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BEDEKEH RITUAL AND CULTURAL BELIEF OF SUKU AKIT IN RUPAT ISLAND,

BENGKALIS, RIAU

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BEDEKEH RITUAL AND CULTURAL BELIEF
OF SUKU AKIT IN RUPAT ISLAND,
BENGKALIS, RIAU

Suroyo1*, Neni Hermita2, Bedriati Ibrahim3,

and Bima Maulana Putra4
123
Fakultas Keguruan dan Ilmu Pendidikan Universitas Riau, Indonesia
4
Faculty of Social Science and Humanities University Kebangsaan Malaysia
*Corresponding e-mail: suroyo11002@lecturer.unri.ac.id

DOI: 10.31291/jlka.v20.i1.977
Accepted: 22 August 2021; Revised: 24 June 2022;
Published: 30 June 2022

ABSTRACT
Bedekeh is a medical tradition passed down from generation to
generation in the Akit tribe aiming at curing a person's illness. Bedekeh
ritual contains cosmological and religious ideology regarding human
relationship with Akit ancestors, God and human relationship with other
forces beyond human ability. This ritual is dedicated to the ancestral gods
as an aid in one's treatment. The ritual is led by Batin (Bomoh or big
shaman). This study employs a qualitative technique with a cultural studies
approach to explore Bedekeh in the Akit tribal community in relation to
Islam. The study found that in the Bedekeh ritual, when someone enters a
state of trance (possessed), various spirits such as the Islamic spirit (Hantu
Islam), the Malay spirit (Malay ghost), and others appeared, and then
helped and communicated according to the mantra that was chanted when
entering the body. The original Malay community who embraced Islam
rejected the local tradition of the Bedekeh ritual because it was considered
to contain animistic teachings that were shirk, idolatrous, and heretical.
The people of the Akit tribe are often positioned as the outermost area
(periphery) and are placed in a low position and the lowest social status.
The construction of such social structures still affects the Malay
community and the Muslim Malay community until today.

Keywords: Akit tribe, bedekeh, belief, cultural studies, ritual

© 2022 The Author(s). This is an open article under CC-BY-NC-SA license

(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/)
Jurnal Lektur Keagamaan, Vol. 20, No. 1, 2022: 173 - 202

ABSTRAK
Bedekeh merupakan tradisi pengobatan yang diturunkan dari gene-
rasi ke generasi pada masyarakat suku Akit dengan tujuan untuk menyem-
buhkan penyakit pada diri seseorang. Ritual bedekeh mengandung
ideologi kosmologi dan ideologi religius mengenai hubungan manusia
dengan leluhur Akit, Tuhan dan keselarasan manusia dengan kekuatan-
kekuatan lain di luar kemampuan jangkauan pikiran manusia. Ritual ini
dipersembahkan untuk dewa-dewa leluhur yang akan dipanggil sebagai
penolong dalam pengobatan seseorang yang dipimpin oleh Batin (Bomoh
atau dukun besar). Penelitian ini menggunakan teknik kualitatif dengan
pendekatan cultural studies untuk mengungkap Bedekeh pada masyarakat
suku Akit dalam kaitannya dengan Islam. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan
bahwa dalam ritual Bedekeh dan dalam keadaan trance (kerasukan),
maka muncul berbagai roh seperti roh Islam (Hantu Islam), roh Melayu
(hantu Melayu), dan lain-lain yang membantu dan berkomunikasi sesuai
dengan mantra yang dilantunkan saat memasuki tubuh Batin. Masyarakat
Melayu asli yang memeluk Islam menolak tradisi lokal ritual Bedekeh
karena dianggap mengandung ajaran animisme yang bersifat syirik,
musrik, dan sesat. Masyarakat suku Akit sering diposisikan sebagai area
terluar (periferi) dan menempatkan pada posisi yang rendah dan derajat
sosial terendah. Konstruksi struktur sosial yang demikian masih
memengaruhi masyarakat Melayu dan Masyarakat Melayu Muslim hingga
sekarang.

Kata kunci: bedekeh, kepercayaan, suku Akit, ritual

INTRODUCTION
The entrance of Islam to Nusantara gave signiciant influ-
ence to the culture and traditions in the society.1 In history, Islam
developed through acculturation of local cultures that have exis-
ted for a long time such as cultural patterns, traditions, values,
norms with new cultures that are spread across the Nusantara.2
Culture, on the other hand, is a vehicle for Islamization. Islam
was brought to Indonesia by a beautiful culture and noble

1
Donald Qomaldiansyah Tungkag, ―Varian Islam Nusantara: Jawa,
Minangkabau Dan Gorontalo,‖ Jurnal Lektur Keagamaan 15, no. 2 (2017):
217.
2
Choirul Fuad Yusuf, ―Kesultanan Nusantara Dan Faham Keagamaan
Moderat Di Indonesia,‖ Lektur Keagamaan 14, no. 2 (2016): 463.

174
BEDEKEH RITUAL AND CULTURAL BELIEF OF SUKU AKIT IN RUPAT ISLAND,
BENGKALIS, RIAU —
Suroyo, et al.

civilization.3 Culture is understood as a dynamic and developing

social construction reality that exists in the minds of members of
a social group.4 Cultural and religious diversity are interrelated,
especially in the context of culture and religion in Indonesia.5
Many local Islamic cultures or traditions that developed in the
Muslim community in Nusantara gave a distinctive style of Islam
in Indonesia.
The relationship between Islam and locality, including
local wisdom and community culture is an illustration of how
traditions in the community are influenced by the presence of
religion. This is important considering that religion is the core of
a culture which is theoretically very difficult to change. The
presence of Islam in Malay society has an impact on the culture
towards religious rational thought. Islam has an influence on the
continuity of a tradition that has existed for a long time in
people's lives. Rapid socio-religious changes can replace local
cultural values that have existed for generations with Islamic
cultural values in society brought by Islamic propagators as well
as with cultural acculturation.6 Every ethnicity has their rights to
express their own culture7. This is like what happened to the Akit
tribe with their traditional healing ritual called the Bedekeh
ritual. This ritual is led by Batin (leader of the Akit tribe=

3
Amirul Ulum, Al-Jawi Al-Makki: Kiprah Ulama Nusantara Di
Haramain, 2nd Ed (Yogyakarta: Global Press, 2019).
4
Patricia M. Hudelson, ―Culture and Quality: An Anthropological Pers-
pective,‖ International Journal for Quality in Health Care 16, no. 5 (2004), h.
345.
5
Agus Iswanto, ―Keraton Yogyakarta dan Praktik Literasi Budaya
Keagamaan melalui Media Digital,‖ Jurnal Lektur Keagamaan 17, no. 2
(2020), h. 323.
6
M. Kasim Abdurrahman, ―Arsitektur Masjid Jami‘Sultan Ayyub
Sanggau,‖ Lektur Keagamaan 12, no. 1 (2014): 237.
7
Moh. Rivaldi Abdul, ―Monginbalu Konbulan: Sejarah dan Nilai
Tradisi Mandi Puasa secara Massal dalam Masyarakat Muslim B,‖ Lektur
Keagamaan 19, no. 1 (2021), h. 142.

