Belitung, which has a Malay culture, does have a timeless tradition of poetry. It is from the pantun culture that continues to decline that in Belitung there is a tradition of fighting over the lawang. Fighting this mace itself is a tradition of clashing between two parties in the wedding ceremony. If you are familiar with the tradition of doorstop in Betawi culture, then the culture of scrambling lawang is actually not much different. In fact, in the concept, the culture of fighting over the gangs is the same as the doorstop where the clash of rhymes is performed when the bridegroom will enter the bridegroom's house at the wedding.
Berebut Lawang
Before the pantun contest begins, in the culture of fighting this lawang begins first with the arrival of the groom by the bride. When meeting, the two parties will shake hands with each other and then the bride will give betel, gambier and chalk to the groom as a symbol of respect. The groom entourage themselves came with hadrah or tambourine music while singing Islamic songs.
Berebut Lawang
In the tradition or culture of fighting over the lawang itself there are three posts that must be passed by the groom's party to get to the bride's party's house. These 3 posts or doors that will be traversed in the Belitung tradition become a symbol or reflection of the husband's responsibility to his wife when they are married. The first post is when the bridegroom will enter the bride's yard. In this first post there will be a pantun contest between the representatives of the bridegroom and the bride. Pantun races at the first post itself generally contain rhymes with the theme of introducing prospective husbands and their families to the prospective wife. The first post or door itself has a philosophy that the bridegroom or future husband must be prepared to provide for his wife and children later.
Berebut Lawang
Successfully passing the first post, the groom's romance must be faced with the second post which is right in front of the entrance of the bride's prospective home. In this second post the representative of the groom again must compete with the poem with the representative of the bride. In the challenge of fighting the pantun in this second post, the pantun usually carried greetings to the owner of the house. The challenge at the post or second door has a reflection that the bridegroom who will become the husband must be able to be a good leader or priest for his wife and children later.
The next challenge arises in the last post, the third post which is in front of the bride's room. Here again the pantun races occur this time by the bridegroom with the intention of being able to meet the prospective wife in his room. Meanwhile, the challenge at the door or the last post gives the meaning that the future husband must be able to make up his wife and children with one of them providing appropriate clothing.
In the tradition or culture of scrambling lawang, the groom's representative must not only compete with rhymes. But in every post there, the groom's entourage must also give 'seducer money' to the bride's representative. This 'seduction money' itself is a condition for the groom's party to pass through these posts. This 'persuasion money' does not mean that it will eventually become the property of the bride, but the money will be used to help smooth the marriage.
Later on 'seducer money' obtained by the bride's representative will be given to several parties such as to cooks whose money is obtained at the first post of the home page. Then the 'seducer money' obtained at the front entrance of the house will be given to the chief of celebration. While the 'seducer money' obtained in front of the women's room will be given to the make-up artist or known as Mak Inang.
After the procession of the lawang scramble is finished then before sitting in the space provided, the party of the bridegroom will hand over various deliveries that have been brought to the bride. The bride and groom themselves will sit at the aisle. After that, the wedding reception begins.
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