Otonan | The Hindu's Balinese Birthday

Otonan – Balinese Birthday

If the people beyond Bali celebrate their birthday with a party, the Hindu Balinese celebrate their birthday with a ceremony. This ceremony is called Otonan or Ngotonin. Different with the birthday anniversary that using only the calculation of the date and month, Otonan conducted every 6 months (210 days) once by using the Balinese Calender calculation, 1 month = 35 days.

Otonan (birthday) is an immensely important celebration for the Hindu Balinese. It constitutes right moment to reorganize, encourage the relationship of human self with the four integrated companions as the otonan contains two dimensional aspects, both sekala (visible) and niskala (invisible). By this, it is also expected to promote harmony between the body with soul and finally reach eternal bliss here and after.

Otonan is a day when Balinese aware of their self. A Balinese mother always remember when her child’s otonan is though the mother is illiterate she can count correctly when the day of otonan is. The fundamental purpose of an otonan is to purify and convey spiritual strength.

Balinese don’t celebrate their birthdays with cake, candles and presents and there are no formal invitations. Instead, the family makes offerings called natab and the person whose birthday it is will pray for health, happiness and guidance amidst wafts of ritual smoke. At the end of the ceremony, a piece of white cotton called benang sri datu is tied around the person’s right wrist, hung over the ears and one is placed on the head. These all fall off in time. Whilst on the body, they are said to protect the wearer from negative influences such as demons known as butha-kala.
 

Ngelawang | Barong Dance on the street tradition

Ngelawang, a unique Barong Dance 

on the street

Yesterday, I went to Penglipuran Village , Bangli Regency. Then I saw a unique barong dance called Ngelawang. Ngelawang is a unique tradition in Bali that is held by performing Barong dance on the street, performed by moving from one place to another and mostly only can be found in Galungan and Kuningan celebration. This tradition can be found almost in all villages around Bali. The tradition is believed already exists since tens of years ago from generation to generation.

(Ngelawang Tradition)

 “Ngelawang” tradition is inherited from generation to generation aims to neutralize the universe, rejecting any kind of diseases that interfere with human life, including “niskala” (abstract / not visible), expelling people who mean harm, interfere with the security of Bali.Ngelawang tradition in the context of sacred magical as an offering to reject harms as the meaning of ngelawang during Galungan until Kuningan.

The name of Ngelawang came from the words ‘lawang’, which means ‘door’, so generally ngelawang means a performance that performed by moving to one place to other place or from one village to another.

Nowadays, Ngelawang is not only performed by adult, it is also performed by kids with their own creativity in performing barong dance accompanied by its gamelan (traditional music).

The performance in Ngelawang using sacred barong which  is performed by grown up people is held by taking the barong around the village and performing the barong dance when they passing a temple. Meanwhile the one that is held by children is an entertainment and they will perform the dance when someone gives any offering and donation to them when walking around the village.

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Mepeed Tradition | Balinese Parade

The Unique of Mapeed Traditions

This is the one of Balinese Parade called Mapeed. It is the unique things that you can see in Bali. Mapeed held by the Balinese women in white or yellow kebaya because that colour is symbolizing purity, lined up long with fruits arrangement of offerings towering on its head.

 Mapeed is taken from word ‘peed’ means ‘like a parade‘. This tradition has already existed since 1711. It is a manifestation of Balinese Hindus gratitude to the God..Now, it has become a cultural heritage from generation to generation . Mapeed usually held on the village while the Balinese ceremony.Married women do their hair is a style called sanggul. 

Mapeed usually accompanied by Balinese marching or gongs, drums and cymbals called baleganjur which they can walk more than 1 km distance.The procession is always keep by Balinese security or called Pecalang who usually wearing the combine of black and white uniforms.The arrangement of towering fruits that they bring on its head called Gebogan. Fruits, flowers and cakes arranged in  a kind of tray called Dulang. It has a high average of 1 meter and make Mapeed Balinese parade is so amaze and interest to see.

After the Mapeed procession done or they arrived at the temple , the woman who be a participants will help by the Balinese holy peolpe called Pemangku to take the Gebogan into the holy place. And after purifying with the holy water called Tirtha, then the ceremony begins.

If you come to Bali and see the Balinese parade who brings the Gebogan, yes that's called Mapeed and if you want to get more information about others traditions in Bali, please contact BaliStar Island to give you an information that you want to know about Bali.