Bali Aga
Encyclopedia
The Bali Aga, Baliaga or Bali Mula are the original Balinese
people, predominantly located in the eastern part of the island, in Karangasem. They can also be found in north-western and central regions.
In Tenganan
, where tourism is more easily embraced and the people are said to be more friendly, a three-day festival called Udaba Sambah is held during the months of June or July. It is also to be noted that Tenganan prohibits divorce and polygamy, unlike other villages.
that is entirely their own, dating back from thousands of years. It varies from village to village, where the one spoken in the Tenganan village is different from the Trunyan village.
Balinese people
The Balinese population of 3.0 million live mostly on the island of Bali, making up 89% of the island's population. There are also significant populations on the island of Lombok, and in the eastern-most regions of Java The Balinese population of 3.0 million (1.5% of Indonesia's population) live...
people, predominantly located in the eastern part of the island, in Karangasem. They can also be found in north-western and central regions.
Origin
The original inhabitants of Bali are said to have come long before the Hindu-Javanese immigration wave, from Bedulu village. The legend is, there lived the last king of the Pejeng (an old Balinese kingdom), Sri Aji Asura Bumibanten, who had supernatural powers. He could cut off his head without feeling pain and put it back on again. One day, though, his head accidentally fell into a river and was swept away. One of his servants, panicked, decided to quickly decapitate a pig and replace the king's head with the animal's head. Embarrassed, the king hid in a tall tower, denying anyone to see him. However, there was a small child who discovered the secret and since then, the king was known as Dalem Bedulu, or He-who-changed-head. A more scientific reason is the theory that it comes from the name Badahulu or "the village upstream". After the Pejeng kingdom, the Majapahit Empire rose to power.Culture
The Bali aga live in isolated areas in the mountains. Tourists wishing to visit certain villages must take care in not putting themselves in danger due to the geographical circumstances. While visiting, it is also important to be respectful and quietly observe the preserved way of life the Bali aga have.In Tenganan
Tenganan
Tenganan is a village in the regency of Karangasem in Bali, Indonesia.It is a tourist attraction due to its original Bali Aga village compound and know for its Gamelan selunding music....
, where tourism is more easily embraced and the people are said to be more friendly, a three-day festival called Udaba Sambah is held during the months of June or July. It is also to be noted that Tenganan prohibits divorce and polygamy, unlike other villages.
Language
The Bali Aga speak a dialect of the Balinese languageBalinese language
Balinese or simply Bali is a Malayo-Polynesian language spoken by 3.3 million people on the Indonesian island of Bali, as well as northern Nusa Penida, western Lombok and eastern Java...
that is entirely their own, dating back from thousands of years. It varies from village to village, where the one spoken in the Tenganan village is different from the Trunyan village.
Craftwork
An important part of Bali Aga culture is the unique weaving skills found especially in the Tenganan village, called geringsing. Geringsing consists of an intricate ikat technique, where patterns are applied in such a way that it only appears when completed. The geringsing threads are dyed and cross-dyed until they achieve a color that is often mute. The villagers believe the geringsing to be sacred because of its ability to drive away bad spirits, or black magic. Gering means decease and sing means no.See also
- Ancestor worship
- AnimismAnimismAnimism refers to the belief that non-human entities are spiritual beings, or at least embody some kind of life-principle....
- Balinese peopleBalinese peopleThe Balinese population of 3.0 million live mostly on the island of Bali, making up 89% of the island's population. There are also significant populations on the island of Lombok, and in the eastern-most regions of Java The Balinese population of 3.0 million (1.5% of Indonesia's population) live...
- Hinduism in IndonesiaHinduism in IndonesiaHinduism in Indonesia, also known by its formal Indonesian name Agama Hindu Dharma, refers to Hinduism as practised in Indonesia. According to the 2000 census Hindus consisted 1.79% of the total population with 88.05% in Bali and 5.89% in Central Kalimantan...
- PandanusPandanusPandanus is a genus of monocots with about 600 known species. They are numerous palmlike dioecious trees and shrubs native of the Old World tropics and subtropics. They are classified in the order Pandanales, family Pandanaceae.-Overview:...
External links
- http://www.bali-indonesia.com/culture/bali-aga.html
- http://www.indo.com/featured_article/bali_aga.html
- http://blog.baliwww.com/guides/280