About My Culture (A Steemit Story Challenge ) - Aceh Culture "Neuba" (The Gift In Wedding Party )

Aceh is one of big province in Indonesia which has various ethnic and surely has different culture of each ethnic. Let see in my hometown Pidie. Pidie is about 120 km from the capital of Aceh province, Banda Aceh. There are 23 districts and 730 villages. One of this district is Delima. In Delima district, there are several villages which are under one region that named Reubee. In this region, there is one culture which is still maintained until now. It is called “Neuba”. ”Neuba” is a gift which bring to the wedding party. It consist of rice, cooking oil and coconut in a big bowl. This gift as an accommodation for the householder. Do you know? In Pidie, the people will spend a lot of money for a party, specially wedding party. This cost not only for the decoration, but also for meals. They (rich or poor) will serve many various meals. So, this gift (”Neuba”) will help the householder to fulfill this needed.

In fact, this culture had been there in every region of Pidie, but, because of new era, this culture, we can only find in “Reubee” and its territory. The villagers in this region stlil preserve and maintain this culture.

In one time, some elders or officials in that village suggest to omit this culture. They said that it make villager inconvenience. It is ok for the richer or the villagers which have field and garden, but it will be incrimanated for the poor one. But the villager do not obey it. The villagers believe that it is one of the heritage of their great grand mother which must be preserved. It is true, along with the time, we can not find this culture in several other area. We can just find in this territory. The villagers do not force that all people must bring this ”Neuba”. They will not give punishmen for who do not bring it. They just believe that it is one of our culture. Then, from this condition, we can see that the householder will be helped by this gift. How come? After spend much money for the celebration, they will get some kinds of meals back. They will get rice, coconut and cooking oil back. Sometimes, there is also coconut oil which is very rare in our town. And we know that coconut oil has some useful for our body. And we usually find when the villagers come home, the householder will give the meals as thank-you note in their big bowl.

The philosophy from this culture is the spirit of helping each other and togethernese which must we keep and maintain. It is important to share because it is very rarely find in my hometown. I am afraid, along with the technology era, this culture will be lost and the spirit of teogethernese also will be faded.