Masyarakat Dayak memiliki tradisi yang mengiringi setiap pekerjaan besar, salah satunya tampung tawar. Ritual ini diyakini membawa keberkahan, menjaga keselamatan, serta memastikan pekerjaan berjalan sesuai harapan. Prosesi biasanya dilakukan sebelum membangun rumah, memulai pekerjaan penting, atau mendirikan bangunan adat.
Damang Kahayan Hilir menjelaskan makna dari prosesi tersebut. “Ritual ini untuk memastikan pekerjaan berjalan lancar, sukses, dan tidak membawa dampak buruk,” ujarnya. Kalimat itu menegaskan bahwa tampung tawar bukan sekadar seremonial, melainkan wujud doa agar manusia selalu dalam lindungan.
Pelaksanaan tampung tawar menghadirkan unsur simbolik yang kuat. Peralatan tukang, sebagian bahan bangunan, serta telur ayam selalu disiapkan. Telur ayam dipercaya sebagai lambang kehidupan dan keselamatan. Kehadirannya menandai harapan agar pekerjaan menghasilkan manfaat tanpa menimbulkan bahaya. Doa-doa adat menyertai prosesi, dipimpin tokoh masyarakat atau tukang yang mengerjakan.
Tampung Tawar dalam Pembangunan Monumen Pencegahan Karhutla
Prosesi tampung tawar juga dilakukan sebelum pembangunan monumen peringatan pencegahan kebakaran hutan dan lahan (karhutla). Bagi LPHD dan KPSHK, mendirikan monumen bukan hanya urusan fisik, tetapi juga memiliki nilai spiritual dan sosial. Monumen itu akan menjadi pengingat kolektif tentang pentingnya menjaga alam dari api, sehingga pembangunannya pun harus diawali dengan doa keselamatan.
Sejak pagi, kedamangan menyiapkan perlengkapan. Air jernih yang dicampur dedaunan wangi, beras kuning, dan telur ayam diletakkan di tempat yang telah disiapkan. Peralatan tukang dan sebagian bahan bangunan ditata rapi, seolah menunggu doa restu.
Tokoh adat lalu membuka dengan doa dengan bahasa dayak ngaju. Kata-katanya sederhana, namun sarat makna: memohon perlindungan leluhur, menjaga keseimbangan alam, serta agar monumen yang dibangun membawa berkah, bukan musibah.
Air tampung tawar kemudian dipercikkan ke bahan bangunan, peralatan kerja, dan orang-orang yang terlibat. Percikan ini dimaknai sebagai pembersih jalan, penolak bala, dan simbol keselamatan.
Setelah itu, telur ayam dipecahkan perlahan di atas peralatan kerja. Telur yang rapuh namun penuh kehidupan itu melambangkan harapan agar monumen lahir dengan membawa kebaikan, sekaligus menjadi peringatan untuk hidup lebih berhati-hati terhadap bahaya karhutla.
Beras kuning pun ditaburkan. Butir-butirnya bertebaran, seakan menjadi doa agar pekerjaan membawa kemakmuran dan manfaat bagi semua.
Ritual ditutup dengan syukuran kecil. Makanan dibagikan, suasana berubah hangat, dan gotong royong terasa kental. Dari prosesi yang sakral lalu bergeser menjadi kebersamaan, tampung tawar menegaskan satu hal: setiap langkah besar, termasuk pembangunan monumen peringatan karhutla, sebaiknya diawali dengan doa, keselamatan, dan rasa syukur.
Tampung tawar menunjukkan betapa erat hubungan masyarakat Dayak dengan alam dan spiritualitas. Setiap pekerjaan dianggap memiliki risiko, sehingga harus dimulai dengan doa dan simbol perlindungan. Tradisi ini mengingatkan bahwa manusia tidak bisa hanya mengandalkan tenaga dan keterampilan, melainkan juga perlu keselarasan dengan lingkungan serta restu leluhur. Generasi muda memiliki tanggung jawab besar untuk melestarikan tampung tawar. Tradisi ini mengandung pesan universal tentang keselamatan, kehati-hatian, dan rasa syukur. Selama masih dijaga, identitas budaya Dayak tetap terpelihara dan nilai-nilai luhur tetap hidup di tengah masyarakat.
Penulis: Alma
The Dayak people have traditions that accompany every major project, one of which is the tampung tawar ritual. This ritual is believed to bring blessings, ensure safety, and ensure the work proceeds as planned. The procession is usually performed before building a house, starting an important project, or erecting a traditional structure.
Damang Kahayan Hilir explained the meaning of the procession. “This ritual is to ensure the work runs smoothly, is successful, and does not have any negative impacts,” he said. This sentence emphasizes that the tampung tawar ritual is not merely ceremonial, but rather a form of prayer for the protection of the community.
The tampung tawar ritual carries a strong symbolic element. The builder’s tools, some building materials, and chicken eggs are always prepared. Chicken eggs are believed to symbolize life and safety. Their presence signifies the hope that the work will produce benefits without causing harm. Traditional prayers accompany the procession, led by community leaders or the craftsmen involved.
Tampung Tawar in the Construction of the Forest and Land Fire Prevention Monument
The tampung tawar ritual is also performed before the construction of the forest and land fire prevention (karhutla) monument. For the LPHD and KPSHK, erecting a monument is not just a physical matter; it also has spiritual and social significance. The monument will serve as a collective reminder of the importance of protecting nature from fire, so its construction must begin with a prayer for safety.
Early in the morning, the kedamangan prepared the equipment. Clear water mixed with fragrant leaves, yellow rice, and chicken eggs were placed in a prepared area. The builders’ tools and some of the building materials were neatly arranged, as if awaiting blessings.
The traditional leader then opened with a prayer in the Dayak Ngaju language. The words were simple, yet rich with meaning: asking for ancestral protection, maintaining the balance of nature, and that the monument would bring blessings, not disaster.
Tampung Tawar, the procession of laying the foundation pillars for the construction of the Kahayan Hilir Initiative Forest and Land Fire Prevention Memorial Monument at the Kahayan Hilir Damang Office, August 19, 2025. Photo Source: KPSHK.
Fresh water from the reservoir is then sprinkled on the building materials, work equipment, and the people involved. This sprinkling is interpreted as a path cleaner, a ward off disaster, and a symbol of safety.
Afterward, a chicken egg is gently cracked over the work equipment. The fragile yet vibrant egg symbolizes the hope that the monument will be born with goodness, while also serving as a reminder to be more cautious about the dangers of forest and land fires.
Yellow rice is then sprinkled. The grains scatter, as if a prayer that the work will bring prosperity and benefit to all.
The ritual concludes with a small thanksgiving. Food is shared, the atmosphere becomes warm, and a sense of mutual cooperation is strong. From a sacred procession to a communal one, the reservoir emphasizes one thing: every major step, including the construction of a forest and land fire memorial, should begin with prayer, safety, and gratitude.
The reservoir demonstrates the close relationship the Dayak people have with nature and spirituality. Every project is considered risky, and therefore must begin with prayer and symbols of protection. This tradition reminds us that humans cannot rely solely on their own strength and skills, but also need to be in harmony with the environment and the blessings of their ancestors. The younger generation has a significant responsibility to preserve the Tampang Tawar. This tradition conveys universal messages about safety, caution, and gratitude. As long as it is maintained, the Dayak cultural identity will be preserved and noble values ​​will remain alive within the community.
Author: Alma
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