ARK CEREMONY IN PARIAMAN: FROM RELIGIOUS RITUALS TO ENTERTAINMENT CULTURE

Islam that came to the archipelago - especially to the Minangkabau - besides being brought by direct scholars from Arabia, was also brought and developed by Persian and Indian merchants. Indian soldiers from the Sipahi area were brought by the British to settle in Bengkulu, then some fled to Pariaman. These were the ones who taught the local people about Persian culture which included the Ark ceremony.The Ark ceremony is held annually on 1-10 Muharram (Hijri month, month in Islamic and Arab calendars) to commemorate the death of Husayn ibn Ali. Ark is a tomb made from wood, bamboo, rattan, cloth, and colorful paper as a representation of the coffin of the grandson of Prophet Muhammad SAW who died in the battle in Karbala (Iraq) in 680/61 Hijri. The Ark Procession in Pariaman was first held in 1831. The Ark was prepared for ten days, and at the peak of the Ark event was paraded around Kota Pariaman while the bearers and spectators chanted "Hoyak Husen" (Live Husayn!) And at the peak of the event on the 10th of Muharram the evening before the Maghrib Tabut was marched to the sea of Gandoriah beach. At first, the Ark ceremony was very loaded with religious values. But now, the religious values have already faded, what stands out is the culture of entertainment. The transformation of the Ark ceremony as a religious ritual activity that was once full of religious values, became an entertainment culture caused by two factors. The first is the internal factor, namely the desire of the supporters of the Ark to make changes in the Ark procession, the second is internal factors originating from outside the supporters of the Ark in this case religious groups and also including the local government itself.