Shoulders of tradition (Indonesia, Yogyakarta)

On the island of Java , the major religious ceremonies of Yogyakarta such as the Sekaten , the Labuhan or the purification rituals are accompanied by collective processions with strong symbolic value.

The men represented here carry a bamboo totem or palanquin , using a traditional shoulder-carrying technique, a mark of commitment and physical devotion . The bodily effort becomes a ritual offering , inseparable from the sacred value of the object carried.

The shells worn as necklaces are not decorative: they evoke the South Sea and fertility. They are often associated with the goddess Nyai Roro Kidul , a major figure in the Javanese pantheon, reputed to rule the waves and receive homage before any major ritual or event.

The shouts and chants uttered during the procession serve to honor the protective spirits , while warding off disturbing energies . The entire body then becomes a medium between the living, the ancestors and the invisible forces of the territory.