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Jurnal Lektur Keagamaan, Vol. 20, No. 1, 2022: 173 - 202

bomoh=big shaman=shaman). The Bedekeh ritual is a form of

identity for the Akit tribe which is also their cultural expression.8
Bedekeh is a ritual for treating health disorders and disea-
ses, a means of interaction between the supernatural and the real
world, a form of respect for the gods, the spirits of the ancestors
of Akit, antu (ghosts), and the universe as well as an expression
of gratitude to God Almighty. Bedekeh means‖to think‖ and ‖to
ask for instructions‖ from ancestors to expel evil spirits that
cause disease in the life of the Akit tribe.9 The bedekeh ritual is
thought to have existed since the Akit tribe inhabited the Rupat
area and is still practiced today in modern times. It is undeniable
that hereditary traditions such as religious beliefs and practices
contribute to the current state of society.10 Likewise, actions and
ideas that exist in modern times are rooted in the study of
primitive societies.11
In the ritual practice of bedekeh treatment, Batin will ask
for help from his ancestors to ward off evil spirits. Batin‘s role is
to give trust and confidence to the Akit tribe in performing treat-
ment through the possessing spirit during a trance state. From the
various languages spoken by bodies that are possessed, it is sus-
pected that there are several types of spirits that enter, namely:
Islamic spirits (Islamic ghosts), Malay spirits (Malay ghosts),
and others. The Akit tribe believes in the help of jinn or ancestral
spirits in healing through the Bedekeh ritual. This illustrates that

8
Suroyo, ―Ringkasan Disertasi: Ritual Bedekeh Suku Akit di Pulau
Rupat Kabupaten Bengkalis Provinsi Riau pada Era Global,‖ Masyarakat
Indonesia Majalah Ilmu-Ilmu Sosial Indonesia LIPI 44, no. 2 (2019): 88–97.
9
Suroyo, ‖Bedekeh‖ (Akit Tribal Ritual on Rupat Island in the
Bengkalis Regency of Riau Province in the Global Era),‖ Udayana Journal of
Social Sciences and Humanities (UJoSSH) 2, no. 2 (2018), h. 109.
10
Safa A. M. Al Husban, Ahmad A. S. Al Husban, and Yamen Al
Betawi, ―The Impact of the Cultural Beliefs on Forming and Designing
Spatial Organizations, Spaces Hierarchy, and Privacy of Detached Houses and
Apartments in Jordan.‖ Space and Culture 24, no. 1 (2021), h. 69.
11
Nurdien Harry Kistanto, ―Tentang Konsep Kebudayaan,‖ Sabda :
Jurnal Kajian Kebudayaan 10, no. 2 (2017), h. 5.

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BEDEKEH RITUAL AND CULTURAL BELIEF OF SUKU AKIT IN RUPAT ISLAND,
BENGKALIS, RIAU —
Suroyo, et al.

ritual traditions can function as ritual communication to ances-

tors and social communication.12
A study conducted by Roza stated that in the past, people
used to go to shamans when someone was sick. This continues
until the local community recognizes the existence of religions
outside of their ancestral beliefs.13 The ceremonial tradition has
two purposes: ritual communion with ancestors and social com-
munication. From the point of view of socioanthropology or
social sciences in general, religion is associated with shared
views (beliefs) and rituals (rituals) by a group of people. Some-
thing beyond human ability and logic such as ritual is something
that can be found in Indonesian society. Ritual is an expression
of a system of religious ceremonies that reflect the relationship
between humans and the spiritual realm. Another thing is said
that the implementation of the ritual has a purpose and meaning
such as strengthening the ties of friendship, praying to God to be
kept away from harm both individually and in society.14
The presence of Islam in Malay society has an impact on
the culture towards religious rational thought. Islam influenced
the continuity of a tradition that pre-existed in Indonesian so-
ciety. This is related to the fact that religion is the core of a
culture which is theoretically very difficult to change. A cultural
studies approach is needed in religion (including in the writing of
religious traditions), because religion is rooted in concrete
situations that are often associated with the social conditions of
society.15 Deconstructing old views and elevating a culture that
emphasizes the relevance of culture to social problems and daily
life, belief or religion and the spread of religion is very important

12
Fitriyani, Muhammad Adil, and KA Bukhori, ―Pola Komunikasi
Ritual Kembar Mayang: Kajian Etnografi Komunikasi Pada Etnis Jawa,‖
Intizar 26, no. 2 (2020), h. 81.
13
Ellya Roza, ―Ramuan Herbal Non Isntan dalam Naskah Kitab Tib
sebagai Alternatif Pengobatan, Sosial Budaya: Media Komunikasi Ilmu Sosial
11, no. 1 (2014): 1.
14
Ali Badri and Chelsy Yesicha, ―Komunikasi Ritual Ziarah Kubur
‗Atib Ko Ambai,‘‖ Medium 7, no. 1 (2019): 40.
15
Nyoman Kutha Ratna, Metodologi Penelitian Kajian Budaya Dan
Ilmu Sosial Humaniora Pada Umumnya (Yogyakarta: Pustaka Pelajar, 2017).

