Located 3km north of the popular coastal town of Candidasa, Desa Adat Tenganan Pegringsingan (Tenganan Pegringsingan Traditional Village) is the cultural and administrative center in the Tenganan area. This land, from the plains in the plains to the rolling hills of Karangas, its inhabitants were said to have been given to him by Indra, the God of War.
Bali Aga or the indigenous Balinese, the Tenganan Pegringsingan people are a window into the ways and customs of ancient Bali. The community here has a distinct culture from most of Bali; protected within their land given by God, they retained their unique laws and customs, to keep the traditional structure of their village and their way of life to this day.
Pandan bells and cloth are two things that Desa Tenganan (Tenganan Village) is best known for, but this Bali Aga community is so much more than what it shows in blood and cloth.
Pride over prejudice
The word but It is an old Javanese word for a mountain, and thus Bali Aga is more precisely translated as ‘the mountain of the people of Bali’. He uses the word to describe the population of Bali.
According to tradition, between the 8th and 14th centuries, Bali was ruled under two dynasties (Warmadewa and Jaya) of the Bedahulu kingdom. It is located in Pejeng, Gianyar, linked to many of the archaeological sites nearby including Goa Gajah, Yeh Pulu and Gunung Kawi. This was Bali’s “ancient” period, which ended when the Hindu-Javanese Empire of Majapahit stormed Bali in 1343, successfully invaded the island and began its long defining reign. The influence of this empire was the source of the great Balinese culture that we see today: rituals, temples, palaces and crafts.
Bali Aga communities – the best conditions in Bali e* (Original Balinese) or Bali once (ancient Balinese) – were often in remote or hard-to-reach areas, reducing the battle with it and the influence of Majapahit culture. For this reason, some villages will have their own customs, which do not conform to the current Balinese Hinduism.
For the villagers of Tenganan Pegringsingan, however, non-acculturation to Majapahit was very deliberate, one of the pride of their ancestors and the legend of its founding.
The Chosen People of Dewa Indra
The village’s origin story helps to explain why the Tengananese are so proud of their heritage.
After a bloody war between Dewa Indra, the God of War, and the malevolent King Mayadenawa, who ruled Bedahulu (the origin tells Galungan), the world was considered polluted and a sacrifice was required for purification. Indra offered his holy horse Oncesrawa for sacrifice. The horsemen, hearing of his impending death, ran to the hills. Indra asked assertive person; the warriors of the kingdom of Bedahulu, to search for Oncesrawa. When he found the horse already dead, Dewa Indra rewarded him for his efforts and said that he owned the lands, as much as the stench of the horse’s corpse smelled. Clever, the suppressor The horse’s train cut the body and stretched it to the corners of the valley, and brought the right legs to Bukit Kangin (the eastern ridge) and the left legs to Bukit Kauh (the western ridge). Indra, noticing their bravery and skill, allowed them to claim this land for themselves, and from then on they worshiped him.
In this valley, therefore, a fortified pocket under the mountains, Tenganan claimed by these Bedahulu warriors, and the name from the center point.medium means the center) between east and west. It is also characterized by a unique technique, the double-ikat. then cloth, the central village and its community became known as Tenganan Pegringsingan.
Enter Tenganan Village
The area of Tenganan is 917 hectares of rich forest and farmland, from the main village (Desa Adat Tenganan Pegringsingan) and its community of about 760 people. Visitors are welcome to explore the surroundings and witness the daily life of the residents.
If coming from the beach, from Candi Dasa, the entrance of the village can be found in the south, where visitors are asked to register and make a donation before entering. Most of the main street is found along one long corridor, running south to north, the ground up to the edge. Left and right, families are found behind stone walls, and between this central strip are communal buildings., the meeting the headquarterswhere different groups will gather, ceremonies are held, and ritual tools and accessories are stored.
On typical days, residents will set up displays of their arts and crafts for visitors to see and buy—palm-leaf manuscripts and paintings, paintings, canvases, and cloths. Of course, the nominative cloth from Tenganan Pegringsingan village is an original and famous craft.
