across the country, each with a story and element of joy.
Santa Claus isn't a traditional figure in Indonesia.
However, Indonesia has absorbed various global traditions. Santa Claus is more of a festive, commercial symbol rather than a deeply ingrained cultural or religious figure. Spotting Santa is commonly done in hotels, shopping malls, advertisements, and public spaces, especially in Jakarta, Bali, and Yogyakarta, where there are heaps of foreigners residing and visiting.
The regions we mention below won’t have Father Christmas casually waiting for you to drop your wish (except for one). Undeniably, you’d never celebrate the same way with these unique Christmas traditions in Indonesia.
Bakar Batu (Barapen) in Papua
The Christian community in Papua practices the Bakar Batu or Barapen tradition to show appreciation to God and to maintain togetherness. This involves cooking together using heated stones. They dig a hole, line it with banana leaves and grass, and place hot stones in the hole, repeatedly starting with pork, followed by vegetables and tubers. Ultimately, the hole’s covered with banana leaves. The Bakar Batu tradition is held after the Christmas Mass, lasting about half a day.
Kunci Taon in Manado, North Sulawesi
Kunci Taon means locking the year, starting from November. The city of Manado carries out this tradition with a series of church services and visits to family graves that are adorned with decorative lights. The peak of the Christmas celebration takes place in the first week of January and is concluded with a parade of intricate costumes.
Ma’Lettoan in Toraja
The Toraja people, who are predominantly Christian, partake in various activities to commemorate Christmas. But the highlights are the fireworks display and the Ma'Lettoan procession falling on 26th December. Ma'Lettoan is a ritual involving cultural symbols hung on pigs to represent three dimensions of human life: Saritatolamban, a ladder that convey prayers and hopes for a better life; the sun, signifying the source of life’s light; and flowers, indicating the success of the Toraja people's lives.
Marbinda and Marhobas in North Sumatra
This Christmas tradition is practised by the Batak Toba community, symbolising togetherness and a remembrance of close ties among the community. Marbinda involves slaughtering typically four-legged animals ahead of Christmas celebrations, while Marhobas is the tradition of cooking the slaughtered meat, performed by men. The chosen next term’s head of the village then distributes the cooked meat to everyone.
Meriam Bambu in Flores, East Nusa Tenggara
The people of Flores have a tradition called the Meriam Bambu (Bamboo Cannon) practised since the 1980s. The booming sound of the bamboo cannon is used to express happiness for the birth of Jesus Christ.
Ngejot and Penjor in Bali
Known for its respect for religious tolerance, Bali holds the Ngejot and Penjor traditions ahead of Christmas. Ngejot is a Christmas tradition where people exchange food, with dishes representing each person's religion. Meanwhile, Penjor is the tradition of erecting a tall, curved bamboo pole as a sign of gratitude for God's blessings.
Rabo-Rabo in Jakarta
As a metropolitan city, Jakarta’s well-preserved Christmas tradition is practised by the Christian community of Portuguese descent in Kampung Tugu, Cilincing. Rabo-Rabo in Portuguese Creole means “Tail-Following”. It involves visiting relatives' or neighbours' homes while singing keroncong songs. At its peaks, the mandi-mandi (bathing) tradition occurs as people draw faces on each other with white powder. This indicates the redemption of sins and forgiveness, to welcome the New Year in a clean state.
Siren and Bell Sounds in Ambon
During Christmas celebrations in Ambon, sirens and church bells ring together. Simultaneously is a purification ceremony done by the people of Naku, South Leitimur, which represents liberation from sin. It’s performed with regional songs and dances accompanied by Tifa musical instruments.
Van Vare in Larantuka, Flores
Every Christmas, the people of East Flores sing Christmas songs accompanied by orchestral music and choirs as a reminder to always stay aligned on the right path and to uphold Christian values. Santa Claus also makes an appearance to distribute gifts to children.
Wayang Wahyu in Yogyakarta
The Wayang Wahyu performance tells stories from the Bible to welcome Christmas through a puppet show. This tradition found in Yogyakarta blends the art of traditional Indonesian wayang (puppet) performances with Christian teachings and has been a form of cultural expression since the 1960s.