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Jurnal Lektur Keagamaan, Vol. 20, No. 1, 2022: 173 - 202

because cultural values that are still relevant can be utilized for
the social life of the community.
In addition to the cultural studies approach, this research
uses Molinowski's theory of functionalism. Cultural traditions
are born in response to human requirements. In other words,
these traditions are sextension of human needs. In addition,
knowing the idea of cultural diffusion theory is very important in
understanding the origin of the Bedekeh ritual in the Akit tribe
community on Rupat Island, Bengkalis Regency, Riau Province.
Cultural diffusion theorizes that a culture spreads as a result of
the movement of people from one location to another. Humans
who are in constant movement carry their culture, therefore there
is always an exchange of culture when they meet other humans.
The Bedekeh ritual practiced by the Akit tribe accumulates
many meaningful symbols, such as: religiosity, sacredness, har-
mony, care for nature, identity, social control, solidarity and gra-
titude to God and his ancestors. The Muslim Malay community
considers this tradition as heresy, because the Prophet
Muhammad did not teach or practice it. On the other hand, in
Abdullah bin Mas'ud Ra's and Atsar's views, when there is
something useful in the eyes of people, it can benefit mankind
because of its values.
Various practices and views of the indigenous Malay com-
munity, especially the Akit ethnicity as adherents of the local
religion, are considered "non-religious". This is reinforced by
their view that Islam rejects and contradicts ritual practices that
use shamans and offerings or ask for the help of spirits. The
relationship between people who are already religious and the
beliefs held by the Akit people is an illustration of how traditions
in that society are influenced by the presence of religion.
According to the Akit community, a person worships not because
he/she asks forgiveness for sins he/she has committed, but
because he/she expresses gratitude for the gifts that have been
given to him/her. Offenses, according to the Akit community,
will not be erased by asking for forgiveness because this sin
often occurs among humans.
By the Malay community who have embraced Islam and
by the native Malay community who do not know Islam, the

178
BEDEKEH RITUAL AND CULTURAL BELIEF OF SUKU AKIT IN RUPAT ISLAND,
BENGKALIS, RIAU —
Suroyo, et al.

Bedekeh ritual is considered contradictory. The official religions

of the Akit tribe are Christianity and Buddhism, but in practice,
they perform rituals by worshiping various gods and still believe
in supernatural powers beyond human reason and the practice of
animism and dynamism. This is in accordance with what was
stated by Geertz who argued that religion as part of the cultural
system does not play an integrative role and creates social har-
mony in society and can play a divisive role.16

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The results of this study are sourced from structured inter-
views with informants who live on Rupat Island, Riau Province.
Informants included: bomoh, batin, traditional and religious
leaders, government officials, community leaders, indigenous
peoples, educators, NGOs, and people with knowledge of the
Akit tribe. Secondary sources in the form of discussion results
from previous research, as reinforcement of data obtained from
informants.

The origin of Akit tribe

The origin of the Akit tribe is obtained from many versions
and from various sources, both literature studies, interviews, and
field research with various figures such as tribal chiefs and
scholars. The word Akit comes from the word berakit-raft, which
refers to a group of people working on the Siak River trans-
porting rafts. During the Siak Sri Indrapura kingdom, the Akit
tribe was a laborer, tasked with transporting wood from the
lower reaches of the Mandau River. The Akit are grouped into
three occupational categories. The first is a group of path seekers
in clearing the forest. The second group of Akit tribes is respon-
sible for planting, cutting and transporting wood from the forest
by gathering all the wood together and forming a large wooden
raft. The third group is the group tasked with cleaning the river

16
Geertz, Clifford, ―Kebudayaan dan Agama.‖ (1992). Yogyakarta:
Kanisius. 232

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bank, so that water flows downstream and facilitates the delivery

of wood.171819
The Akit tribe lived on the left and right banks of the
Mandau River, a tributary of the Siak river that flew through
Mandau District, Bengkalis Regency. The Akit tribe could not
stay long on the banks of the Mandau river due to disturbances
from animals that damaged their crops, such as elephants, wild
boars, and other creatures. They requested the Sultan of Siak to
provide settlements and land for them to live. Their wish was
granted by the Sultan of Siak and they set out on a raft to find a
new place to live in the form of an island, namely Rupat Island.
This island was previously occupied by a group of people from
the island of Rempang, Riau.
The Akit tribe quickly met several groups of people from
the island of Rempang who happened to be starving. People from
the island of Rempang want to sell their island and move to
another place. The Rempang people are willing to sell Rupat
Island to Akit for a piece of sago stick, a basket of rice, a canoe
and a paddle. The Rempang tribe's request could not be fulfilled
by the Akit tribe so that the Akit tribe had not been able to
occupy the Rupat island. Then, the Akit tribe went to Datuk
Laksemana Sultan Siak Sri Indrapura to ask for help in fulfilling
the requirements set by the Rempang people.
With the permission and conditions given by the sultan, the
Akit tribe's wishes were granted. Then the sultan sent Akit tribe
to deliver the conditions determined by the Rempang people and
went to Rupat. From then on, Akit settled on Rupat Island until
now. They were not moving anymore. In the process of handing
over Rupat Island to the Akit tribe, there was a message and an

17
Suroyo, ―Ringkasan Disertasi: Ritual Bedekeh Suku Akit di Pulau
Rupat Kabupaten Bengkalis Provinsi Riau pada Era Global,‖ Masyarakat
Indonesia Majalah Ilmu-Ilmu Sosial Indonesia LIPI 44, no. 2 (2019): 88–97.
18
Julius Limbeng, Suku Akit di Pulau Rupat, Cetakan Pe (Jakarta:
Kementrian Pariwisata dan Ekonomi Kreaktif, 2011).
19
Suroyo Suroyo, Gede Wirata, and Kamaruddin Kamaruddin, ―Stra-
tegi Pengelolaan Pariwisata Budaya Ritual Bedekeh Suku Akit di Pulau Rupat
Kabupaten Bengkalis Provinsi Riau,‖ Proceeding TEAM 2 (October 12,
2017): 33, https://doi.org/10.23887/team.vol2.2017.153.

