Indigenous Cultural of Bakumpai Tribes, called “Bapapai” is still alive and thriving among the inland of Central Kalimantan Province. The cultural traditions are held mainly in the process of traditional tribal marriage of Bakumpai.

Bapapai Ritual, is an event of flower bathing by bride held at night, usually after the ceremony on 8:00 PM until 10:00 AM.

It is a habit that many tribal people living in Watershed Barito, Central Kalimantan hinterland perform the marriage ceremony event in the evening.

The process is quite simple and unique, that is, before bathing , both the bride and groom have to revolve around a bathing fenced by black thread, accompanied by seven women who serve as maids.

Then after rotating seven times the bride and groom sit in the space provided to be bathed by seven maids in turn.

For then the bride and groom dressed like ladies who serve the king and queen.

This Bakumpai tribal culture is intended to clean up and dispose brides past or adolescence, to be prepared with a clean body and soul meet a cleaner future like a newly washed.

Because Bapapai should be implemented in an open field then the show is a free show for the local community and its ceremony usually pretty crowded, because the event is only held during the celebration of marriage.

In the midst of today’s advances, Bapapai traditional cultures do not seem eroded by other cultural celebrations and can not be replaced with another event because it is closely related to people’s beliefs hereditary.

If people do not carry Bapapai event, most likely the bride will always be in trouble in the family or they are often abused, for not complying with the rules set by the ancestors

Images of Bapapai Tradition