Siat Geni ( Fire War )

Siat Geni ( Fire War )

Bali is a unique island with a thousand of culture. On of them is Fire war, this war held one day before silent day. Nyepi ( silent day ) is a biggest ceremony in Bali, Silent day is a new year day in Balinese calender. The Fire Wars ceremony is a heritage that continues to be implemented for generations by Hindus in Bali to date. The purpose of fire war is for throw out the bad spirit from Balinese people body and public area. There are many way to throw out the bad spirit such as the a pray to the God until celebrate with a hundred participant.  The bad spirit described like great body, bulging eyes, and a long tongue protruding. As for the implementation of the Fire War, the weapon used is Coconut Fiber and Fire, Fire here in the sense of its meaningful symbol of courage and the courage we could throw out the bad spirits. The fire war start it with ceremony in temple, all of the participant must take a pray and get a holy water from the temple before do the fire war.

Siat Geni in Story 

According to the story other than to throw out the bad spirits, in ancient times an outbreak that resulted in a lot of people who died, to eliminate the outbreak held a ceremony starting reinforcements using flaming torches and appointed lift to all corners of the environment accompanied by cheers chanted fuel.

Completed the Fire War, the miracle happened. Plague that attacked be gone and can be resolved. Since the incident ceremony Fire War continues to be implemented by generations of indigenous culture and a tradition that must be guarded and preserved its existence.

Siat Sampian ( Sampian War )

Siat Sampian War is an unique tradition in Bali, this war held on Pejeng Village, Gianyar-Bali. This war are held four day after the ceremony day at Samuan Tiga Temple. The weapon in this war it used Sampian (traditional art of Bali and used at Balinese ceremony), the kinds of Sampian is dansil or Jerimpen. The Arrangements of this event it starts from  the local people there come to the Samuan Tiga temple at 07.00 AM, the local people there or it's called Permas ( girls ) , Parekan (boy). The permas and parekan must used the Balinese traditional cloth, and the colour of Balinese traditional cloth it's must white from head until thier foot. before held this ceremony they take a pray at Beji temple and next to Ratu Sakti temple, Sedan Atma temple, Ratu Panji temple, Anyar temple, Ajeng or Agung Temple ( the main temple ). After that continue to surround the temple as much us 3 times and than next to held mebajra ceremony, and next to ngober ceremony, medandan selendang and kancut is the next ceremony but this ceremony just held by Paremas ( girls ) but it's will different at  ngombak, this tradition just held by parekan ( boy ) and than continue by Siat Sampian War the paremas start the war and than continue with the parekan, in this time can catch the implementation the word of " Ladies First ". 

The meaning of the war is the weapon of this war it used Sampian. Sampian is the weapon of Winsu god to fight with bad effect ( Adharma ). The other meaning of this war is to celebrate the unification of a various kinds of religion and to say thank to the God for their life and healthy. This war also has a function to clean Buana Agung ( universe ) and Buana Alit ( our body ), After the local people held this war, The parekan held an unique war also, it is Pajeng war or Umbrella war, this war just held by Parekan ( boys participant ).

Megibung ( eating together )

( Megibung )

Megibung is an unique tradition come from eastern part of Bali. Megibung word come from gibung on the based with me- to be prefix. Gibung means an activities carried out by many people around 5-7 person, which is shared between one person and another. Megibung means a activities do with 5-7 person , that sit together and discuss with their opinions and eating together at one big plate. it's called Dulang. In The day, Karangasem people's used a nampan to be the place of Megibung tradition. The menu's  in this tradition such us sate ( satay ), lawar ( mixed between vegetables with meat) , a cut of suckling pig, komoh ( soup ) atc, on the based , the Megibung menu's are made from pig, but to day it's can be change to chicken, goat, or cow. 

( Megibung preparation )

This tradition owned by the Karangasem people's. Unconsciously Megibung tradition come be a icon of Karangasem regency. The generally megibung  tradition held in God ceremony but the Karangasem people's held this tradition at Human ceremony and at their activities. At this ceremony will invite their family and partner, usually in megibung tradition always discuss some topic like the ceremony or something unique during the ceremony. 

Megibung Tradition in Story

( Megibung Story )

Megibung tradition introduced by King of Karangasem that I Gusti Agung Ketut Karangasem Anglurah around 1614 Caka or 1692 century.This tradition was brought by I Gusti Agung Ketut Karangasem Anglurah win the war in conquering kingdoms in Sasak, Lombok. In the past, when the soldiers were eating, the king made a rule to eat together in a circular position called Megibung. In fact, the king who ate together with his soldiers. 

Omed-Omedan ( Kissing Festival )

Omed-omedan or Kissing festival is an unique festival held in Denpasar Bali. Kissing Festival performed by youngster in Banjar Kaja, Sesetan -Denpasar. The word Banjar mean a gathering point. Kissing festival held one day after The Silent day or one years. This festival held with Ngembak Geni ceremony. The word of Omed-Omedan taken by Balinese word it's means pull each other. The participant of Kissing festival come from youngster people start 17 - 30 year's old and never got marred. The Kissing festival start with praying together in a temple, after this ceremony, all participant will divide with 2 group, there are the boy's group and girl's group. The Kissing festival held on the main road of Sesetan, Denpasar. each group will choice one person to be a representative and raise them. each group will meeting and will kiss each other to keep the situation never going hot, the other people  there will flush the representative with water. The goal is for safety and health for those who participate in this tradition, as well as repellent reinforcements for the local village.