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BEDEKEH RITUAL AND CULTURAL BELIEF OF SUKU AKIT IN RUPAT ISLAND,
BENGKALIS, RIAU —
Suroyo, et al.

oath from the Rempang people which read "Do not sell this
island or transfer it to someone else." With this message, Akit
tribe inhabit Rupat Island until now, keep their promise and
always protect the island.
Another source states that in the 17th century, a group of
people from Kalimantan came to the territory of the Siak king-
dom and settled on the banks of the Siak River. Then, arguing
that they were often harassed by wild creatures such as tigers and
elephants, these people asked the Sultan for permission to stay in
another area. Finally, His Majesty Sultan Siak granted the tribe's
wish to find an island free from wild animals. Then they traveled
down the river to the mouth of Siak. They landed on Padang
Island after a long journey. They believe that wild creatures can
still cross the strait because there is only a small distance
between the two islands and if the tide is high, animals can pass.
The tribal group set out again to traverse the vast ocean. They
saw an island in the north after a long and tiring journey. There is
a river on the west side. With joy the tribe passed through the
river. They rested after anchoring their canoes in the middle of
the river while relaxing. They talk to each other. Suddenly they
were surprised by a human shadow from a distance who was on
the left entering the river. One of them pulled the anchor of their
canoe. Without wasting any more time they immediately rowed
their canoe toward the shadow. After approaching the shadow, it
turned out that the shadow was an old woman.
The tribe asked the old woman regarding who owned the
island. The woman replied that the island was owned by Datuk
Empang Kelapahan. Then the tribe said, "If it is true that the
owner of this island is Datuk Empang Kelapahan, may we meet
him? She replied, "If you want to meet Datuk Empang
Kelapahan, first meet Datuk Kebeneh who is on the right side of
this river. We are husband and wife‖, explained the old lady
happily.
After receiving the explanation and permission from Datuk
Kebeneh, the group escorted by Datuk Bintang Beheleh went
down the river to meet Datuk Empang Kelapahan. Upon arrival,
they immediately informed and expressed their sincere intentions
to Datuk Empang Kelapahan. They begged to be allowed to live

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on this island because they were often disturbed by wild crea-

tures in their own area. Datuk Empang Kelapahan asked about
their ancestors. They claimed to come from the Upper Siak River
which was ruled by the Little King with the title Sultan.
After hearing the tribe's explanation, Datuk Empang
Kelapahan did not object to their request. Datuk Empang
Kelapahan allowed them to live on the island with one condition.
As for the conditions, they must submit a piece of rice eye, a
piece of sago tampin, and a golden oar. If the request can be
fulfilled, they can stay on this island until their descendants.
Given the extremely heavy requirements, the tribe seemed
desperate. They told Datuk Empang Kelapahan that the request
was too heavy for those who just had a hard time living. Datuk
Empang Kelapahan replied, ―If this island is destined for you and
your children and grandchildren in the future, go and meet the
Sultan at the Throne. He will definitely help you." Hearing these
words, the tribe was happy. They asked Datuk Empang
Kelapahan for two times seven days to meet the Sultan.
Field data indicates that after the Akit ancestors came
under the protection of the Siak Sultanate, they were divided into
three groups. Two of these three groups then immigrated to
Rupat Island. In the service of the Sultan of Siak and on the
journey to ask the sultan for help, Akit's ancestors did several
jobs and divided them as loggers, transportation, and building
palaces in Bukit Batu Village. To do this work, people are
divided into three functional work groups, namely: (1) Suku
Hutan (Forest Tribe) is a group who cut trees in the forest; (2)
the Akit tribe, namely the group who traversed the forest on rakit
(raft) on the Siak River; (3) The Hatas tribe is a group who built
roads or rivers as a means of transportation. Although these three
groups were involved in this work, their village was often
disrupted by the presence of wild animals. They made a request
to Sultan for giving them a new place to live ("tukar tempat").
The Sultan gave them Rupat Island, which is part of Bengkalis.
The first group, namely the Suku Utan, immigrated to Bengkalis

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BENGKALIS, RIAU —
Suroyo, et al.

Island. The others, Akit and Hatas, moved to Rupat Island. The
name Rupat comes from ―tukar tempat‖.20

Deconstructing Bedekeh Ritual of Akit tribe

In the Akit tribe's belief in the Bedekeh ritual, there was a
place that is considered sacred to pray and offer offerings to
spirits (Datok) along the beach overlooking the sea. This sacred
place was where the spirits of Datok Sakti and Datok Kebeneh, a
husband and wife who inhabited or oversee the Rupat island area
and incarnated into spirits. To honor the spirit, ritual ceremonies
are held by Bomoh/Batin.
Other source of oral traditions mention that21 the emer-
gence of Bedekeh ritual in Akit can be traced from several narra-
tives as follows. First, the first bomoh was the eldest son of
Adam with the name Komantan. On the seventh day of his birth,
he was suddenly unconscious of unknown cause. Komantan‘s
parents were very panicked and nervous about the child's condi-
tion. After a while, the child who had a seizure suddenly lost
consciousness and fainted again and again. Over time, the
Komantan grew up in good health, but similar symptoms
persisted throughout his childhood. When Komantan was seven
years old, Komantan said to his father, Adam, "I want to live in
the sky (above the world)." Adam smiled and asked him, "How
did you go to the sky, there are more places to live here than in
the sky." The boy replied, "In the sky, there is a world similar to
here." His father asked another question, "How do you know that
world?" He replied, "I know father, because I sometimes go to
the sky." The commander asked his father to prepare seven
drums, a pair of jars, and various accessories in a hut in a remote
location. He was alone in the hut and forbade his parents to come
at night. One night, there was a hurricane around the hut. The
next day, Adam realized that the hut where the Komantan lived
had disappeared in the wind and flew into the sky so that the
incident left a trail of deep sadness. Years later, Adam felt guilty

20
Dodi Ahmad Kurtubi, ―Mengenal Suku-Suku Asli (Komunitas Adat
Terpencil) Provinsi Riau,‖ Kantor Dinas Sosial Provinsi Riau, (2017), p. 2.
21
Interview with Batin Gelimbing

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and was so sad that he continued to be in critical physical

condition. In his mind, he did not know what to do and how to
know the fate of his eldest son Komantan who lived above the
sky. Adam tried to be able to communicate with Komantan, the
child who was then high in the sky.
Adam burned incense that he believes as a medium of
communication with his son, Komantan. Adam burned the
fragrance, hoping the smoke and fragrance would reach the sky.
After a while, noises rang out from the sky, and light fell in front
of him. Although invisible to the naked eye, Adam believed that
it was Komantan who came as a spirit down to earth to treat his
sick father who heavily thought of him. Komantan promised to
his brothers to come back and help them with the other spirits
from the sky whenever their family was sick. Then, he returned
to the sky accompanied by a light like lightning. After this inci-
dent, people were told that they could summon and communicate
with spirits from the sky to help with treatment as Adam ex-
perienced.
Second, another story says that once upon a time there was
a bomoh named Satun. He claimed to be very strong and
powerful and able to bring back someone from death through his
magic. One day, a little girl suffered from a very serious illness
and asked Satun to treat her. Satun held a healing ceremony for
the child, accompanied by the use of seven drums (a kind of
tambourine) to prove his supernatural powers. During the ritual
ceremony, Satun summoned the spirits who were believed to be
his assistants. To Satun's surprise, the girl who supposed to be
healed, she died instead. This failure makes Satun very embar-
rassed and ends up hiding without being known his whereabouts.
From the two narratives above, there are some understand-
ding that can be drawn. First, it is believed that there is another
world above the sky and bomboh can connect the life on land and
above the sky. Indeed, the world where Akit tribe lived is
divided into two worlds, namely dunia atas (top world) where
God Almighty and spirit assistants resides (the Akit ancestors),
dunia tengah (middle world) where humans live, and dunia
bawah (underworld, in the ground) where humans are buried.
Bomoh has the ability to travel to another world in Bedekeh

