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Life
of the Balinese and Oblation
Day-to-day
life of the Balinese could not be separated
from ritual activities with banten or oblations.
If you happen to spend the night at a hotel
right now, try to have a look at environment
nearby. You will find oblations easily in
the form of canang sari at places sacralzed
by hotel’s owner, like the temple,
tugu shrine or in front of the main entrance
gate.
This offering signifies devotion and thanksgiving
to the Almighty God who has delivered safety
and welfare. By offering banten, the hotel’s
owner says prayers in order that his hotel
persists to operate, employees can work
well, including you always feel safe and
convenient during your holiday here in Bali.
If you would like to see larger and more
grandiose modes of banten, you should take
time to visit piodalan or festivals at temples
or house compounds of the Balinese.
There are five kinds of ritual sacrifice
performed by the Balinese called Panca Yajna,
namely Deva Yajna (holy sacrifice to God),
Rhisi Yajna (to sage), Bhuta Yajna (to nature),
Pitri Yajna (to ancestor) and Manushya Yajna
(to fellow human).
Please check your tour itinerary in Bali
where Balinese people will hold a ritual
events. Then, pay a particular attention
to the ingredients of such oblations that
are made of assorted fruits, flowers and
leaves (flora and fauna).
Ancestral traditions of the Balinese indeed
made banten as the commonest or easiest
way to make himself closer to Ida Sang Hyang
Widhi, or Supreme Being. The palm-leaf manuscript
“Yadnya Prakerti” that is used
as a compendium for banten making in Bali
expounds entire banten signifying the manifestation
of human self-awareness, the symbol of God’s
omnipotence in the universe that resembles
andha bhuvana (cosmic egg). Reringgitan
(ornament) of banten signifies the sincerity
in performing ritual sacrifice (yajna),
flowers as a symbol of purity or heart’s
solemnity, leaves growing of hallowed mind,
fruits and cakes of angels or spiritual
awareness that has extensive knowledge.
To know more on the significance of banten
for the Balinese, can be found in the lontar
or palm-leaf manuscripts such as Yadnya
Prakerti, Sundarigama, Bhamakertih, Japa
Kala, Kaputusaning Rsi Gana, Sri Jaya Kasunu,
Aji Janantaka or Taru Pramana. Brahmanic
holy priest and tukang banten or banten
makers mostly own these lontars or they
could be found at Gedong Kirtya Singaraja,
Office of Bali Cultural Service, Hindu University
of Indonesia Denpasar or Hindu Dharma Institute
of Denpasar. Meanwhile, Udayana University
has published a book entitled “Taman
Gumi Banten” (literally means ‘Parkland
of Oblation Ingredient Plants’.) that
carries various plants that frequently used
for banten by the Balinese. They are arranged
into 16 classifications, namely (1) coconut
class, (2) bamboo, (3) tree, (4) don-ron
(leaf), (5) flower, (6) fruit, (7) tuber,
(8) temu-temuan (ginger family), (9) banana,
(10) legume, (11) fruit of areca palm, (12)
cucumber, (13) corn, (14) eggplant, (15)
sugar cane and (16) grass and so forth including
paddy, rattan, alang-alang grass, bamboo
grass, ogom, tabia bun (Piper retrofractum),
jali and spices.
These plants of banten ingredients are important
for the Balinese, so at the moment their
price is very costly. Therefore, every Balinese
family divides their courtyard compound
into three sections. They are respectively
sanctums or shrine areas at residential
areas in the middle and teba (backyard)
as open spaces for planting miscellaneous
ritual needs and partly used for household
garbage disposal.
Plants cultivated are immensely beneficial
for survival, like coconut, banana, mango,
jackfruit, toddy palm, bamboo et cetera.
Probably, teba from the Balinese family
garden, that at the same time functions
to preserve the balance of natural ecosystem,
affords that all family members can inhale
fresh and free-polluted air.
To build awareness of maintaining plants
and preserving the environment, the primogenitors
of the Balinese seem to have implemented
eco-oriented development from time immemorial.
