Ngobeng tradition in palembang Indonesia

Ngobeng is a tradition of eating together ancestral cultural heritage. That tradition, now starting to be rare because people prefer to entertain guests with a buffet. In fact, “ngobeng” is very meaningful, namely to respect guests and strengthen friendship. When entering the house, guests are immediately prepared with water to wash their hands and then head to the dish.

One dish with a diverse menu, will be eaten by eight people. Usually, nasi minyak is the main meal that is complemented with chicken opor, goat curry and malbi cooked beef. Sometimes pickles and stir-fried beans are given coconut milk and pineapple sauce. The dessert is srikaya, which is made from a mixture of eggs, coconut milk and sugar that is given coloring from the juice of suji leaves.

Ngobeng is one of the thick traditions of the Palembang community in living together, this tradition is usually done when there are charity events (marriage), marriage and so on.

tradition Ngobeng itself is done by stacking stands in a shaf, by passing food / dishes to the dining venue for donations. That means from one person to the next. The goal is that food quickly gets to the place provided and the burden of people who lift food will be lighter. However, we can only meet Ngobeng at the charity event where the guests eat food (sitting lesehan, one dish, 8 people). Unfortunately, this custom has very little use now, after a long time this custom will disappear, because the native Palembang people themselves are more likely to use the buffet.

The concept of Nobeng / Ngidang based on the arrangement there are 2 types, namely:

1. Ngobeng Biasa To eat 8 people in one dish (As described above)

Ngobeng is usually done during alms (kenduri) where there is iwak / lauk and pulur (which consists of vegetables, chili & fruits) and the center / center of this screwdriver is a wooden dulang which contains rice be it white rice or rice oil, when serving this food, it is also relayed by some people so that it is not too heavy, which is unique when before eating there are people who walk around who give teapots and basins that are used for hand washing.

1. The usual Ngobeng Panjang is more than 8 people (Also called Kambangan)

Ngobeng Panjang / Kambangan is usually used for wedding celebrations and several other events where there are more than 8 people, and in the middle there are equipment such as kemplang tunjung, and several other types of food which are often referred to as Botekan. and in the middle also stood several girls usually 3 or 4 people who were in charge of serving invited guests.

Ngobeng at Griya Agung

At the beginning of 2011, this almost lost tradition appeared at Griya Agung, South Sumatra Governor’s Office on Jl. Demang Lebar Daun, Palembang. Some employees at this official residence look busy stretching the table cloth on the floor, in which there are iwak / lauk and pulur (which consist of vegetables, chili & fruits) and the center / center of this screwdriver are dulang made from wood which contains rice oil, when serving this food is also carried out relay by some people so that it is not too heavy, which is unique again before eating there is a person who goes around who gives a teapot and basin, which is used for hand washing.

There are no less than 70 places provided. Usually, for one place, the portion is for eight invited people. Not least the Governor of South Sumatra, Ir. H. Alex Noerdin SH and a number of other officials sat around and ate dinner and dinner together.

Communicative togetherness is really thick when eating the culinary menu that is served. Where each other offers side dishes that are in front of him to the person opposite them. Vice versa. “This tradition is almost gone, so we try to be revived,” said Mr. Alex Noerdin.

Sure enough, some guests from outside Palembang who were invited to enter the VIP room were surprised by the pattern of dishes that had been prepared. But some people who are native to Palembang who yearn for how to eat dishes like this, as if refreshing life in childhood or in the age of previous parents.

“People now eat Francis, eat and drink stand. Eating like this follows the sunnah of the Prophet, “said H. Ahmad Hanafi (56) who was present at the event.

Well, there are lots of valuable lessons from this Ngobeng tradition. Among them is the establishment of intimacy between invited guests, the young invite the older to take food first, and sharpen the nature of down to eart (humility) because of the sitting lesehan, and participate in preserving the culture of Palembang itself.

Reference : https://ragapnian.wordpress.com/adat-istiadat-qito/budaya-wong-palembang/tradisi-ngobeng-2/

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