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ritual to communicate with spirits through the ritual. Second, the

help of ancestral spirits who live in the upper realms or the sky
helps humans if needed. During the healing ritual, bomoh is
assisted by ancestral spirits from the sky with supernatural
powers. In addition, spirits from the sky will descend if it is
intended for treatment and helping human life. The expression
above shows an expression of the belief of the Akit tribe that the
spirits of the Akit ancestors, namely Adam and Komantan,
passed down knowledge of the bedekeh ritual which is used to
this day. Stories in the practice of Bedekeh for Akit as validation
of the legitimacy of cultural institutions and supervision of
community norms so that they are always obeyed. This statement
reveals that the journey of spirits to seek healing is the basis for
the practice of Bedekeh. In this story, Bedekeh is used as a guide
to this day. The story of Komantan is not fiction for the Akit
tribe. The story is brought to life in the ritual practice of
Bedekeh. Adam's actions and activities are the personification of
the ritual practices that must be performed in Bedekeh. The Akit
tribe still believes in the spirits of their ancestors so that the
practice of animism and dynamism are still carried out today.
According to cosmological thought among Akits, some
diseases are caused by supernatural powers, and diseases are not
caused by supernatural powers. Diseases of supernatural origin
or caused by spirit disturbances or invisible things are very
dangerous and must be treated with rituals involving Bomoh. On
the other hand, physical ailments can be treated by general
practitioners (GP) in the Akit tribe. Traditions originating from
the ancestors of Akit are indeed difficult to abandon, this proves
that remnants of old beliefs and cultures still exist in people's
lives from generation to generation. In cosmology, the Akit tribe
holds that nature is divided into two parts: the visible world and
the unseen world. According to the Akit tribe, the forest is home
to supernatural beings who can harm or help. The inhabitants of
this group of supernatural beings who guard the forest. They
have supernatural powers that can harm humans. Humans must
submit to and respect the guardians of supernatural powers. The
Akit tribe believes that these guards do not harm nature. The
supernatural beings in the world are tasked with protecting

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nature, not eating it, what consumes is humans. If one wishes to

enter the forest, he must bring provisions in the form of betel
nuts, cigarettes, and sugi (tobacco). Otherwise, he can fall into a
serious disease that is difficult to cure.
Akit people believe that certain trees have supernatural
powers that can inflict good and evil on humans. To avoid the
bad or get the good, this tree is usually given tetau (offerings).
Rituals performed by the Akit tribe to fulfill promises because
God or Gods, ancestral spirits have helped them in achieving
whatever they want. In addition to the plurality of vertical
cosmology in the life of the Akit tribe, it is also known how to
maintain horizontal relations, namely the balance between
dakhat (land) and laot (sea) and the middle world. This is what is
called the relationship with the environment, including the sea,
rivers, straits, and other places that connect the life of the land
where the Akit people live. For the Akit tribe, the forest gets a
more special place so it is considered sacred and must be
protected because it is inhabited by ghosts who will get angry at
any time if the ritual is not carried out.
In Akit cosmology, sea and land describe free places,
namely places inhabited by spirits or gods, while the middle
world is a characteristic of Akit villages or places because it is a
place inhabited by humans. While the sea and land are free
worlds, their inhabitants can be classified into antu dakhat (land
spirits) and antu laot (sea spirits) based on where they live. In
treating these inhabitant gods or spirits, the offerings to land and
sea spirits are also very different. When the Akit tribe makes
appropriate offerings to the spirits, the spirits will provide protec-
tion and safety for the Akit tribe. If the offering is not made to
the guardian spirit, it will bring disaster and calamity to the
residents of the Akit tribe. Therefore, the Akit people always
avoid giving inappropriate offerings and always maintain a
balance between land and sea, even in their daily life.
For example, in catching fish in the sea, it is forbidden to
use sharp objects and use bloody baits, because the sea god will
be angry if the blood of land animals is served. Likewise, in
caring for the soil, it is forbidden to cut trees with heavy equip-
ment because the gods or spirits will be angry. If people make

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offerings to the spirit of one party only, the spirit of the other
party will be angry and can bring disaster. In general, when it
comes to burning frankincense for the god of the sea, it is usually
more than the offering of the god of the land. According to the
Akit tribe, sea spirits are relatively stronger than land gods. From
this it can be concluded that the burning of incense for ritual
offerings to the sea god is more because the sea breeze is
stronger than the wind on land. During the therapy process,
bomoh will usually seek help from spirits, both land and sea
spirits, one by one. After the spirit is encouraged to speak, the
bomoh will usually provide support and guidance in searching
for evil spirits associated with the patient's illness.
With the help of the spirits, bomoh can identify the evil
spirit that disrupts the patient and finally to treat him/her.
Although the ancestors and God Akit live in the upper world or
the sky, they are also divided into land and are able to see spirits.
The bomohs are required to prepare two palaces or mansions for
land spirits and a lancang (boat) for sea spirits as offerings to
them during the healing ceremony. Some spirits will usually help
the bomohs. This can be seen from the bomoh who goes into a
trance through their behavior, clothing, or drumming. The gods
have influence over the spirits. The spirits appear in various
ceremonial events include the so-called Islamic spirits, Malay
spirits, Malay ghosts and others depending on the language
spoken when the spirit enters the body of the bomoh. There are
certain ghosts believed to be most powerful in assisting the
rituals of the bomohs when they help the bomohs and possessing
the bomoh in healing rituals, such as: crocodile spirit, the beau-
tiful princess (usually when bomoh dances happily and freely
dances) or the Hulubalang spirit (bomoh was in full force). This
Hulubalang spirit has the most magical power in the healing
ritual of the Akit tribe (as the spirit of the commander or war
leader).
The story of Komantan and Satun became the basis and
legitimacy of the practice of bedekeh, as well as the origin of the
first bomoh. Komantan is in the world 'above the sky' which
imparts knowledge to humans. The story of the ancestor of the
bomoh comes from the upper world that binds and controls

