Indexicality of apem cake at the Kirab Apem Sewu traditional ceremony in Sewu Village, Surakarta City, Central Java, Indonesia

Abstract

Traditional food owned by a community group is one of their cultural identities. These foods can be introduced through various techniques and activities, one of which is through traditional ceremonies or carnivals (Jv: Kirab). This study aimed to describe the meaning of traditional food, particularly apem cake served in Kirab Apem Sewu, a tradition in Sewu Village, Jebres, Surakarta City, Indonesia. The analysis in this study focused on the philosophical meaning of the apem cake. The data in this study were collected through indepth interviews to obtain detailed information. The collected data was then analyzed using an interactive method, including data condensation, data presentation, and drawing conclusions or verification. The apem cake used in Kirab Apem Sewu was prepared from high-quality ingredients, such as rice flour, Saccharomyces yeast, and brown sugar. Apem cake makers must also meet specific requirements, like being female and pristine, which means she must be menopausal or not menstruating at the time of production. Apem cake in the Kirab Apem Sewu tradition symbolizes an apology, freeing the soul from misfortunes, gratitude, and unifying religious communities. Besides apem cake, there are also complementary materials, mostly underground crops (Jv: pala pendhem), such as cassava, potatoes, sweet potatoes, elephant foot yam, peanuts, and other typical fruit, like Saba/kepok banana.