Cultural Wonders of the Royal Pejeng Performance

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Supported by Local Artists

An art performance entitled ‘Cultural Wonders of the Royal Pejeng Performance’ drew the attention of the audience. Held at the Soma Negara Grand Palace of Pejeng, Saturday (Nov 8), it did not only present beautiful choreography, but also talented artists of local village. Dozens of foreign travelers watched it and had dinner with the festive touch of a strong culture. The performance of classical arts such as psalmody, leather puppet, human puppet and cak a cappella entitled ‘the Death of Kumbhakarna’ was staged by local artists. The art show would be regularly held every full moon with the performance of various arts, especially the mask dance and Legong Dance in accordance with the potential owned by Pejeng village.
At the beginning of the art performance last month, the artists were indeed brought in from outside the village. “It is an effort to empower the artists owned by Pejeng in the performing arts,” said senior figure of Soma Negara Palace, Cokorda Rai Widiarsa Pemayun, doubling as First Assistant of the Gianyar Regional Secretary.
Pejeng village, explained Cok Rai Widiarsa, was known to have a lot of tourism potentials either in terms of nature, art or ancient relics. However, as a companion to tourist area of Ubud village, this ancient village had not been touched maximally by the tourism sector. “To revive the cultural heritage and tourist attractions of Pejeng, we then hold an art performance every full moon or every month,” he said.
Exploration of the potential and preservation of the art and culture would be done across the villages or subdistricts in Gianyar, so that it could be developed as a tourist attraction. To achieve this goal, the government had formed a creative team in charge of exploring and drafting the potential of each village and realizing it in the form of performance on an ongoing basis.
Headman of Pejeng, Cok Agung Kusumayudha Pemayun, had confidence if the arts of Pejeng village had revived, it would bring in travelers because Pejeng village was the crossing path of travelers that would visit Batur Kintamani, Bangli. “We do hope the tourism potential of Pejeng village can rise up and become a tourist attraction that will have an impact on improving the people’s welfare,” he hoped. (BTN/015)www.bali-travelnews.com

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Mapag Toya Ritual, Invoke Rain to Overcome Drought

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Prolonged drought this year has made farmers in Tabanan difficult to get water. To invoke the abundance of water, farmers in Tabanan held a mapag toya or fetch water ritual. It is a tradition of farmers conducted to invoke water in the East Selemadeg subdistrict taking place on Wednesday (Oct 15) at Bedugul Temple of Subak Aseman IV. The Regent of Tabanan, Ni Putu Eka Wiryastuti, was also present at the ceremony.
The ritual officiated over by Ida Begawan Sekar Taman from Jelijih, East Selemadeg, was the first held at subdistrict level. Meanwhile, for each subak had become a regular agenda and held each year before the planting season.
Secretary of the Subak Aseman IV, Made Wijana, explained that mapag toya ritual was intended for invoking holy water in relation to the rain invocation. Started with saying prayers at Aseman Temple, the procession was resumed to Bedugul Temple of Subak Aseman. Other than praying to invoke holy water, it was accompanied with the implementation of small-sized pecaruan exorcism rite. “We have faced drought for nearly eight months. Although we got the assistance in the form of corn seeds, fertilizers and pesticides from the government, due to the prolonged dry season, we suffered substantial losses,” he said.
Subak Aseman IV posed one of the six groups in the Subak Aseman spreading across the area of East Selemadeg. Of the 2,340 hectares of paddy field at Subak Aseman, Subak Aseman IV had an area of 140 hectares with 230 members. But since the drought, most farmers preferred to let their land be vacant without being cultivated.
Drought issues in Tabanan got the attention from the Regent of Tabanan, Ni Putu Eka Wiryastuti. According to her, the drought was a common problem that should be addressed. One of them was by asking for guidance to God in order it could rain immediately with the mapag toya ritual. “God is the Creator. It is only to Him we are asking for help. Do not ever stop because God will always hear the people’s prayers,” she convinced.
She hoped that such an activity could also be implemented in all other subdistricts. At the end of the event, the regent along with the farmers of Subak Aseman held joint prayers at the Bedugul Temple of Subak Aseman IV. (BTN/kmb)www.bali-travelnews.com

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Wayang Pakeliran of Denpasar City Explores Makassar City