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various human behavior. It indicates that what is included in the

Bedekeh ritual practice is the reality of events that are passed
down from generation to generation by the ancestors of the Akit
tribe, which are determined by the way humans produce or use
them. At the present time, the stories that exist in the Akit com-
munity in the origin of these ritual practices are called myths.
Myth is a tradition that is carried out to cause havoc which can
be in the form of stories and values in it.22 Myths that exist in
society show religious and spiritual behavior that connects one-
self with God Almighty. This shows that what is included in the
myth is historical reality, which is defined by the ways humans
produce or use it.23

Religion, Culture and Bedekeh Practice in the View of

Cultural Studies
The beliefs of the Akit tribe syas that the spirits of ances-
tors, namely Adam and Komantan, passed down the knowledge
of the bedekeh ritual that is valid to this day. The practice of
bedekeh for Akit is a validation of the legitimacy of cultural
institutions and the supervision of community norms so that they
are always obeyed. In the view of cultural studies, the origin
story of the bedekeh practice was the result of Adam's mistake, a
formulation for the implementation of the bedekeh practice was
created which has been used as a guide to this day. The story of
Komantan is not fiction for the Akit people. The story is brought
to life in the ritual practice of bedekeh. Even though humans are
replicas of the macrocosm and have the ability to create, they are
also aware of the limitations of their abilities and never reject His
will. 24
External influences resulting from cultural interactions,
namely cultural acculturation, modernization, and globalization,
and religious teachings, both directly and indirectly, will affect

22
Ika Cahyanti, S Sukatman, and Furoidatul Husniah, ―Mitos dalam
Ritual Ruwatan Masyarakat Madura di Kecamatan Gending Kabupaten
Probolinggo,‖ Jurnal Edukasi 4, no. 1 (2017), h. 13.
23
Barthes, Roland. ―Mitologi.‖ Yogyakarta: Kreasi Wacana. 2009:208

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the lives of the Akit community so as to bring change to the Akit

community. Another thing that shows the open attitude of the
Akit community towards cultural influences outside of Akit is
the existence of mixed marriages with other ethnic groups. In
ancient times, the Akit tribe had to marry the same tribe. In
addition, economic factors influence a person to change religion.
There are those who want to change their religion because there
is economic pressure, so there are those who are willing to leave
their religion25.
Bomoh in the Akit tribe has authority in the form of power
over the practice of medical rituals that exist in the Akit com-
munity in Hutan Panjang of Rupat Island, Bengkalis Regency,
Riau Province. This authority makes the bomoh as the central
figure and agent of both change and preservation of a tradition.
As such, the relationship between the bomoh and the Akit tribal
community is a functional relationship and is dependent or reci-
procal. This dependence appears on the Akit community regar-
ding the ritual practice of treatment by bomoh.

Religious views on Bedekeh ritual

The cultural diversity in Indonesia shows that Indonesia is
a country rich in culture. Culture is a very important asset becau-
se it is a feature of a place and a representation of the personality
of a nation or region. Culture is a wealth that must be maintained
and preserved by every tribe.26 The healing ritual of the Akit
community through Bedekeh ritual involves a metaphysical rela-
tionship with supernatural entities and spirits. Philosophically,
Akit tribe is taught to maintain harmonious relations with
humans, the environment where the Akit tribe lives, creators and
ancestors of the Akit tribe and their ancestral spirits who have
extraordinary power for the beliefs of the Akit tribe.
25
Agoes Dariyo, ―Conversion Of Religion In Muslim Marriage Lives,‖
Psikis : Jurnal Psikologi Islami 7, no. 1 (2021): 86–94.
26
Suroyo, Bima Maulana Putra, and Bedriati Ibrahim, ―Cultural Belief
of Petang Megang Ritual With Self Actualization on Malay Community
Pekanbaru City Riau,‖ Udayana Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities
(UJoSSH) 5, no. 2 (2021): 64–67, https://doi.org/: https://doi.org/10.24843/
UJoSSH.2021.v05.i02.p01.

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Akit tribe has to continue to carry out the Bedekeh ritual

from generation to generation. The Bedekeh ritual performed by
Batin in the Akit tribe as an ancestral heritage is full of meanings
and values in the life of the Akit community. Not only in the
quest for healing and treatment of various ailments, but also
firmly bound with extraordinary or mysterious powers stemming
from an extraordinary frame of belief and belief in magic,
mysterious energies, ancestral Akit disturbances, evil spirits, and
many reasons for disturbances caused by the wrath of the
universe and the lord of nature.
According to the view of the Akit people, a person wor-
ships a spirit not because of asking forgiveness for sins that have
been committed, but as a sign of gratitude for the gift of au-
thority to him. In Akit‘s belief, people who break the rules are
not erased their sins only by seeking forgiveness from God or
ancestors, because these sins are common among humans. Ac-
cording to research informants, when someone steals, they can-
not ask God for forgiveness because the one who is harmed is
not God, but someone whose property was stolen. Therefore, it
was more appropriate for him to apologize to the owner of the
stolen goods as a sign of remorse for the crime committed. For
the Akit community, an expression of gratitude for something
that cannot be seen directly by the human eye (God, ancestral
spirits, spirits, jinn) needs to be conveyed when someone feels
that his intentions have been granted by the almighty (gods,
ancestral spirits).
The Akit people on Rupat Island have embraced official
religions, particularly Christianity and Buddhism. The presence
of religion and the awareness of each person in the Akit tribal
community to embrace one of the existing religions brought by
priests and kyai who entered the territory of the Akit community.
Faith, belief and religion are components of national identity as
Indonesians, namely: religious people, deliberately establish
friendly tolerant relationships between followers of the same
religion and between religious communities. Religious pluralism
is a gift from God Almighty that the Indonesian people must be
grateful for in order to maintain unity and peace.

