Mudik

Mudik (sometimes also known as pulang kampung) is an Indonesian term for the activity where migrants or migrant workers return to their hometown or village during or before major holidays, especially Lebaran (Eid al-Fitr).^[2] Although the mudik homecoming travel before Lebaran takes place in most Indonesian urban centers, the highlight is on the nation's largest urban agglomeration; Greater Jakarta, as millions of Jakartans exit the city by various means of transportation, overwhelming train stations and airports and also clogging highways, especially the Trans-Java toll road and Java's Northern Coast Road.^[3]

The primary motivation of this homecoming tradition is to visit one's family, especially parents. However, people might seek to come to their hometown during this period to attend a rare opportunity: a gathering of members of the extended family, the seldom seen relatives that are normally scattered in other cities, other provinces or even overseas. The term mudik is also used by Indonesians living abroad to refer to their activity returning to Indonesia during the holiday season in whichever country of residence.

Mudik for Eid al-Fitr, or its similar traditions, exists in countries with Muslim majorities, such as Indonesia, Malaysia, and Pakistan.^[4] Other similar annual homecoming traditions are also observable in various parts of the world, including Chinese New Year in China and among the Chinese diaspora, Thai Songkran, Christmas in Europe and Latin America, Easter in Russia, Divali in India and Thanksgiving in America, where family members are expected to come home during these specific holidays.