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Wayang Pakeliran of Denpasar City organized a performance in Makassar City, last weekend. Trans Studio Mall located in the Northern area of Losari Beach, Makassar, posing the venue at that night suddenly became the visitors’ point of interest. They came to witness the arts from the Island of the Gods.
Performance of the collaboration arts with female puppeteer Ayu Putri Suryaningrat was able to hypnotize the audience. With the accompaniment of batel (as using batel gamelan), Ayu Putri successfully delivered the message of the arts to the public of Makassar. Along with 27 supporters, the collaborative art of the shadow puppet was able to show the superiority of Balinese art.
It was revealed by the Secretary of Denpasar Culture Agency, Nyoman Sujati, as the group leader, Monday (Nov 3). “Our presence in Makassar is in relation to meeting the invitation of the Makassar Municipality in welcoming its 407th anniversary,” said Sujati.
At that time, Denpasar as the envoy of Bali got the first chance so that it did not waste time to take action. Starting from setting up the stage such as preparing the screen, supporting properties, lighting and others were made perfectly.
When Ayu Putri Suryaningrat served as a puppeteer, she presented the show entitled Kunti Puja. The story began from the Goddess Kunti who showed her persistence based on a deep sense of love and was trying to keep her baby from the clutches of the Goddess Durga. The difference in the good and bad character among Balinese people known as Rwa Bhineda or basic dualism accidentally featured in accordance with the conditions of the present time. She and other supporters were able to play beautifully and attractively.
Collaboration of the shadow puppet and human puppet was coupled with adequate lighting arrangement. It became a magnet for everyone who watched as well as became a different presentation from the previous ones. Consequently, throughout the show the community of Makassar never stopped to give applause while immortalizing the scene by scene through the shots of photo and video cameras as well as their phones.
Secretary of the Denpasar Culture Agency, Nyoman Sujati, as the group leader was accompanied by Alit Sudibya and Spokesperson Sudiana said that their presence in Makassar was in order to meet the invitation of Makassar Municipality in relation to welcoming the 407th anniversary of the city. “Denpasar City was chosen as the performer considering Denpasar is believed to have many famous cultural attractions,” she said. (BTN/015)www.bali-travelnews.com

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Taman Ayun Temple at Central Badung

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As the Royal Family temple of the Raja of Mengwi

Pura Taman Ayun is a beautifully apointed temple, with its own surrounding moat, in the village at Mengwi, Badung Regency, 18 Km. West of Denpasar. The history of this temple is closely associated with the begining of the Rajadom of Mengwi, in 1627 B.C. it was built in 163-1AD. at the time at the rule of the first Raja of Mengwi. I Gusti Agung Ngurah Made Agung, who later become known as Ida Cokorda Sakti Belambangan. As the Royal Family temple of the Raja of Mengwi. This temple is a place to worship the Royal ancestors, who find their rest in a special shrine known as the "Gedong Paibon".www.bali-travelnews.com

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Taksu of Kertagosa fades out

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Restoration to the roof of Kertagosa in current technique draws a concern of numerous public figures in Klungkung County. One of them is Ida Bagus Pidada Kaut. Recently, he assessed the techniques applied in maintaining to restoring the roof of Kertagosa had made the taksu or divine vibration of the royal historical heritage faded out, even vanished. This humanist asked the local government to prepare a ritual means for guru piduka (apologetic ritual) and pejati even though the restoration process was still ongoing.
Ida Bagus Pidada Kaut stressed that Kertagosa posed an asset of Klungkung. He agreed to the implementation of restoration. However, he cautioned not to change the design, materials, layout and style or it should be preserved as the original design. It was certainly not easy because such restoration should follow the principles of cultural heritage. So far, his party claimed that humanists in Klungkung County had not been invited to make coordination by relevant agencies, with respect to the restoration of Kertagosa. He was concerned if the restoration process was undertaken in that way, so the original design of Kertagosa would be lost as occurred in the northern compound wall of Kertagosa.
“I do not know whether the restoration by this technique can still maintain the original condition. It is unbelievable, the historic relic like Kertagosa is restored in the current technique,” he said. He warned, anyway Kertagosa was a silent witness to the glory of the past era of Klungkung kingdom. Thus, it was the obligation of local government to maintain and preserve its existence. Other than guru piduka and pejati, he also asked local government to hold caru rishi gana exorcism rite. Anyhow, something that had been restored, especially the royal relic, should be returned to the original condition spiritually by ritual. He worried the taksu of Kertagosa would fade out.
Meanwhile, the Head of Klungkung Culture and Tourism Agency, Wayan Sujana, when contacted on Wednesday (Oct 8) asserted that the roof restoration of Kertagosa claimed to have complied with the restoration standards for historic site as a cultural heritage. Even, his party previously claimed to coordinate with the Klungkung Grand Palace and the BP3 Bali. He also admitted to have offered guru piduka and pejati ritual, where it had become the responsibility of the project contractor before starting the works. Meanwhile, the rishi gana ritual was still under consideration as Kertagosa did not belong to temple category needing such a grandiose ritual. The repair process was also directly inspected by the Regent of Klungkung, Nyoman Suwirta, last Monday.
The regent wanted to make sure if the restoration process had been going on properly as initial plan. Restoration to the roof of Kertagosa was scheduled to have been completed on November 13. At the moment, the completion of Kertagosa Pavilion and Floating Pavilion had reached 60 percent. (gik)www.bali-travelnews.com

