Balinese People

Balinese People

Bali population based the census on 2001 has reached 3.156.392 and Balinese it self is not stay in Bali Island but also spread out through Indonesian island. Bali race is a group of community banded by the awareness or oneness of culture. The Balinese Traditional is much banded by the social live aspect like conduct the pray in the temple, to place in the certain area together etc. The Balinese were not able to develop and sustain their extremely complex agricultural economy for centuries on end without a very organized community structure.

Strong Social Organization System

The basis of this community structure is called Subak and Banjar. Everyone who owns a rice paddy must join the Subak in their village. The Subak controls who will plant rice and when (plantings are staggered so that pestilence is minimized). As well and more importantly, the Subak ensures that all farmers receive their fair share of irrigation water since traditionally the head the Subak was the farmer whose field was at the bottom of the hill and water first had to pass through everybody else's field before it was allowed to irrigate his. The other important community structure is the Banjar that organizes all other aspects of Balinese life (i.e. marriages, cremations, community service, festivals and the like). When a man marries, he is expected to join the village Banjar and must participate in community affairs. Meetings are held at a large open-air building called the Bale Banjar

Megibung Tradition | A Sensational Meals Together

Besides have so much beautiful tourism destinations, Bali also rich with its culture and unique traditions. One of the unique tradition is Megibung. Megibung is one of cultures heritage where everyone eating together in one crock. Everyone can feel free to eat without hesitate in Megibung Tradition. Megibung is full of togetherness, everyone can know and recognize each other also strengthen the friendship between one and another.

Megibung or eating together is consist of 5 until 8 persons in one crock.There is no difference between man or woman and there is no difference of caste or skin color. Everyone sit and eat together, but in the next generation, man and woman have to be separated except they are one family or close friend. This Tradition still firmly entrenched in Karangasem, Bali.

Megibung begins with cook Bali traditional foods together, include rice and the side dish. After done with cooking, people prepare those foods to be eaten. Rice putted in one crock that called “gibungan”, while the side dish is called “karangan”.

Megibung tradition held when there is a religious or custom ceremony in some places, especially in Karangasem area such as Yadnya Ceremony like wedding ceremony, odalan, ngaben, etc. At this activity, usually people who has a ceremony invited friends and family to see the process of the religious ceremony so that the ceremony occurred as expected.

There are some ethics that should be note in Megibung Tradition. Before eat, we have to wash our hand first, do not drop a crumb / leftovers of a mouth, do not take food next to us, if one of people had been satisfied and full, they are forbidden to leave their friends, although this rule is not written but still followed by the participants of Megibung.

Mystical Power of Pis Bolong

Pis Bolong or Ancient Chinese Coins (kepeng money) have become money transactions tool in Bali in the past. Pis Bolong means money with hollows. The Shape is round like coin, flat, hollow at its center and Chinese written characters on both sides, mostly made from copper, silver and gold. “Pis Bolong” or kepeng money still has a function in the Balinese Hindu ceremony like Dewa Yadnya (the holy offering for God), Pitra Yadnya (the holy offering for the ancestors), Rsi Yadnya (the holy offering for clergymen) Manusa Yadnya (the holy offering for human) and Butha Yadnya (the holy offering for Ghost). It is also used to make souvenir items for the tourism. This money was came by 

 Chinese people in 12th AD.

Beside used for ceremony, some Balinese Hindu society believed Pis Bolong has supernatural or magical powers. If Pis Bolong generally has  two sides of Chinese writing, but the magic Pis Bolong has one side or rerajahan will contain a image  like Arjuna, Bhima, Krishna, Pandavas, Twalen, Sangut, Hanuman, Horse, fishnet, Crescent moon etc.

Pis Bolong containing rerajahan (Balinese sacred drawing or handwriting) generally has the power in accordance with the image contained on one side of the Pis Bolong. It magical powers will arise if the owner of Pis Bolong trusts of it. Some rumors were heard in the community that was widely magic of Pis Bolong is very powerful. Someone who wants to winning the run race usually used Pis Jaran (Horse), because it has power to run faster. If you want to get close with pretty girl usually used Pis Rejuna, it makes you look so handsome. Pis Bolong is very useful in Balinese daily life.

Pis Rejuna

Pis Jaran

Bali Sacred Bracelet that you must know...

 

Have you seen the Balinese Hindus people wear bracelets made from yarn? If you have seen the bracelet, you would think what that is and why Balinese Hindus people wear it. Don’t worry you will get all the information about it.


The bracelet as known Tridatu yarn bracelet which is consist by 3 yarns colored red, black and white. Etymologic Tridatu comes from 2 words, “Tri” mean Three and “Datu” mean King. So, Tridatu is three main of God, those are Brahma God, Wisnu God, Siwa God. Tridatu is not fetish or magical thing but symbolize of three elements. The red element symbolizes creativity and bravely, the black element symbolizes powerful and protected us from bad spirit and white element symbolizes spirituality and goodness.
Tridatu as a symbol to keep remind people that life is not just one color, but many colors. There is birth, life, and death and using tridatu reminds us above all that. Wear the sacred yarn will be able to give sanctity and protection from all iniquity and dissipate bad spirits. This bracelet is purified by holy water and make this bracelet is sacred. This information will make you to know what Tridatu is and useful for you.

Starfruit, an Exotic fruit..

 

Starfruit is also known as carambola. Starfruit is native to Indonesia, India and Sri Lanka. The fruit in cross section is a five-pointed star, hence its name. The skin is green to yellowish, slightly waxy and edible. The juicy flesh is yellow, transparent with a single black edible seed. The flavour of the fruit is fresh and slightly sweet and comparable to a mix of papaya, orange and grapefruit all at once. The riper starfruit is yellow and can have some brown edges. The taste is much sweeter.


Starfruit do not need to be peeled or seeded before eating. Simply wash the fruit, cut crosswise to get the star shape, and eat.

Starfruit can be eaten out-of-hand because the fruit is entirely edible. The fruit is also commonly used in salads, cakes, jams, jellies, cocktails or to garnish food dishes.

Starfruit is ripe when they are firm and have a yellow skin. It will also have some brown ridges at the edges. The fruit can be kept at room temperature for a few days.
  
The carambola is a tropical and subtropical fruit. It can be grown at up to 4,000 feet (1,200 m) in elevation. It prefers full sun exposure, but requires enough humidity and a total of 70 inches or more of rainfall a year. It does not have a soil type preference, but it requires good drainage
Carambola trees are planted at least 20 feet (6.1 m) from each other and typically are fertilized three times a year. The tree grows rapidly and typically produces fruit at four or five years of age. The large amount of rain during spring actually reduces the amount of fruit, but, in ideal conditions, carambola can produce from 200 to 400 pounds (91 to 181 kg) of fruit a year.