The Kissing festival in story

The origin kissing festival event come from a old story. Long  time ago the king of Oka Great House being sick, there is no medicine and there is no tabib ( traditional doctor ) can make the king to be healthy. The day after the silent day, the citizenry held this unique ceremony, that's make the king getting angry and than the king want to see and stop this ceremony, but at time , the king see the ceremony, the king directly never ill again. So that make the king make a command that the citizenry must held the Kissing festival every years after silent day.  

Pandan War

Pandan war is an unique war come from Tenganan village, at karangasem, the other names of pandan war is " Mekere-kere". the purpose of pandan war is to respect to the Indra god in "Sassih Sembah " ceremony. Sassih Sembah ceremony is a bigger ceremony held in Tenganan village. Pandan war is come from the villager has a different belief with Balinese people in general. Tenganan people follow a Indra Hindus religion and they take Indra god to be the top god. The people believe there houses and yard is a gift from Indra god.Long time ago Tenganan village leader by a bad king. it's names Maya Denawa. Maya Denawa believe his body like a god. and he prohibit the people doing a religion ceremonial. this acknowledgment make Indra god angry and he fighting with Maya Denawa, the local people believe Indra god is A God of War.  

The Pandan war held in Tenganan village, Tenganan village is one of the older village in Bali, Tenganan village surround it with a hill like castle. The pandan war held in fifth mouth in Tenganan calender and this war held around 2 days in front of gathering point in Tenganan village start at 02.00 PM until 03.00 / 04.00 PM. In this war the weapon used Pandan Tree but the kind of pandan is pandanus thorns. The pandan will bound and make Gada Shape. The participant of Pandan war coming from the local people and the people come from the other village, the local people will be an war participant but the other people will be a support the war participant.  

The rules of the war, there are all of participant must walking around the village, and than drink a traditional drink like Tuak. Tuak is a drink made from sap water. and than collect tuak and trow away around the gathering point and start the war. The this fighting is follow with 2 person, they held a war in 2 minutes and than change the enemy. The blood will rise because the pandan leaf but it's can't make the participant be angry but all the participant will happy, after doing the war all of the participant will take a pray at temple and no grudge among the participants.

Ketupat War

Bali has a lot of tradition and culture.
Ketupat war is a unique tradition in Bali. Heard a word war it's not like the generally war. The weapon in this war used a Ketupat. Ketuapat is a boiled rice but before boiled process the rice must covered with coconut leaf . The coconut leaf will make to a unique shape like a kite shape. The Ketupat war or the popular name's  Aci Rah Pengangon.The Ketupat war in Bali held on Kapal village, Badung regency. The first ketupat war held on 13 century. this war celebrate one's year.

   Before the people held the ketupat war, the participant in Kapal village must get a mass worship, after the worship the participant get a holy water and divide into two group, in this war there is nothing place to hide just face to face, this war held in a street. this war held around 15 minutes, you can see a thousand ketupat flying in the sky and this war can to be attraction from Bali, the funny situation if the tourist hit by ketupat, they will hit back to the participant. The meaning of this war is to say thank you to the god from that income and they life and for pray to keep there health and spirit. 

          After this war, the participant will cleaning the war location with a thousand ketupat. After the ceremony Ketupat War finished, all participants, villagers are also the people who were there together laughing and told me then shook hands, hugged each other with joy and no grudge between them.

Makepung Tradition

          Makepung races ai a unique tradition come from Jembarana regency. Jembrana regency located in the northern par of Bali. Makepung is a buffalo races held in a rice field or a yard directly in Makepung circuit, Tuwed village, Melaya sub-district Jembrana regency. The main idea made makepung tradition come from the way to handling a rice fields before the farmer plant a paddies into the rice feild. The Makepung races is not just a tradition but it's about the farmer meet each other in this tradition. 

       The makepung tradition covered with a races, in this races divide into 2 part there are  West Ijogading and East Ijogading. In this races the farmer not care about the result from that races, they just want meet each other and rejoice together. farmer also give an unique name to they buffalo like Moncong Putih (White Muzzle ) ,Dewi Natalia ( Natalia Princess ) , Prabu Angin Ribut ( Emperor of Windstorm ), Barong Sangkar Agung ( Barong Great Cage ), Lubak Barak ( Red Mongoose ). The farmer want to easy call there buffalo and this name can be a famous name or stage name of buffalo.

This races held by two team every round, in one team there are a couple of buffalo and one a buffalo rider ( sais ) The races system is the first racer must keep around 10 meters from the second racer if the first can keep the distance about 10 meters it's make the first racer will win the races otherwise if the first racer can't keep the distance about 10 meters the winner should be the second racer. The behind message can be taken fro this tradition like hard work, bravery and coorperation.