Segang, Ritual Pendinginan Padi Etnis Tana Ai

Synopsis

Bagi masyarakat adat Tana Ai di Sikka, NTT, padi bukan sekadar tanaman, melainkan sumber kehidupan yang dijaga dengan penuh penghormatan. Saat padi berusia sekitar satu setengah bulan, mereka melaksanakan ritual adat Segang—pendinginan tanaman padi—yang disertai larangan memasuki kebun selama empat hari. Dari sisi pengetahuan, larangan ini justru melindungi proses penyerbukan padi agar berlangsung sempurna. Segang menjadi wujud doa dan restu kepada Nian Tana Lera Wulan, roh leluhur, sekaligus penghargaan bagi alam yang memberi kehidupan.

For the indigenous Tana Ai people in Sikka, NTT, rice is more than just a crop—it is a source of life, cared for with deep respect. When the rice reaches about one and a half months old, they perform the traditional Segang ritual—cooling the rice plants—accompanied by a four-day prohibition on entering the fields. From a scientific perspective, this restriction actually protects the pollination process. Segang represents a prayer and blessing to Nian Tana Lera Wulan, the ancestral spirits, as well as an appreciation for the life-giving forces of nature.