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| our overseas students, the staff members, and Tenganan Village women Tenganan Pegringsingan Village. 2018. |
From the most sacred things to not talk about until the most profane stuffs to be paraded and entertain tourists; from the coastlines until the depth there in the forests, hills, and mountains; from the darkest colors ever exist until the brightest colors you ever notice; from the visible world until invisible world; from the lowest layer of the universe known as hell until the highest one named as heaven; from the underworld creatures, mankind, Gods and Goddesses, until the supreme force; from the evilness, goodness until balance; It is never done talking about a culture and thousands of its uniqueness – preserved and maintained until today in the island of Gods named as Bali by the people known as Hindu – Balinese.
Bali
has a lot of legends and myths which have a bunch of values if we relate it to
the life philosophy. In order to find balance in the life, Balinese always have
something to talk about. They learn their ancestors’ life philosophy, preserve
it in the culture, and have it believed stronger from day to day, from
generation to generation, since the past until forever, from the ancient time –
it is living through centuries and even getting bigger and stronger from time
to time because of the awareness of the people that they are enriched not only
with materials, but also their own culture and belief. This phenomenon can be
seen, one of them, from an old ancient village in Bali named as Tenganan Pegringsingan Village or
popularly Tenganan Village.
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| the women of Tenganan Pegringsingan Village Tenganan Pegringsingan Village. 2018. |
Tenganan Pegringsingan Village
Tenganan Pegringsingan Village is located in the east part of Bali Island,
precisely in Manggis District, Karangasem Regency. It is around 56 Km from the
capital city, Denpasar or about 1 hour 30 minutes driving. Tenganan village is
known as one of the three original villages of Bali called as Bali Aga. The other two are Trunyan
Village – located in Kintamani, Bangli Regency and Sembiran Village – located
in Tejakula, Buleleng Regency. Basically, Tenganan
Village has similar culture as the majority of Hindu – Balinese in Bali have.
However, they have slight differences. Their uniqueness is lied in their Gamelan Selunding music (a particular
traditional music instrument) and Geringsing
double ikat cloth.
According
to the local people there, the word Tenganan
is derived from the word Tengah which
means middle, then becomes Tengahan,
and finally as the name of the village Tenganan.
Geographically, this village is indeed located in the middle or tengah, surrounded by the hills and
mountains.
Historical Legend of Tenganan Pegringsingan
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| the Bale Agung (main pavilion) in Tenganan Pegringsingan Village Tenganan Pegringsingan Village. 2018. |
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| Tenganan Pegringsingan Village. 2018. |
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| the pavilions Tenganan Pegringsingan Village. 2018. |
Historical Legend of Tenganan Pegringsingan
There
are several versions related to the history and legend on how the village
formed.
The
first legend says that the people of Tenganan Pegringsingan were selected by
God Indra, the God of war in Hinduism
belief, to administer a territory that was conceived in accordance with His
divine plan to be a microcosm of the world. They were told to use every means
to keep it pure and clean physically and spiritually. These people believe that
they are the armies of God Indra.
Therefore, they believe in God Indra
as the highest God, meanwhile the majority of Hindu – Balinese in Bali believe
in Hindu – Dharma where God Siwa is
the highest God in their belief. The people of Tenganan also sometimes are referring themselves as Agama Indra (freely translated; Indra Religion).
The
second legend says that the Tenganan
people came from a small village called as Peneges
that belonged to a kingdom in Pejeng,
Bedulu. One day, the King of the
kingdom, King Udayana held a ceremony and wanted to sacrifice a white horse
named as Uccai Srawa or Oncesrawa to complete the ritual. When the horse was
about to be sacrificed, it escaped. The king was distraught and suddenly sent
some servants to find the horse. These servants were from Peneges Village. The king promised a huge reward to whoever could
find the horse. Being searched by the servants, they found the horse already
died and reported it to the king. Knowing this, the king rewarded the servants
by the land where they found the body of the horse and the area around as far
as the smell of the dead horse could be detected. Theses servants who were from
Peneges Village then dismembered the
body of the horse and carried those parts to all different directions from the
area they found it. With the hope, they could get a larger land. Long story
short, these people brought their family to live in that land which was called ngetengahang, meaning middle of the low
plains surrounded by hills. And nowadays, it is known as Tenganan.
