Mudik ( Homecoming ) which is clearly defined by some Indonesians today can be interpreted as meaning returning to their hometown for migrants in an area. Regarding this phenomenon, it has been well known and has become an annual culture for every Indonesian citizen and is carried out in every major celebration event for religious people.
In Indonesia, because the majority of the population is Muslim, the celebration of Eid al-Fitr, the Mudik tradition tends to be visible and attached. Although the Mudik tradition can also apply to Christians when Christmas is celebrated. Or other religious communities that are recognized in Indonesia.
According to some sources of homecoming (mudik) culture in Indonesia, it is not known when it happened in the first time. However, this has been happening since the days of the ancient kingdom, because it is also commonly done by state officials of the Majapahit kingdom and the Mataram kingdom to return to their hometowns. In the past, the homecoming culture was carried out to ask for blessings from the family to get good at work while working overseas.
Homecoming in the connotation of language can be taken from the Javanese language Mudik disik which means going home first. And from the Betawi language Udik which means village. So that the meaning of returning home is commonly used for the word Mudik (Homecoming) because the Jakarta area, which is a Metropolitan city in Indonesia, is a gathering place for migrants from various regions in Indonesia.
The homecoming culture has indeed been very thick for the Indonesian population as the existence of everyone to stay in touch with relatives in the village when the long vacation arrives. And this is often done at the time of the big holidays in particular. Indeed, there have been many changes in the culture. Mudik (Homecoming) itself has changed its function. The basic essence is to stay in touch with family only, this culture gradually changes to become a place to show the success of someone outside the city to the villagers. Being excited about being so requires it to be a habit to shop for new clothes or goods and so on. And sometimes when they return to the city or their place of overseas they bring one of their family or relatives to try their luck in the capital city so that the impact of the overcrowding of Jakarta is the impact. Yes, although not all of them are like that, but mostly like this has happened recently. Even though at first everything happened naturally and naturally because of the longing for him to gather with his relatives in the village.
It is unfortunate that in the past 2 years this culture has become something that cannot be doing at this time due to Covid 19. The government has prohibited Indonesian citizens from carrying out mudik (homecoming) activities. But everything is for the good of Indonesian citizens, especially in the future to see the Covid virus still being rampant. And avoid tragedies that have occurred like in India because of the celebration of a religious event but the consequences are so detrimental to many people later.
In the case of a government ban, the government has urged them to do so. However, it is very unfortunate that there are still many who do not have the awareness and are still forcing the mudik (homecoming) culture this year in Indonesia. Even though everything is for the good of theyselves and all Indonesian people in general and for the good of they families in the future.
If we can do mudik (homecoming) and stay in touch, but the result is only spreading disease and making your beloved family sick, why we doing all of that. The term is not to regret it later. Isn't the Mudik (Homecoming) culture also for good, not for sadness. Hopefully the Indonesian people will realize that this prohibition is heeded by all of us.
iya bang semoga masyarakat Indonesia banyak yang sadar