The Fairytale Of Sasirangan as Typical Fabric of South Kalimantan

If people in Province Lampung have a fabric called Tapis, and Java has Batik, Province South Sumatra  Palembang have Songket, the community of South Kalimantan have Sasirangan fabric which is typical of the area of South Kalimantan. Sasirangan fabric is a kind of cloth that was given a picture with a certain style and color that have been traditionally patterned according to ethnic cuisine peculiar culture Banjar in South Kalimantan.

In etymologi the term Sasirangan is not a noun, but it is verb. Sa means one and sirang (banjar language) means baste. This means sasirangan means made into a baste. Sasirangan fabric is identical to that given a fabric image with shades of colors shaped baste lines extending from bottom to top (vertical).

Community Banjar (the term for the local communities of Kalimantan) believe that the fabric Sasirangan not only limited to casual clothes or fabric, but has a sacred value and high magical value. Sasirangan formerly used as the clothes worn in traditional ceremonies or also to heal the sick.

According to folklore Banjar society, the term fabric Sasirangan which first appeared in the royal State Dipa (Amuntai area), when the Elder Jatmika ruled as king in the Kingdom of Dipa State in 1355-1362. At first called with a cloth fabric Sasirangan Langgundi, namely woven cloth that is yellow. Langgundi fabric is fabric that is widely used as material for making clothing daily by all citizens of the Kingdom of State Dipa. The legend of Banjar implicitly explained that the area now known as the downtown Amuntai many fabric artisans langgundi.

Narrated after The Elder Jatmika reign ended, at that time Patih Lambung Mangkurat were meditate using Lanting (bamboo raft from the local area) to find the next king next for royal Dipa State. When he was meditate, Patih Lambung Mangkurat hear women's voices who ask the purpose of his mediation and he explained the purpose hermitage is to look for a king in his kingdom

Women's voices rose to say that the king who is being sought by Patih Lambung Mangkurat that is her, but she said she would only manifest her form if Patih Lambung Mangkurat meet her request. Women were asked Patih Lambung Mangkurat for making it a magnificent palace built by 40 people Langgundi virgin and a piece of cloth woven by 40 virgins, both of which must be completed within one day. Patih Lambung Mangkurat agreed to fulfill it.

At the time specified, then the woman appeared. The woman came out of the water with beautiful by using a cloth that has been woven Langgundi by 40 virgins. The woman was called by the citizens of the kingdom of the State with the title Princess Junjung Buih, because it appears from the rippling water / foaming.

Since Princess Junjung Buih wear langgundi cloth, from that time, citizens of the Kingdom of State Dipa no longer dare to wear a cloth langgundi. They worried about the damned of a plague since Princess Junjung Buih become their king. As a result, cloth artisans langgundi no longer make it, because its market share it is not there anymore.

However not all stop making this Langgundi cloth. There are still some that still make it, but not to serve as everyday clothes but for treatment for diseases that are magical, langgundi cloth as material for clothing made specifically for those who catch the disease seclusion. Seclusion disease is a disease believed to be a disease originating from the act of the ancestral spirits who live in the spirit realm (nature barzah)

According to the beliefs of Banjar society that is still influenced by animistic belief and dynamism, many diseases caused by disorders spirits and fabric Langgundi / Sasirangan is a medium for healing. According to the already deep-rooted belief among ethnic Banjar in South Kalimantan, supposedly the ancestral spirits that are periodically demanding children, grandchildren, to wear cloth langgundi.

Yet, every one, three, five, and seven year old child, grandchild, great-, ment, piat offspring will fall ill due to exposure to diseases seclusion. No other drugs that can cure the disease except that seclusion langgundi wearing cloth. Langgundi fabric which in use as a complementary means of alternative medical therapy were made in various forms in accordance with the purposes, such as gloves (tapih bahalai), dressing (tripe), scarves (kakamban), and a headband (Laung).

The style and color images of cloth langgundi extremely diverse (not only the basic character of brittle and yellow in color only), because every type of illness requires a fabric langgundi seclusion with a particular style and color images of each other differently. Since used as a complementary means of alternative medical therapy is better known as langgundi cloth fabric sasirangan. The name is related to the manner of manufacture, namely being sirang (baste fabric by stitching and then dipped in dye.)

In addition Langgundi fabric, woven fabric Sasirangan also called Pamintan (request) that is the only fabric made based on requests from children, grandchildren, great-, ment piat seclusion that people living with the disease. That said, it is believed there are no other drugs that are efficacious for the people with the disease this seclusion on wearing cloth apart from sasirangan in the head (headband, scarf), in the abdomen (bandage), or even make it as a blanket to sleep (sarung).

Along with the times, began to lose sacred Sasirangan cloth. Now each person can use a cloth Sasirangan in various forms (shirt, scarf, shawl, etc.) without having to be overshadowed by anxiety damned (exposed to the plague) to the ancestors. Even today many Sasirangan cloth used as uniforms for the agencies or schools in South Kalimantan on certain days. However, this is actually also a good thing, because then the fabric Sasirangan will become better known and by itself will lift the name of South Kalimantan in the eyes of the world. That is, if people call Sasirangan cloth then it must have been synonymous with South Kalimantan, not the other.