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Sapi Gerumbungan: Traditional Cultural Attraction worth Knowing

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The Sapi Gerumbungan or cow racing is cultural attraction as well a traditional game of farmers. This cow racing always attracts public attention of Buleleng and travelers. Indeed, it previously has faded out, but now the cow racing is virtually always given an opportunity by the Buleleng government in big events such as the anniversary of the town of Singaraja, the Lake Buyan Festival, the recent Lovina Festival and the Sail Indonesia.
In the Lovina Festival, for example, the cow racing parade was an event receiving special attention from the public in attendance. When the participants moved and made the attraction, dozens of photographers directed their camera to take a unique picture of the running and tastefully decorated cows.
The effort of the government by providing an opportunity for farmers to hold the cow racing was an appropriate measure to save the agrarian art of Buleleng. Without such preservation, it will only leave in a story within a few years to come. Or people will only know the event through the cow racing statue at the intersection of Banyumala, Singaraja, without the real attraction that can be witnessed by children and grandchildren.
Indeed, only few farmers at some villages in Buleleng are still faithfully preserving the cow racing. They are truly loyal farmers becoming Bali cattle keepers and preserver of the famous cow racing tradition in the past. “The cow racing is very appropriate to preserve this cultural attraction owned by farmers,” said a farmer watching the Lovina Festival. Creation of cow racing is inseparable from the bonds of affection and love between farmers as custodian and cows as cattle. The art was created in the simple agricultural realm, but the date of creation was hard to trace back. At that time, the farmers in Buleleng were possessed by an anxiety while waiting for harvest time.
Amidst the anxiety, farmers said prayers in order to get abundant harvest. When obtaining a good harvest, they promised to decorate their cows having been used to plow paddy fields. The cows were decorated like a dancing human being. The cows were given a headdress, neck ornament and okokan or cow bell, leg bracelets and other items to make them look like a dancer while plowing.
In short, the harvest yields of farmer were abundant. Then, the promise to decorate the cows was carried out. People gathered and the decorated cows were used to plow and they were exhibited at subak area. From such activity, farmers then got new ideas to make the attraction of art. In fact, the other farmers were also interested in decorating their cows while plowing in paddy field.
When all the cows were decorated, an idea came to their mind to do a simple competition in paddy field after harvest. Each farmer competed for a pair of cows along with plowing equipment such as neck binder and soil flattener. The element of competition was not only the decoration on the cow’s body, but also the smartness of the cows to dance. From the activity, people had the term ‘the cow head looked up beautifully and the tail looked like durian sprout’ where the cow tail straightened healthily and curved beautifully.
When competed to run, the steps of the cows were trained to generate melodious and rhythmic sound of music. Then, local people got the terms of tabuh pisan or tabuh ro as could be found in the lelambatan gamelan composition. The cow steps were combined with the sound of cow bell mounted on the neck. As a result, it generated coherent sound like music with simple tones.
In the long run, the cow racing evolved to entire subak areas in Buleleng. Famous villages for this kind of cow racing included the Kaliasem, Pedawa, Munduk and the surrounding villages in Banjar subdistrict or Tegal hamlet in the town of Singaraja. Meanwhile, in Eastern Buleleng there were Bebetin, Jagaraga, Menyali, Sawan, Lemukih, Galungan and other nearby villages. For farmers, the cow racing was then symbolized as a memorial to the Rare Angon, a child figure in the Hindu mythology who is always playing in the paddy fields and villages.
In Buleleng, people believe that Banyumala area located in the western edge of the town of Singaraja was the first area used as the arena of cow racing followed by all farmers of Buleleng. On that account, at the intersection of Banyumala, exactly in front of Banyuasri Terminal, was established a quite large cow racing statue that can draw the attention of passersby.http://www.bali-travelnews.com/Art-and-Cultural

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