As
the people of Tenganan believe that
they are the armies of God Indra, another legend also mentions that there was a
ritual done by God Indra (the symbol of Dharma,
goodness) after defeating Mayadenawa (a king of Bali that time, the symbol of Adharma, evilness). God Indra wanted to sacrifice a white horse named
as Uccai Srawa or Oncesrawa. Then the legend was similar as the previous
legend. The horse escaped and found dead by the Peneges people. God Indra rewarded
the land where the dead horse was found to the people because they already
found the horse. Regarding to the width of the land, He said that they could
have the land and the area around as far as they could smell the dead body of
the horse. They dismembered the horse body, bringing them to all directions as
far as they could. Then they invited their family to live there and named the
place as ngetengahang, which nowadays
known as Tenganan.
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| a Tenganan man only with keris, kamen covering legs and destar covering head Tenganan Pegringsingan Village. 2018. |
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| a Tenganan man with only kamen covering legs, keris, and a cigarette Tenganan Pegringsingan Village. 2018. |
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| a Tenganan lady with kamen covering legs and kemben covering chest, an offering and a smartphone in her hands Tenganan Pegringsingan Village. 2018. |
According
to my grandparents, Bali Aga (original
Balinese village) people were the people from the coastline of the island. They
escaped when a great kingdom from Java, Majapahit Kingdom (13th – 16th
century) wanted to conquer Bali. They ran away to the middle area, surrounded
by hills and mountains bringing the original Balinese culture with them, to
hide and refuse to defeat. My grandparents also said that we are not originally
having Balinese blood. Our family and the majority of Hindu – Balinese people’s
blood is a mixing between Javanese and Balinese blood mainly from the mix – marriage
happening that time between Javanese (Majapahit Hindu people) and Balinese
because our ancestors were defeated and at the end conquered by the kingdom. However,
the people of Tenganan have another
story. They hid and saved themselves somewhere there in the middle of the hills
and mountains.
The Cultural Characteristics of Tenganan Pegringsingan Village
As
a village, Tenganan Village has a
customary provisions called as Awig –
awig. This custom firstly was created in the 11th century and
was renewed in 1842.
Similar
to the majority of Hindu – Balinese in Bali, the people of Tenganan also believe in
animism and dynamism. They are really basing their lives with the Hindu
concept: Tri Hita Karana. This
concept proposes the knowledge in how to live happily in balance. This
includes: Parahyangan – a maintained
relation with the Gods and Goddesses, Pawongan
– a maintained relation with other mankind, and Palemahan – a maintained relation with the environment.
According
to the local there, the people of Tenganan
are not allowed to build a well. They do believe in souls of the plants and
trees in the village. Just like a mankind in Hinduism concept, he has a soul
named as atman and a living body. In order
to keep the cells of the body alive and balance the soul in it, he needs nutritious
food and water. The people of Tenganan also
apply this knowledge to plants. They believe that plants need enough water, so
that water will bring them “nutritious food” they need. Therefore, if they
build a well – gaining water not naturally, plants will have a lack of water
because of human’s ego to have all of the water without sharing with others, with
plants and environment. This is an example of Tri Hita Karana. This concept may sound small comparing to any modern
western water system management. However, the value contained in it is greatly
huge and making the people’s lives balance heavenly, worldly, and
environmentally sustainable.
Another
important concept of Balinese people in Tenganan
Village is the crossed line or cross symbol or tapak dara that they physically and visually apply it in their
everyday life and routines. Geographically, the village shape takes the
combination form of a square and crossed line. When you come visiting there,
you will pass the south gate of the village. If you go straight to the north,
you will find another gate aka north gate to enter or exit the village. On the
west and east sides of the village, you can see the local people’s compound. In
the middle part, you will see the Bale
Agung pavilion, Bale Banjar or
communal pavilion, Wantilan pavilion,
etc. in a straight line from the south to the north. Specifically, in a
compound in the village, if they build a gate in the west, there also will be a
gate in the east. The building will be in the south and a family temple will be
in the north. When you link the west gate and the east gate, then the building
and the temple, even though possibly not symmetrical, they will form a crossed
line.
According to the local people, the crossed line is a symbol of balance. If you want to find the real you, imagine yourself in the center of the crossed line; not in the south wing, not in the north wing, not in any one wing. Place yourself in the center, and then you will see and be connected to the all wings or directions – by building your awareness and acceptance, you will find your balance in yourself. Because the people’s belief is that in the universe the opposite binary powers are always there, yet completing one another. Positive and negative, right and left, male and female, day and night, right and wrong, good and bad, heaven and hell, sekala and niskala, and so on will be always there. The mankind’s duty is to balance these powers with devotion or bhakti. Every single person has their own fate to find the balance. It is caused by their karmas. So, take your time well. When it is yours, it is coming to you. If it is meant to be yours, it is coming to you. In this life – good and bad, they all are experience. Taste them all. Have them all. Stay kind. Stay classy. Keep on hoping and believing in yourself. Be patient. And lower your expectations. Karma has no menu. You deserve what you are served.
