Donated photographs from Mas’ud Fatah.

Hajj and Umroh by Indonesian has been developed rapidly along with the advance development of the transportation and travel industry. The 1980s might be the most important point to start since the development of commercial airplanes has enabled Indonesians to cut expenses and time in conducting the journey. We plan to conduct research-based and archive-based projects which includes community and public collaboration responding to the issue of Hajj and Umrah, Islamic pilgrimage during the pandemic situation. Relating to the travel restriction due to the pandemic situation, Indonesians are not allowed to travel. They are even prohibited to enter certain countries. One major problem for Indonesians, which majority of its citizens are Moslem is the restriction, unavailability, and regulation to conduct Islamic pilgrimage. This rites of passage as one of the pillars of Islam (Rukun Islam) is very vital to the refinement of Moslem people. Therefore, for the majority of Indonesians, the pandemic has created a sad and peculiar problem in their formal religious practice which also affects their personal and spiritual matters.

Hajj is considered as the final duty to be fulfilled by those who are able. Our inability and limitation to conduct formal religious journeys is hoped not to distract one’s process for spiritual enlightenment. For personal and spiritual relief, there are many other things to do, other good deeds to conduct. This limitation might become a disappointment, but it could be the other way around. The pilgrimage has a huge part of our nation's collective memory since Islamic tradition has been growing together along with the daily practice of Indonesians, both for Moslem and other believers. However, even that Moslem is majority of the populations, our importance does not equal the nation’s.

Even before the pandemic, in a regular situation, one’s wish for pilgrimage could take decades to queue due to the massive number of Moslems in Indonesia, high demand for pilgrimage packages, and its limited quota. Regarding its limited quota, those who have access and financial support have conducted this ritual more than once. Other than pursuing spiritual enlightenment, Hajj is often conducted (once or more) to increase one’s social status.