Nyawer Is An Expression Of Likes And Gratitude, Not A Sin

Blackpink in the "BLACKPINK World Tour [BORN PINK]" concert at the Gelora Bung Karno Main Stadium on March 11-12 2023. (Between/Suci Nurhaliza/aa)

JAKARTA Indonesia not only has abundant natural wealth, but also a unique tradition that exists in every part of people's lives. One of them is nyawer, which can be interpreted as giving something by throwing.

Nyawer is understood as a form of expression of joy. Even in some communities, the action is believed to be an expression of gratitude and has good meaning.

Nyawing action is often found in traditional stage performance arts. However, this habit did not go away in the spectacle of the millennial era stage, including what happened during the Blackpink girl band concert at GBK Senayan 11-12 March 2023 Main Stadium.

Watching the idol perform on stage, playing and swaying together is certainly a matter of pride. However, for some people alone it is not enough. Sangking 'crazy' the idol, there are those who prepare various items as gifts to be given.

As happened in the Blackpink concert at Gelora Bung Karno Main Stadium, Jakarta on the second day, March 12, 2023. A Blink, a nickname for Blackpink fans, threw a small doll at Blackpink personnel, Jennie and Rose while singing the song "Stay".

This scene is actually a common thing in every music concert. Not only dolls, there are also fans who give flowers, gift gifts, letters, and even underwear.

Almost every artist has experienced it. Lee Hongki during a 2015 Mexican concert was thrown by a bra by his fans. Hongki responded by taking a bra and attaching it to his chest to make the audience present at the concert laugh.

The same thing often happens during rock band concerts. Axl Rose, vocalist of Guns N Roses, or Jon Bon Jovi during his heyday, often gets flowers thrown on stage during concerts. Not enough with goods, a number of female fans even lifted t-shirts to show their breasts to the two rockstars.

In Indonesia, it may not be too vulgar, at least just open the bra without removing the t-shirt. Join the All Time Low concert, the band from the United States at Tennis Indoor Senayan on August 4, 2010? The colorful bras with short messages or BlackBerry pin numbers are scattered on stage.

Guitarist of All Time Low, Jack Barakat took the bras and hung them on a standard mic.

Even though it seems that it has become a trend, throwing gifts on stage does not always make the idol happy. There are times when it actually disturbs the idol.

At the Blackpink concert, Jennie still took the doll and moved it to the side of the stage. Meanwhile, Rose tried to reprimand the crowd by waving his hand with a smile, as if giving a warning not to throw something on stage anymore.

"Jennie's face auto bete," wrote a Blink on Twitter on March 12, 2023.

Other Twitter activists thought it wascerous behavior, "Private class but children's behavior is like watching dangdut concerts in the village, using all the dolls."

Many actions were found during music performances or other types of stage art in Indonesia. The prizes given generally are money. However, it can also take the form of rice, cigarettes, and even chickens.

The audience went up to the stage dancing with the singer or dancer while inserting a sheet of banknotes one by one to the sidelines of the finger or other body parts.

However, the basis is not idolizing, but just a form of gratitude for the entertainment that has been presented.

Sawer in performances has existed since the Dutch colonial era. This activity, according to Michael HB Raditya in the 'Paradigma Journal of the Cultural Studies Vol 12 No.2 (2002)), grew in the art of people's entertainment which was full of shakes and dances.

As in the dance arts of Sintren and Ronggeng on the coast of Java, Tandha in Madura, it is rare for Bodhag in Probolinggo, Bajidor in Karawan and Subang, Lengger in Wonosobo, Ledek in Gunung Kidul, and Jaipong in West Java.

Over time, not only dance performances, but sawers are also an inseparable part of dangdut music performances. Even now, many are headed on several platforms such as YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Bigo, and Facebook.

However, as a tradition, in reality sawer is not only limited to performing arts. A number of other facts also call sawer a ritual in a series of Sundanese traditional marriage ceremonies.

There are two interpretations of sawers, namely sawers in performing arts and sawers in wedding rituals. Both have different meanings, "said Michael.

As a ritual, the sawer is interpreted as advice for the bride and groom in navigating the ark of the household. Implemented after the marriage contract.

"Nashah mainly mandates that humans (cantins) behave well in family relations, husband and wife, social relations, steadfast establishment, and piety to God Almighty," wrote Aam Masduki in a journal, 'Sawer Pengonten Tutunan Hidup Berrumah Tangga in Bandung Regency'.

While reading the advice, the sawer interpreter threw loose change, rice, turmeric slices, candy, and betel leaf folding to the residents who witnessed it as an expression of gratitude.

Each of these items has the meaning of being composed. Such as money as a symbol of prosperity, rice as a symbol of prosperity, and candy as harmony of the family.

While turmeric is a symbol of gold so that households are respected by others, and betel leaf folding symbolizes openness between husband and wife in happy or difficult conditions.

Over time, the tradition also shifted, not only specifically at weddings. The people of Cikuya Village, Brebes, Central Java also carry out the oil palm tradition in circumcision, birth, housebuilding, and other diving activities.

So don't look at sawer or nyawer as a negative action. Nyawer is not a sin.