Living befriend to nature for the Balinese
is realized in various kinds of bhuta yajna
rituals (sacrifice for the sake of cosmic
harmony), such as Tumpek Bubuh ritual as
an appreciation to God who has created dissimilar
important plants for the survival of mankind.
Presenting numerous offerings to the plants
on Tumpek Bubuh rituals coincidentally used
as a medium to remind mankind that a delightful
and healthy environment will make all terrestrial
inhabitants healthy and enjoy prosperous
living.
Thus, plants that can be made into banten
ingredients for the Balinese and are not
only used as symbols to make themselves
closer to God, but also as an effort to
maintain nature preservation that is so
important for the survival of mankind and
all other living beings. If you would like
to look at closer the plants for offerings,
simply have a promenade to nooks and crannies
of Bali and ask people the name and function
of each plant that available at house courtyard,
teba or roadside, in front of their house.
Ketut Sumadi Contributor of Bali Travel
News
Significance of THK Awards
for Bali Tourism
On
22 December 2004, Bali Travel News (BTN)
presented the Tri Hita Karana (THK) Tourism
Awards to several tourism components (hotels
and tourist resorts) in Bali. It was the
fifth presentation since the first one held
in 2000. What significance does it stand
for Bali tourism? In this context, it’s
noteworthy that tourism is not something
that should be viewed as something in common
in social activities. Such an event is an
important part of the implementation of
good governance. McGinnis (1999) argues
that good governance is a social concept,
in which the community obviously knows the
problem and also know how to solve it.
As we have been already aware, that tourism
sector in Bali has dominant influence in
the economy of Bali. Within the last 30
years, its contribution to Bali’s economy
has increased some 40%, but labour force
that could be absorbed only reached some
15% increase.
On the contrary, it even occurs in the agricultural
sector that previously has become the backbone
of Bali’s economy. The matter means
that if any quakes happen to the tourism
sector will result in an outspread impact
for economic activities of the Balinese
people. Therefore, the tourism sector in
Bali should sustain in keeping the social
dynamic of Balinese people.
To make Bali tourism sustainable incessantly,
all components involved in this sector should
put priority on harmonious and togetherness
concepts in its management operation, either
harmony with fellow humans, harmony between
human and its physical environment or harmony
of human with its Supreme Being. It completely
accords with the significance of THK concepts.
Social conflicts that once happened to tourism
circles in Bali show that this sector has
not implemented THK concept optimally.
It should be born in mind that these conflicts
are very hazardous for the sustainability
of the tourism sector. Probably if financial
analysis performed before the hotel is established
is profitable, then SWOT analysis executed
in its operational process is immensely
positive, but the existence of the hotel
may certainly not continue if they are ultimately
hit by internal and external conflicts.
In this context, it very much requires the
implementation of THK concepts in the circle
of tourism components in Bali that is reflected
by the presentation of THK Tourism Awards.
Hence, do not expect that a hotel would
get benefit instantly in the context of
THK Tourism Awards presentation. However,
if a hotel can implement THK concepts optimally
and achieve THK Tourism Awards, there will
be an assurance that the existence of hotels
ill persist.
Furthermore, the concern of Bali Travel
News in the process of THK implementation
in Bali has undoubtedly known the problems
faced by the tourism sector in Bali and
how to resolve them constitutes real implementation.
If this has been materialized in social
life, the role of government should be used
to the support private sectors roles that
have taken initiative.
We see that the influence of THK Tourism
Awards activity is very tangible in hotel
activities in Bali. Many hotels that perform
particular activity inform Bali Travel News,
or communicate their problem to the Editor
of Bali Travel News. It is a good indication
in the process of people’s empowerment,
in which they make an interaction to the
fellow component that is considered to be
able to give mutual benefit (win-win solution).
As a consequence, social activity in the
context of these THK Tourism Awards is necessary
to get positive encouragement from the authority
by producing regional legislation that enables
THK Tourism Awards to obtain formal support.
Dr. W. Windia
Contributor of Bali Travel News
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