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Clarification of religion in human life is so complex, be-

cause religion includes various perspectives on human life. To be
a devout human being, correct information is needed about the
point of view contained in religion. The term perspective is com-
parative to the term component. In this way, the perspective of a
godly life can be compared with the components of a godly life.
After all, the components can be recognized from the point of
view, in terms of how they can be isolated and isolated from
their solidarity. There are 5 (five) religious components, specifi-
cally: (1) pious feelings, (2) belief frameworks, (3) customs and
ceremonies, (4) customs and ceremonies, and (5) pious indivi-
duals. In the perspective of pious life, it is clarified in the
following settings: (1) aspects of unobtrusive inner belief, (2)
sacred perspectives, (3) customary angles, (4) pious individuals,
and (5) worldliness. This agrees with the theory of religious
conversion which says that religious conversion is not only
found in modern society, 'primitive culture', 'traditional society',
is characterized by magic, superstition, and belief in something
that is considered sacred. The diversity and innovations brought
about by the times have resulted in the religions of these peoples
often being the most changing feature of their culture, although
there is little impact on social life. 272829
Religion cannot be understood without extraordinary
power, whatever its form. Godly people make this extraordinary
control a means to lean on in life, a place to complain about all
the problems they face. For them, there is no society without
religion. If society wants to last long, there must be a God to
worship. The society's view of the Akit tribe is still condes-
cending that the Akit tribe is considered negative by assuming

27
Jack Goody, ―Relegion, Social Change and the Sociology of Conver-
sion,‖ in Changing Social Stucture in Ghana (Routledge, 2018), 1–16.
28
Robert P Geraci and Michael Khodarkovsky, Of Relgion and Empire:
Missions, Conversion, and Tolerance in Tsarist Russia (Cornell University
Press, 2018).
29
Trond O. Tollefsen & James M White, ―Navigating an Orthodox
Conversion: Community, Environment, and Religion on the Island of Ruhnu,‖
Scandinavian Journal of History, 2021, 642–64, https://doi.org/https://doi.org/
10.1080/03468755.2021.1921840.

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they have supernatural powers that can use other people to inflict
attacks on themselves, either through black magic.
Belief in a society towards religiosity is the essence of a
religion. Belief in society is centered on God who is above this
domain (supernatural power), or behind the physical domain
(transcendentalism) which is accepted to be carried out as a
guide in this domain which also directs the course of human life.
With an emphasis on strong power, and accepted to influence
human life, it appears in people who need this power to succeed
in living life. This view reduces things that are racial and obser-
vational, so that individuals who are contrary to these beliefs do
not believe.
The Akit community in Rupat firmly accepts the belief in
the extraordinary power of the universe that can be found in
objects, places, creatures, and so on. This power can bring a
good life to the Akit tribe. This belief was obtained from their
predecessors who still hold animism and dynamism. Although
the Akit community in Rupat live mingle with other communi-
ties both new comers and those who embrace religion, they still
do things related to myths. For them, the official religion is a
complement to life and not as a philosophy for other individuals.
Hence, religious change among Akit community is not a
problem, and it is not uncommon to find a religious family mem-
ber among other non-religious members. Various religious figu-
res recognized by the government are trying to direct the target
of their mission/da'wah to Akit Tribe or community groups who
still adhere to their beliefs in everyday life but are called "non-
religious".

Islamic view on Bedekeh ritual

Based on field data, it is known that before carrying out the
ritual process, bomoh must know the type of illness by doing tilik
or fortune-telling. As long as bomoh is possessed by ancestral
spirits, bomoh experiences a trance, behavior, movement, sound,
and so on experience changes when a trance occurs. According

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to Levie Straus30 in his book Myths, Shaman and Magic, condi-

tion of trance experienced by individuals when they lose
consciousness can be caused by certain factors. This state is a
state of psychic dissociation characterized by a lack of inten-
tional movement and is often characterized by the occurrence of
automatism in actions and thoughts. The state of uncons-
ciousness in the present state can be exemplified in a hypnotized
state.31
Bomoh will try to enter the patient's soul to summon spirits
before he wanders off or falls into another world. Bomoh chants
a mantra and brings water in a glass, holds a candle, as well as
some betel leaves. The patient will drink a glass of water after
the ritual. The rest of the water that is drunk is used to bathe the
patient in the morning. The water concoction is used as medicine
by patients who are believed to be efficacious to purify the
patient's body. Bomoh will apply plain flour (rice flour) that has
been given a spell on the patient's body. Mantras are an impor-
tant part of the healing ritual for the patient to recover. Bomoh
will repeatedly cast a spell on the patient's body.
This mantra is considered to give strength strength to the
patient. In addition, spells are also used to strengthen the
patient's body against evil spirits. During the process of reciting
the mantra on the patient's body, the bomoh will whisper the
mantra to the patient's head, left and right thumbs, and both toes.
It aims to sever the souls of patients who are sick due to evil
spirits. Several informants who were questioned said, such as the
breath of God who created the first human in Akit mythology,
the bomoh that gave life (breath) to the patient. After blowing the
breath in the form of a spell, the bomoh will fly or experience a
trance to another world unnoticed and not known or read by the
people present.

30
Lévi-Strauss. 1966. The Savage Mind. London: Weidenfold
Nicolson.
31
Suroyo, ―Ritual Bedekeh Suku Akit Di Pulau Rupat Kabupaten
Bengkalis Provinsi Riau Pada Era Global,‖ Masyarakat Indonesia Majalah
Ilmu-Ilmu Sosial Indonesia LIPI, no. 2 (2019), h. 92.

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Rituals are often performed two or three nights in a row.