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| the shape of the village captured beautifully on a piece of geringsing cloth courtesy of Google Image |
According to the local people, the crossed line is a symbol of balance. If you want to find the real you, imagine yourself in the center of the crossed line; not in the south wing, not in the north wing, not in any one wing. Place yourself in the center, and then you will see and be connected to the all wings or directions – by building your awareness and acceptance, you will find your balance in yourself. Because the people’s belief is that in the universe the opposite binary powers are always there, yet completing one another. Positive and negative, right and left, male and female, day and night, right and wrong, good and bad, heaven and hell, sekala and niskala, and so on will be always there. The mankind’s duty is to balance these powers with devotion or bhakti. Every single person has their own fate to find the balance. It is caused by their karmas. So, take your time well. When it is yours, it is coming to you. If it is meant to be yours, it is coming to you. In this life – good and bad, they all are experience. Taste them all. Have them all. Stay kind. Stay classy. Keep on hoping and believing in yourself. Be patient. And lower your expectations. Karma has no menu. You deserve what you are served.
As
the people of God Indra, the God of
war, the people of Tenganan have
several unique traditions. One of them is perang
pandan or pandanus war. This tradition is a form of their devotion to God Indra and usually held for two days on
June or July every year. In 2018, the perang
pandan is done on 7th and 8th of June. In the middle
of crowd, the leading man of the tradition will choose two mature men to fight
by hitting one another back with thorny pandanus leaves they hold. As the
effect from the hitting, their backs are surely hurt, wounded and bleeding. However,
the temptation and devotion to do it as a fighter of God Indra are getting bigger and bigger during the event. To heal the
wound and stop the bleeding, the people apply an herbal antiseptic they make
from plants and cassava. Then in at least 3 days, the wound will be dried up
and healed. This tradition is also held for the teenage boys in the village
when they are getting older. The believe that by being one of the fighters, you
will build your bravery up that is needed to face the life and be always there
to fight with good characters and behaviors to gain the balance of life, to win
the life, however the most important one is to defeat your egos and take a good
control of yourself.
Cock fighting is also the people’s tradition. Basically, cock fighting is done when there is a special ceremony in a temple. Tabuh rah or tajen or cock fighting is held in the jabaan (profane) part of the temple to get the first blood dropped on the ground for the offering. In Balinese Hindu concept, in order to keep everything balanced, to keep everything circulating in harmony, life and death are needed. Cock fighting represents war and blood which are needed in this life. In the ritual, people are chanting mantras and praying for the soul of the rooster being sacrificed to get a better place when he is born again to the world. By keeping the life and death balanced, the universe will be always in harmony. And talking about the cock fighting as a gambling, I personally do not agree and prohibit it.
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| Perang pandan or pandanus war courtesy of Google Image |
Cock fighting is also the people’s tradition. Basically, cock fighting is done when there is a special ceremony in a temple. Tabuh rah or tajen or cock fighting is held in the jabaan (profane) part of the temple to get the first blood dropped on the ground for the offering. In Balinese Hindu concept, in order to keep everything balanced, to keep everything circulating in harmony, life and death are needed. Cock fighting represents war and blood which are needed in this life. In the ritual, people are chanting mantras and praying for the soul of the rooster being sacrificed to get a better place when he is born again to the world. By keeping the life and death balanced, the universe will be always in harmony. And talking about the cock fighting as a gambling, I personally do not agree and prohibit it.
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| men and their roosters in the cages Tenganan Pegringsingan Village. 2018. |
Caste and Marriage of Tenganan People
The
people of Tenganan are not using any
caste system, even though they do have their own caste system which is
different from what the majority has. It is no longer used by the people. However,
this situation does not influence the marriage system. Basically, the people of
Tenganan are not allowed to marry
somebody from outside of the village, but love and falling in love are another
special story of humans’ heart that refuse to influence by physic, beliefs, or
even cultures. In the past perhaps they just married somebody in the village,
but in this glo.BALI.zation era, the youths are easily going out of the village
and see how the modernism are or just notice it via smartphones. Getting attracted
or attached by somebody from another village or the city is most of the time really
possible to happen. Therefore, in order to keep on preserving and maintaining
the culture, they have rules for marriages.
First,
they believe that as the armies of the God Indra,
they do not have any caste because they must be in the same level. However,
they believe that their caste is somewhere in the middle (note: even though
they do not apply any caste system), so that if a Tenganan man or woman wants to marry somebody from outside of the
village, this person must be not in the lower caste. It means Sudra caste is prohibited. Waisya caste is, I believe, still
arguable. Surely, Brahmana and Ksatria caste are welcomed.
