Every full moon in sixth month
Pengotan youth involved in mass war
Bali
has many unique traditions associated with war. All this time, the
well-known war tradition is the pandanus war at Tenganan village,
Karangasem and tipat-bantal war in Mengwi, Badung. Not many people know
if Bangli County precisely Pengotan village also has similar war
tradition namely the banana sheath war or perang papah biu.As the name suggests, the banana sheath war is conducted by means of banana sheath. This war tradition is held en masse by hundreds of youths in the area of Penataran Agung Temple of local village every year around December. It precisely falls on full moon of the sixth month in Balinese calendar.
Before the war procession is done, people will organize a certain ritual at the local temple. The banana sheath war or Baris Babuang Dance will be preceded by senior figure of local village. To enrich the atmosphere, the war will usually be accompanied with gamelan music by local villagers.
War atmosphere will be getting more exciting when hundreds of youth of Pengotan customary village gets their turn to dance. With the command of a senior figure of the village, the banana sheath war begins. In practice, the hundreds of young men will hit one another by means of banana sheath like people in brawl. More uniquely, in this banana sheath war, the participants will not recognize which are friends and foes alike. Even, in spite of hit by banana sheath, the participants will not feel any pain.
Chief of Pengotan customary village, Jro Kopok, said the banana sheath war was one of the rituals having been passed down from generation to generation by residents of Pengotan since hundreds of years ago. It was meant to invoke people’s safety and prosperity. “In addition, it is also intended to strengthen togetherness and kinship among people,” he explained.www.bali-travelnews.com