Guest families and Bomohs have to abide by some rules. Pork,
crab meat and meat from four-legged animals are not allowed
into the house. Bomoh is also prohibited from drinking alcoholic
beverages. This is done because in the rituals that are carried out
sometimes Bomoh will be assisted by Malay spirits who are
Muslim, so that they can facilitate the course of the ritual. This
will be done by not eating meat and alcoholic beverages which
are considered haram by Muslims.
After completing a series of taboo rituals from morning
until the ceremony is held, the main door will be closed with
pandan leaves. The purpose of closing the door is to prevent
people or guests who will witness the ceremony from entering
and leaving the room. According to Akit, this is what is called a
tabo (forbidden), or a taboo place that must be sterilized from
negative intentions. According to the rituals and methods of
treatment of the Akit tribe, the ritual of Bedekeh by Bomoh is
found in two systems. The treatment management system is the
first, and the healthcare system is the second. The first step
includes (a) the therapeutic technique used, (b) detecting the
cause of a disease (diagnosis), and (c) determining the method of
treatment. Second, the healthcare system consists of (1) deter-
mining the origin of the disease and (2) therapeutic measures that
emphasize what are the taboos that the sick person must follow.
In other words, the influence of Islam on the ritual of
Bedekeh in general is not found, but the general influence on
other forms of Islam and other religions (religion) which spreads
indirectly which has contributed to the Bedekeh ritual of the Akit
tribe today and in the future. Local ritual practices (customs)
carried out by the Akit tribal community use the attributes and
beliefs. Thus, this is also in line with the theory which states that
the involvement of a religion in the rituals of the local com-
munity is comprehensive, but all forms of religion, even deviant

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ones, are included in the influence of religion on the traditions of

the local community.32,33,34.
In Straus's view, shamans and magic have experiences
created by specific variables, and situations that people expe-
rience after losing consciousness. In the Bedekeh ritual, bomoh
can be said to be a shaman, due to bomoh's expertise who lead a
situation experienced by the individual to lose consciousness.
Meanwhile, current conditions explain that the belief of the Akit
tribe towards the Bedekeh ritual is still ongoing, the strength of
cultural belief and the influence of Islam in this ritual. It makes
some people of the Akit tribe believe that there is a relationship
between the influence of Islam and this Bedekeh ritual. This is
reinforced by the informant's testimony of one Bedekeh ritual,
where there was a figure who is believed to be a ghost of Islam.
Thus, the relationship between Straus' theory can be understood
by the definition of Bomoh who is believed to be a shaman to the
Islamic connection to this Bedekeh ritual.
One of the purposes of the revelation of the Qur'an is to be
shifa, or medicine for humans. Al-Qur'an as shifa' describes how
the entire contents of the Qur'an, including verses and chapters,
can be used to treat illness in a more meaningful way.

―O mankind, there has come to you instruction from your

Lord and healing for what is in the heart and guidance and
mercy for the believers.‖ (Yunus: 57)
―And We send down of the Qur’ān that which is healing and
mercy for the believers, but it does not increase the
wrongdoers except in loss.‖ (Al-Isra: 82)

32
Volker Gottowik, ―Heterodox Ritual Practices in the Context of the
Islamic Veneration of Saints in Central Java,‖ Journal of the Humanities and
Social Scinece of Southeast Asia, 2018.
33
Michael Frishkopt, ―Ritual as Strategic Action: The Social Logic of
Musical Silence in Canadian Islam,‖ in Muslim Rap, Halal Soaps, and Revo-
lutionary Theatre (University of Texas Press, 2021), https://doi.org/https://
doi.or/10.7560/726819-006.
34
Ulugmurodov Elyor Saydulloevich, ―Islamic Culture: The Essence
and Ways To Improve It,‖ Academicia Globe: Inderscience Research 3, no. 3
(2022): 208–12.

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People often fall into shirk when they use magical and
supernatural means. Almost all shamans and psychics are against
religious stipulations, so religious people believe and believe that
only Allah can heal them. The shaman usually demands certain
conditions in the form of a sacrifice, such as slaughtering a white
or black chicken, holding chicken eggs, sprinkling flowers,
wearing ring stones, and other things. There are also many
taboos and advice from shamans whose rules are clearly haram.
People who use the occult and astrology according to Ibn Abbas
will be hated and disliked in the eyes of Allah. Some of these
shamans, claiming to have permission from Allah, ordain
themselves (verbally or actually) capable of curing all ailments
believing themselves to be holy and powerful. This is in line with
the holy verse of the Qur'an,

“So do not claim yourselves to be pure; He is most knowing of

who fears Him.” (QS. An-Najm: 32).

Chanting, reading, incantations, and other mutterings are

common treatments performed by shamans, while holding cer-
tain parts of the patient as well as remotely. incantations and
readings of this kind are prohibited, especially when the meaning
is not clear. This is different from the sunnah therapy, namely
Ruqyah, which involves reading that can be understood. Accor-
ding to experts, the Shari'a allows the reading of a verse or incan-
tation if three criteria are met. First, by mentioning Allah SWT;
secondly in Arabic or another language with an understandable
meaning; and third, with the idea that mantras have no effect i.e.
lead to shirk. Islam forbids alternative medicine and supernatural
consultation using amulets as a cure for disease, a bearer of
blessings and protection, among other things, because it is shirk
and is dependent on objects other than Allah.
Bedekeh ritual in the hereditary practice of the Akit tribe is
considered contrary to Malay society. This is based on the pre-
mise that ancient Akit used shamans and magic with the help of
spirits of their ancestors, and used materials such as incense
(which is closely linked to magic). On the other hand, Islam and
Malay are an inseparable unity. The Malays have been associated

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with Islam, and what is done in the Bedekeh ritual is against

Islam. In its development, the Akit community has been edu-
cated in schools. There is a subject called of Muatan Lokal
Budaya Melayu which is expected to be a window for them to
understand how the Malays view everything, including their
ritual practices. Education through informal and non-formal
school processes is expected to provide understanding to the Akit
tribe.35

CONCLUSION
The ritual of bedekeh by bomoh is a process of treating
health disorders and diseases, a means of interaction between the
macrocosm and microcosm, a means of harmonizing relation
between the supernatural and the real world, a form of respect for
gods, spirits of the ancestors of Akit, antu (ghosts), and nature.
universe and as thanksgiving to God. The Akit community has
recognized religion as a cultural process with religious values.
The principle in Malay says that the Malays live on earth, so
slowly Akit's beliefs and beliefs also adjust to how to follow the
traditions prevailing in Malay society. Cultural beliefs and
religious teachings form harmonization in the traditions that exist
in the Malay Muslim community and Malay society in general.
Rituals passed down from generation to generation in today's life
must be understood and can be studied in terms of cultural and
religious studies. As such, the rituals that are considered contra-
dictory by people who have embraced religion are contrary to the
Malay community before they knew religion, the community's
view was seen from the perspective of religion and culture.

35
Vahid Aghale and Abbas Afshar, ―Socio-Hydrological Agent-Based
Modelling for Analysing the Impacts of Supply Enhancement Strategies on
the Cap-and-Trade Scheme,‖ Hydrological Sciences Journal 66, no. 1 (2021):
55.

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