Second,
Tenganan marriage culture is, like
the majority of Hindu – Balinese, adopting the patrilineal system, meaning the
main family after the marriage is following the father’s lineage. When a Tenganan woman marries a man from
outside of the village, she is no longer registered as the part of the village.
It also means that she has no more any duties or rights in the village, and is
not allowed to live in the village. She must move out and usually follow the
husband to his house. Meanwhile, when a Tenganan
man marries a woman from outside of the village, their family is “set aside”
and only allowed to live in the special space of the village. This space was
made for men who marry women from outside of the village. Not stopping there,
the man is prohibited for any village traditions. Customarily, he is no longer
registered as the part of the village.
Geringsing, the special cloth commodity from Tenganan Pegringsingan
One geringsing cloth may cost at least around US$100 or Rp1.300.000 and
even can be more expensive! The whole process of double ikat method is all about strength, accuracy, durability, beauty, quality
and preservation. A bunch of values that needs a huge patience to gain them. Amazingly,
this type of cloth with the double ikat method
is only found in 3 places in the world; Tenganan
Pegringsingan Village, Gujarat, India, and Okinawa, Japan. For instance, in
Gujarat, there are only two families who can make such a cloth. And unfortunately,
they do not share this knowledge to other people there in order to keep the
culture sustainable. Meanwhile in Tenganan
Pegringsingan the youths have been learning this method from their
predecessors or seniors. So that, this kind of culture can be continued from
time to time, from generation to generation as well as not letting the legend
of Tenganan Pegringsingan Village and
Gringsing cloth only known as lullaby
before going to bed.
***
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| a local explains on the method of double ikat of geringsing cloth making process Tenganan Pegringsingan Village. 2018. |
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| a local explains the philosophy in the motif of geringsing cloth Tenganan Pegringsingan Village. 2018. |
***
Thank you so much for reading. I am super duper happy if you could give some comments, add, or share below. This writing indeed needs to be improved still. Thanks!
GALLERY
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| Tenganan women are getting ready for the ritual Tenganan Pegringsingan Village. 2018. |
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| Tenganan women are megibung or sitting by forming a circle and eating together where usually the food is on banana leaves Tenganan Pegringsingan Village. 2018 |
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| Tenganan women are sitting on the bale glebeg with some roosters in the cages Tenganan Pegringsingan Village. 2018 |
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| where they skinned uncooked rice or gabah Tenganan Pegringsingan Village. 2018 |
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| two spiritual guards in front of a compound Tenganan Pegringsingan Village. 2018. |
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| roosters are in the cages Tenganan Pegringsingan Village. 2018. |
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| a woman passing by political campaign banners Tenganan Pegringsingan Village. 2018. |
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| the tool of the double ikat method of geringsing cloth making process Tenganan Pegringsingan Village. 2018. |
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| a local explains about the motif philosophy of the geringsing cloth Tenganan Pegringsingan Village. 2018. |
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| a Tenganan man draws barong figures on the lontar or palm leaves Tenganan Pegringsingan Village. 2018. |
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| some paintings on lontar or palm leaves Tenganan Pegringsingan Village. 2018. |
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| a Tenganan man chills after drawing some figures Tenganan Pegringsingan Village. 2018. |
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| drawing some figures Tenganan Pegringsingan Village. 2018. |
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| our overseas students listen to some explanations Tenganan Pegringsingan Village. 2018. |
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| walking through the path of the village Tenganan Pegringsingan Village. 2018. |
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| a Tenganan woman chills after making some offerings, with roosters in the cages, and a Vespa Tenganan Pegringsingan Village. 2018. |
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| our overseas students are chilling after the long walk Tenganan Pegringsingan Village. 2018. |
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| the path and pavilions Tenganan Pegringsingan Village. 2018. |
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| a Tenganan woman sits on the bamboo pavilion, getting ready for the ritual Tenganan Pegringsingan Village. 2018. |
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| a Tenganan woman with a cool English t-shirt. moral value: keep on hoping and believing in yourself Tenganan Pegringsingan Village. 2018. |
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| the women get prepared for the ritual Tenganan Pegringsingan Village. 2018. |
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| our overseas students listen to the explanation Tenganan Pegringsingan Village. 2018. |
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| let's draw some figures! Tenganan Pegringsingan Village. 2018. |
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| Bale Agung and Tenganan women before the ritual Tenganan Pegringsingan Village. 2018. |
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