Rocky Gerung Ledek Jokowi Leads Jug Ritual At IKN: The Water That 34 Governors Pour In A Jug Is Like Rare Cooking Oil

President Jokowi leads the archipelago's jug ritual at IKN (BPMI Setpres/Laily Rachev)

JAKARTA - The well-known political observer Rocky Gerung alluded to the ritual of pouring water and soil into the archipelago's jugs which was held at the zero point of the National Capital City (IKN) of the Archipelago in Penajam Paser, East Kalimantan, Monday, March 14.

According to Rocky Gerung, the ritual of pouring water and soil into an archipelago's jug can have different meanings in people's minds. However, water can be interpreted as a representation of a substitute for cooking oil which is currently difficult to obtain, while land is a symbol of oil palm plantations.

"The meaning is that there is clarity, because we have to carry water. There is a lump of earth that shows that we are a nation or that humans came from the ground. I think so. But later people will interpret it, maybe what is called water is a substitute for oil. Fried and ground are symbols of oil palm land. That's how people interpret it. All interpretations can occur precisely because we don't understand what they actually mean," said Rocky, quoted from his YouTube channel, Tuesday, March 15.

Rocky Gerung said that the timing of the Indonesian jug ritual was not right. The community is currently under pressure due to the COVID-19 pandemic and is experiencing a cooking oil crisis. Therefore, the response from the public to the event was not too great.

"Building a capital city actually only requires two things, one; money, the second; people's joy. The money doesn't exist, because investors run away, people's joy doesn't exist because people focus on cooking oil," he said.

Rocky Gerung suggested that President Jokowi hold another event at IKN someday. Not only ministers and regional heads were invited, but also academics, experts, community leaders and the younger generation.

Even so, Rocky did not mind the archipelago's jug ritual to unite land and water from 34 provinces in IKN. Including the opinion of many people that the ritual intersects with the mystical because in different locations it is commonly held.

"But okay, it's kind of a normal sign. In the anthropology of this nation, there are always things that are mystical in nature. Mystical in the sense that it can't be digested by the mind, but maybe the energy is like that," he said.

The ritual of pouring water and soil into a jug of the archipelago was attended by 34 governors throughout Indonesia and led directly by President Jokowi. The procession began with the singing of the national anthem Indonesia Raya.

A moment later the governors handed over the land and water brought from their respective regions to Jokowi. Then Jokowi combined all the land and water that the governors brought from their respective provinces into a big jug.

The procession is hinted at as a philosophy of remembering the wisdom of the ancestors. East Kalimantan Governor Isran Noor said the procession would be seen as world history.

He said the process of moving the capital city would have a positive impact on the people of East Kalimantan. According to him, the central government from Jakarta to East Kalimantan will have an impact on development equality.

"This will have a broad impact in terms of equity and development justice in this archipelago. Because if we cross this line, the capital city is at that cross point. So the economic impact, development, and social welfare will automatically follow," said Isran Noor in the Secretariat's Youtube video. President, Monday, March 14.