Indonesia is rich as its cultures and provinces. Indonesia is also famous as the country with hundreds of tribes, one of the biggest Muslim countries in the world, and one famous capital city called Jakarta or other big cities, Indonesia people tend to do the activity called Mudik.
If Indonesia people have stayed for such time in a big city, every Eid Fitr or other big celebration days, they will go back to their hometown and meet their root family. But what is the origin of the word Mudik in Indonesia?
The origin of the word Mudik
Mudik word comes from the word Udik, or in KBBI (Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia) Indonesian Official Dictionary, the word Udik means (berlayar, pergi) ke udik (hulu sungai, pedalaman). The meaning of the word Udik is go to or sail to Udik, the headwaters or the hinterland.
People who live in the hinterland usually go to big city to find the better living and when the big celebration days come, they tend to go back to the hinterland, that is called Udik, or Indonesian people say it as Mudik.
Mudik has become the official Indonesia term or language as Pulang Kampung. As it is emphasized by that Mudik is the term for the meaning of the activity of migrants/migrant workers to return to his hometown when Indonesian people especially get their holiday for big celebration day.
The word Mudik is also originated from Javanese word mulih dhisik or pulang dulu, and in English it can be called as going home. According to Oxford online dictionary the word Mudik is the inland or upstream, and hilir mudik or to go and fro, it can be concluded as return to the village. The Oxford online Dictionary also gives the meaning of Mudik as homecoming or homecoming trip.
Mudik: Going back to hometown
Read more: Indonesian dirty words
The traditions of Mudik
After knowing what is the origin of the word Mudik Indonesia, based on the meaning of the words of Mudik, it is the activities of going home to the root family for spending time with the family and celebrating some big days.
In Indonesia, famous big celebration days is Eid Fitr, Eid Adha or Christmas. Indonesia which is as the biggest Muslim population country, Mudik is one of the famous activity during Ramadhan to celebrate the Eid Fitr or Eid Mubarak. As the words of going home, people of Indonesia will spend for one until two weeks in their original hometown, after they spend such time working in a big city.
Mudik also comes from the tradition from ancient era, especially in Majapahit Kingdom Mudik Tradition in Indonesia that some of the royals came home to their ancestral home to respect their ancestral spirit and parents. Read more: Indonesian simple phrases
The tradition has continued until the modern era. The government of Indonesia give the regulation for the holiday in Mudik time quite long, so that all the urban people, especially who live in Jakarta can visit their family in hometown and spend time together there.
Mudik doesn’t only happen in Jakarta to some other cities in Java but also happened with urban people in Jakarta who has houses in Sumatra or Kalimantan Island. In short, all Indonesian people who work in a big city must go home to their lovely family when it is Mudik time.
The tradition of Mudik in each regions has their own differences. In Christmas time, Indonesian people also do Mudik. All big celebration day in the world, the people tend to go home to their root family in order to celebrate the special day together. Read more: Unique Indonesian words
Example of asking or telling Mudik word
- Are you going to do Mudik this year? > Apakah anda akan Mudik tahun ini?
- Yes, I am going to do Mudik this Eid Fitr > Ya, saya akan Mudik pada Idul Fitri kali ini
- Where will you go for Mudik? > Kemana anda akan pergi Mudik?
- I am planning for Mudik to Blitar, East Java > Saya berencana Mudik ke Blitar, Jawa Timur
- What can you do in Mudik time? > Apa yang bisa anda lakukan pada saat Mudik?
- I can meet my family, I can enjoy traditional food and I can gather and chat with relatives and family > Saya bisa bertemu keluarga, Saya bisa menikmati makanan traditional, dan Saya bisa berkumpul serta berbincang dengan saudara dekat dan keluarga Saya.
So, after getting the information of what is the origin of the word Mudik in Indonesia, does your country have some of the special word of going home or the tradition of Mudik? Read more: Untranslatable Indonesian words with no English equivalent