Gringsingthe name is taken from two; green and to singthat is, sickness, disease and contempt for nothing, or ‘no sickness’. Considered sacred, the legend asserts its ability to ward off sickness, and to bestow prosperity upon its wearer. Tengananeis are worn in great rituals and ceremonies, on auspicious days they become an iconic sight. Sanctity being discarded, textile textiles are most coveted because of their immense craftsmanship; Its creation is time and labor intensive double-ikat process in only three other places in the world.
Visitors can see the dye being pulled out and arranged in front of the houses, the dyed fern being naturally dyed in the sun drying, or even entering one of the houses to see the weaving process, women working on their traditional looms.
At the northern end of Desa Tenganan, a gate leads into the hills, where an ancient temple, Pura Puseh Tenganan, is found. The village’s sacred buffalo are often grazed here.
University theatre
According to one of the most reliable sources in Tenganan, Urs Ramseyer, who wrote the book “Theatre of the Universe”, the isolation of this village comes from a deep mission. Tenganan explains that the compound was created by Indra, made as a “microcosm” of the greater universe according to his divine design. Lord Indra took care of the inhabitants to maintain the purity and cleanliness of the land. “The notion of territorial, physical and spiritual purity and integrity is very important to the culture of this village,” explains Ramseyer. This idea explains the insular nature of the village for centuries, defending itself from external impurities. It also explains the endless cycle of rituals and ceremonies done to appease the ancestors, gods and demons and keep the surrounding lands pure.
Thus, when there are great village ceremonies, when visitors can see Tenganan in full regalia, with his visual philosophy, it is tangible.
The Tenganan calendar is similar to the Gregorian calendar, which consists of 12 months (known as month). Each month they will have their biggest ceremonies, one to three days, and the fifth month.fifth sasih) the culmination of the ritual year. This month Usaba Sambah, a month-long ceremony filled with prayers, sacred dances, sacrifices, ceremonial foods, rituals, gatherings … all ending in a “climax” once upon a timeorPandan war‘ that is, including the Pandania Wars.
Bella Pandan, for two days at the end of the fifth month, is the best time to visit Tenganan Pegringsingan. Usually in the months of June or July, these two days are an ultra-condensed appearance of what Tenganan is all about and one can only witness the uniqueness of the community in a short time. Dress Formation, Instruments, Dance, Food and Ritual will all be part of the performances.
The most visible rituals include: Manyunan, where to all young men more (the girls), dressed head-to-toe in the best then linens and other ornaments, they sit on the lost old rituals, which are turned away from it young man (young people). It is more symbolic of the cyclical nature of life – these young Tengananese to keep the wheels turning for another generation.
Then the wars of Pandania. To be done before one meeting the headquarters the scene of the battle. young people young man the men take their turn to oppose each other with a bunch of thorny pandan leaves on one side, and a rattan shield on the other.
Then to the sacred song selonding gamelan, the battles begin. Scenes of darkness as each warrior slays and wrestles in the toil of grating his opponent’s skin with the sharp senses of Pandanus. Beat Rah. Blood sacrifice. The deva of Indra, Mars, bloody Mars, in the role of the blood of the earth. The atmosphere is electric and the surrounding crowd cheers and cheers as an exciting but brief battle ensues.
yet with every blow, with every thorn tearing the skin, with every drop of blood that extinguished the ground under his feet, he smiles on every side. After everyone has embraced the surrounding fighters, their action takes place. There are no winners or losers here, just a community commitment. When enough has been poured out, the strong men take turns wounding each other, and then sit down to what is known as a common dinner. megibung.
Usaba Samba is a ritual waterfall of this particular Bali Aga community, before closing the curtains on this “theatre” for another year.
A more detailed account of Desa Adat Tenganan Pegringsingan can be found in Untimely Bali – Volume 2,’ a special now annual publication! Bali.
Edward Speirs
Edward, or Eddy as he prefers to be called, is the managing editor of NOW! Bali and guests NOW! Bali Podcast. He enjoys photography, rural travel and loves introducing his work to people from all walks of life.
Source: Elaboarated and Quoted From Many Source
