Pandemic Mitigation Based on Local Wisdom: The De Javu of the Ritual of Rejecting the Doom “Dongkrek”

Abstract

Over the past two years, the Covid-19 epidemic has had a significant impact. Covid-19 has been the target of numerous attempts to restrict its spread. The residents of Mejayan Village have a distinctive practice for averting pandemics, known as "Dongkrek," which takes the shape of a rite to refuse doom. In this study, the formulation of the issue for discussion is the efficiency of the protection provided for Dongkrek as one of the Traditional Cultural Expressions. According to the findings of research using the normative technique, dongkrek is one of Indonesia's traditional cultural expressions. In Mejayan, Madiun Regency, Dongkrek made his debut in 1866. Due to its significance in people's life, Dongkrek evolved into a typical art form from the Madiun Regency in the form of a ritual. Dongkrek was passed down from generation to generation and continued to be developed until it is still practiced now and is the pride of Mejayan Village. The efforts made by the Madiun Regency Government regarding the protection of Dongkrek itself are by issuing a Decree of the Regent of Madiun Number: 188.45/677/KPTS/402.031/2009 concerning the Determination of Dongkrek Art as a Typical Art and cultural tourism assets of Madiun and recorded as Intangible Cultural Heritage. However, they believe that efforts to safeguard and preserve Dongkrek are still weak as a result of the absence of laws that expressly govern the preservation of traditional cultural forms.